Halfpenny to miss Sharks match due to injury

Welsh wing Leigh Halfpenny has been stood down from the British and Irish Lions bench for Wednesday’s match against the Sharks in Durban after suffering a recurrence of a thigh injury.

Lions defence coach Shaun Edwards told a news conference on Tuesday that Halfpenny had strained his thigh at the end of training on Monday afternoon.

“He was just doing a bit extra by himself at the end, working on his goalkicking, when he felt a twinge,” said Edwards.

“He is having a scan, we’re not being too hasty because he recovered from the same injury very quickly last time and it’s nowhere near as bad this time,” he added.

Fellow Welshman James Hook will stand in for the 20-year-old Halfpenny amongst the reserves for Wednesday’s match.

Halfpenny had to remain at home when the Lions left for South Africa on May 24 to recover from a thigh strain and only joined the tour last week.

Irish flank Stephen Ferris, who had not been selected to face the Sharks, was also having a scan on a knee injury on Tuesday with the results due later in the day.—Reuters