Lions call up Osborne as cover for Kinghorn

Ireland's Jamie Osborne will join the British and Irish Lions squad as back-up to Blair Kinghorn despite the Scotland full-back receiving "positive news" from a scan on a knee injury.

Kinghorn sustained the injury in Wednesday's win over the ACT Brumbies, stretching the tourists' resources at full-back with Hugo Keenan's game time having been restricted by illness and injury.

Osborne, who is described as "training cover" for Kinghorn, will arrive at the Lions camp on Saturday from Portugal, where he has been training with Ireland.

Kinghorn is recently back from a separate knee injury sustained on club duty for Toulouse.

The Lions said the medical team will "manage his return to training over the coming days".

The Lions play their final pre-series tour game against an Australia/New Zealand invitational side on Saturday, before taking on the Wallabies in the first Test on 19 July.

Toulouse's progress to the Top 14 final delayed Kinghorn's arrival on tour, and he lasted only 24 minutes on his Lions debut against the Brumbies before being replaced.

England's Marcus Smith, whose ability to cover both fly-half and full-back was key to his selection in the squad, has played the most minutes at 15, with Tommy Freeman, Mack Hansen and Huw Jones also able to fill in if the Lions find themselves short.

Lions head coach Andy Farrell gave Osborne the first of his eight Test caps at full-back against South Africa last summer, but the 23-year-old is more used to playing in midfield.

Scotland's Tom Jordan and Wales' Blair Murray might also have entered Farrell's thinking as options to cover for Kinghorn.