REES REES-ZAMMIT ZAMMIT READY TO ROAR
THE British and Irish Lions squad have received their first coronavirus vaccination jabs after assembling for a summit with Warren Gatland for the first time.
Scotland fly-half Finn Russell was the only player missing, due to travel reasons as he is in Paris with Racing. He received his first vaccination in the French capital last week, while Lions head coach Gatland received his second jab a number of weeks ago.
Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones was present, while Louis Rees-Zammit – the squad’s youngest member – was officially presented with stuffed Lions mascot, Bil, who he has to watch over until the tour’s completion as the youngest player on tour.
They had received clearance from the UK Government to get vaccinated early ahead of the tour to South Africa this summer, with the best of British and Irish rugby getting the Pfizer jab at a vaccination centre.
The Lions’ administration day took place at The Lensbury Hotel in London, where 36 masked-up members of the squad’s 37 players received their kit, suits, got their gum shields fitted and attended meetings over the onenight stay.
They also posed for official headshot photographs in the official Lions Test jersey, while kits could be seen individually wrapped and nametagged for each player.
Squad members are likely to receive their second dose of their Covid vaccines while on a training camp in Jersey from June 13. Players not involved in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs will meet up for the two-week stint in the Channel Islands. They then face Japan at Murrayfield on June 26 in a warm-up match.
Gatland named his Lions squad in early May, but has been unable to assemble his squad in person until now due to coronavirus restrictions.