Lions Rugby: Winners And Losers Of The Lions Rugby Team 2009!

Shanklin faces nervous Lions wait as Ireland’s Gordon D’Arcy may still end up in the Lions Rugby squad as soon as it emerged that an injury to Wales centre Tom Shanklin possibly will see him miss the tour to South Africa.

Shanklin injured his shoulder late on in the Cardiff Blues Magners League victory  against the Newport-Gwent Dragons last night. He was taken for an X-Ray after the game and will now have an MRI scan to consider the extent of the damage.

The injury is thought to be a dislocation of the shoulder.

A Lions statement said: ‘The Cardiff Blues medical panel will with a bit of luck have a more thorough update available by the weekend.’

Ex-Wales international Bob Norster, who is currently the Cardiff Blues chief executive, added: ‘He has taken a severe whack to the shoulder, they are now assessing him and getting him down to the hospital for an X-ray and we will be aware of a bit more later on.

‘We will make a correct assessment in attendance with the medics.’

D’Arcy’s absence from the initial squad came as a shock to the South Africans, whose trainer Pieter De Villiers had rated the 41-times capped Ireland international the finest inside centre in the world.

D’Arcy’s form for Ireland in the concluding part of the RBS 6 Nations, and his robust performance for Leinster in their Heineken Cup semi-final success over Munster on Saturday also designate him a strong contender.

Scotland centre Max Evans, Wales’ fly-half and inside centre James Hook and Wasps player Josh Lewsey, who has retired from international rugby, are others who could enter the frame.

But the Lions Rugby Team will be keen not to see one more member of the original touring party exit the squad. Shanklin is the second member of the original Lions Tour party named by Ian McGeechan to go on the doubtful list in recent days.

Alan Quinlan faces a disciplinary hearing over an incident involving contact with the face of Leinster second row Leo Cullen during that Munster defeat to Leinster on Saturday and must avoid a long suspension to retain his place in the touring group.

Quinlan’s Munster team-mate Tomás O’Leary is definitely out of the Tour after breaking his leg during Munster’s Magners League game against Llanelli in April.

A stand-in number nine has up till now to be called into the squad, although Scotland captain Mike Blair is the favourite to get the thumbs up