Wasps and England loose head prop Tim Payne has been called into the British and Irish Lions squad for the remainder of the tour of South Africa. Payne has come in as cover for fellow England player Andrew Sheridan who has been suffering with a back injury following the win over Southern Kings.
Lions head coach Ian McGeechan said: “Tim Payne has been called up to provide essential cover for the front row as Andrew Sheridan is responding slowly to treatment for a sore back following the Southern Kings match.
“We simply can’t go into this week without sufficient cover at loose head prop as we play the Emerging Springboks and the Springboks in the space of five days.
“Tim Payne will arrive match fit having played in all three of England’s recent international matches against the Barbarians and Argentina. We are still hopeful that Andrew Sheridan will respond to the medical regime he is currently undergoing.”
The Lions trail the Springboks 1-0 in the three-Test series after losing the opening encounter 26-21 in Durban.
