ENGLAND prop Kyle Sinckler has been called into the British and Irish Lions squad for this summer’s tour of South Africa in place of the injured Andrew Porter.

In a bitter blow, Ireland tighthead Porter has been ruled out of the series due to a toe problem sustained in Leinster’s Pro14 Rainbow Cup defeat to Glasgow on Friday.

Sinckler, a Lions tourist in New Zealand in 2017, will join up with Warren Gatland’s squad following the conclusion of Bristol’s domestic season, with his club having already qualified for the Premiership play-offs.

Lions coach Gatland said in a statement: “It’s really bad luck for Andrew and we send him our very best wishes for a quick and successful rehab.

“Andrew is a young man with a big future ahead of him and I’m sure he’ll be in contention again in four years’ time.

“As always in rugby, when there’s an injury there’s an opportunity for someone else. I have been very pleased to see the way Kyle has responded to initially being left out of the touring party.

“He’s showed some excellent form of late and I hope he continues to stick two fingers up to me about leaving him out in the first place.”

The Lions are scheduled to assemble in Jersey on June 13 to begin preparations for a match against Japan on June 26 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

Gatland’s men will then fly to South Africa where, following a series of warm-up matches, they are due to play Tests against the Springboks on July 24 in Cape Town and July 31 and August 7 in Johannesburg.