Ronan Kelleher to train with Lions in Jersey

The Ireland hooker bolsters front-row options for first camp

Ronan Kelleher to train with Lions in Jersey

Ronan Kelleher has joined the British & Irish Lions 2021 squad for their training camp in Jersey.

The Ireland front-rower has not been added to the 37-man touring party but will train with the squad, which is short of hooking options at present as Saracens’ Jamie George and Exeter Chief Luke Cowan-Dickie still have club commitments.

Lions head coach Warren Gatland said: “I’m delighted to welcome Ronan to train with the squad this week while we wait for Jamie George to complete his domestic season with Saracens next weekend.”

A total of 26 players have assembled in Jersey for the Lions’ first training camp ahead of their match with Japan on Saturday 26 June at BT Murrayfield.

Backs (12):

Josh Adams (Cardiff, Wales)

Bundee Aki (Connacht, Ireland)

Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)

Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales)

Chris Harris (Gloucester, Scotland)

Robbie Henshaw (Leinster, Ireland)

Conor Murray (Munster, Ireland)

Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)

Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester, Wales)

Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Anthony Watson (Bath, England)

Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales)

Forwards (14):

Tadhg Beirne (Munster, Ireland)

Jack Conan (Leinster, Ireland)

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)

Taulupe Faletau (Bath, Wales)

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster, Ireland)

Iain Henderson (Ulster, Ireland)

Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales)

Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales)

Ronan Kelleher (Leinster, Ireland)

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England)

Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)

Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, Wales)

Hamish Watson (Edinburgh, Scotland)

The Saracens contingent will join up with the squad next week after the second leg of their Championship play-off against Ealing Trailfinders on Sunday – they won the first leg 60-0.

Any members of the Lions squad involved at clubs who lose this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership semi-finals will also head to Jersey. Finn Russell will join up with the squad once his Racing 92 commitments end – the Parisian club play La Rochelle in the Top 14 semi-finals this weekend.

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