Tyrone Howe yesterday expressed his delight at being drafted onto the Lions panel. "It's fantastic, I am totally stunned; it's really hard to describe what it means," said the Ulsterman.

The Dungannon winger was in Heathrow on the way home from a holiday in America when the phone call came through at 8.20 a.m. yesterday morning. "The lady said, `this is the Lions office, are you available to go to Australia?'," he explained. "I am over the moon, I can't wait to get out there."

Howe is not fazed by the task ahead of him as he joins the six other Irishmen in the tour party. He has followed the Lions' progress by computer in America but has not seen any of their matches. The new Lions recruit believes he is in good shape. The break in America has helped him recuperate after a long season. "I was on standby so I have been keeping myself in decent shape," he said.

Howe will fill the vacancy created by the injury to winger Dan Luger and his thoughts were with the Englishman. "You never feel good when a player gets injured, you are pleased that it gives you a chance but, hopefully, he will fully recover." It is uncertain whether Howe will feature in the Lions team over the rest of the tour but at the moment the winger is overjoyed at the news and said with a laugh that he "couldn't give a monkey's" if he plays. "If I get any sort of rugby at all I will be delighted, I hope to get some rugby and I hope to give it my best," he said.