Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny looks on course to link up with the Lions in South Africa during the next week. The Cardiff Blues player has remained at home to undergo intensive treatment on a thigh injury that meant he did not fly out with the rest of the group on Sunday.

But he has made excellent progress working with the Blues’ medical team, and he could be operating at full throttle again within the next couple of days.

Blues physiotherapist Tim Atter said: “We are happy with the progress Leigh has made since returning to us. He is running hard and is up to 80 per cent, and over the next two days we hope to get him back to full pace.

“We have worked mainly on strengthening and conditioning, and Leigh has also done some light kicking. Hopefully, he can fly out to meet up with the rest of the Lions on the weekend or early next week.

“Leigh himself has been really positive and worked exceptionally hard — he is determined to get on the tour.”

Halfpenny was among a handful of players involved in a disrupted Lions build-up before they left for South Africa.

But it now appears he is firmly on course to take his place with the Lions squad and continue a season that has seen him flourish for both Wales and the Blues.

Halfpenny’s injury prompted the Lions to call James Hook into the squad to provide additional goal-kicking cover as well as extra options at fly-half and inside centre.

If Halfpenny, 20, joins the Lions this weekend he could potentially come into the equation for their second tour fixture, against the Golden Lions next Wednesday.

Otherwise head coach Ian McGeechan could target the Cheetahs clash a week on Saturday to give Halfpenny — the youngest Lion since 1968 — his debut.

The Lions open their tour against a Royal XV in Rustenburg on Saturday.