Key Ireland duo Gibson-Park and Keenan may miss the Lions’ first tour clash due to injury setbacks

The British and Irish Lions have landed in Perth ahead of their summer tour of Australia—but the squad faces an early injury scare with doubts over Ireland stars Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan. Both players are nursing knocks that kept them out of Leinster’s United Rugby Championship final win, and now look doubtful for the Lions’ opening fixture against the Western Force this Saturday.

Head coach Andy Farrell confirmed the duo were still recovering during the team’s arrival in Perth following a gruelling 20-hour flight from Dublin via Doha. Scrum-half Gibson-Park is battling a glute injury, while full-back Keenan is sidelined with a calf strain.

“We’ll see how they pull up in midweek,” Farrell told reporters, keeping the door open for a potential return but refusing to commit to their availability for the tour opener at Optus Stadium.

The absence of two key players in such pivotal positions would be a significant blow to the Lions, particularly after their 28–24 defeat to Argentina at Aviva Stadium. That loss has already raised questions about form and fitness heading into the high-pressure Australian leg of the tour.

In better news for the Lions, Scotland centre Huw Jones has recovered from the Achilles issue that had troubled him in the build-up to the series. Farrell said Jones had trained fully last week and was “up and running” again, providing a timely boost to the backline options.

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe was also spotted with ice strapped to his foot after the Argentina clash, sparking fears of another injury in the squad. However, Farrell moved quickly to dismiss any concerns, confirming there were no fresh setbacks and that the winger is expected to be fit.

“We’re here to build for what’s going to be a fantastic Test series,” said Farrell, keen to refocus attention on the upcoming tour rather than injury woes. “We want to play some good rugby along the way.”

He added: “We’ll find out more about each other as we keep on going. Of course, we’ll analyse what went on against Argentina and why, but that’s all part of the journey—to understand where we need to go next.”

Despite the disruption caused by injuries and a fragmented squad arrival—owing to several players joining late after the URC and Premiership finals—Farrell looks set to field a mixed side combining Leinster, Bath, and Leicester talent. With the first Test against Australia still weeks away, the coach appears willing to rotate and experiment in early matches to build cohesion.

The Lions will kick off their campaign on Saturday in Perth, looking to find form, rhythm and fitness before the real test begins. But all eyes remain on Gibson-Park and Keenan. Should they miss out, the pressure will mount quickly on Farrell to reshuffle and adapt.

As the tour begins, so does the tension. With expectations high and a bruising fixture list ahead, the Lions know they need every weapon available—and any delay in getting their key players on the pitch could prove costly.