Lions scare as Leinster pull Jamison Gibson-Park from URC Final

British & Irish Lions staff will be closely monitoring the fitness of Leinster half-back Jamison Gibson-Park, who has been ruled out of their United Rugby Championship final with the Bulls just hours before kick-off.

The 33-year-old scrum-half – who is widely expected to start for Andy Farrell’s Lions this summer in the series against the Wallabies in Australia – was withdrawn on the morning of the clash with the Bulls in Dublin.

Leinster issued the following update on X: “Squad Update: unfortunately Jamison Gibson-Park has been ruled out this morning. Best of luck to Luke McGrath who starts and Academy scrum-half Fintan Gunne named on the bench.”

The news hands McGrath a late call-up to the starting XV, while 21-year-old Gunne steps in as cover on the bench.

It’s a major blow for Leinster who face Jake White’s Bulls, who have beaten the Irish province twice in the knock-out stage of the URC, at Croke Park at 5 pm.

The exact nature of the injury has not as yet been disclosed. Gibson-Park appeared to train as normal during the captain run’s on Friday at GAA headquarters.