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The British and Irish Lions have summoned Scotland lock Gregor Brown to join their touring party ahead of the second Test in Melbourne.
The 24-year-old started Scotland’s win over Samoa in Auckland on Friday night and will fly across the Tasman to bolster Andy Farrell’s options ahead of the tour game against the First Nations & Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night.
Compatriots Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman have made the same journey after the prop and hooker were called up as cover last week, while wing Darcy Graham has already joined up with the Lions.
It comes with Farrell seemingly unwilling to risk many of those involved in the first Test victory over Australia in Brisbane on Saturday night.
There is also an injury concern over Joe McCarthy, who was replaced while dealing with plantar fasciitis during the second half at Suncorp Stadium.
Brown, the cousin of Lions full-back Blair Kinghorn, can also play on the blindside and made his Scotland debut against Canada last summer. He featured in all five games of their Six Nations campaign, starting the defeat to France in Paris on the final weekend.
Another call up bloats the group in Australia to 45 players, with Brown’s proximity surely a factor given the short turnaround to the Tuesday night meeting with the First Nations & Pasifika side.
Farrell had suggested that his Test players may be involved in the game, and believes that whoever he selects will be ready to go as the Lions look to continue their unbeaten run since arriving in Australia.
“People won’t be volunteering,” Farrell said after the first Test. “They will do whatever it takes to make sure that this squad moves forward together.
“We care about the squad and nothing but the squad. That’s how it’s been the whole time. We’ve never separated once. We’ve been all in everything together.
“We’ll enjoy this victory tonight together. Then everyone will roll in on Monday to make sure that team, in an extended captain’s run like we’ve been doing over the past four of five weeks, is (given) as good a preparation as we’ve had all tour. It matters to us on Tuesday night as a group.”