Gregor Brown called up to Lions tour over concerns of the fitness of lock Joe McCarthy

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Scotland second rower Gregor Brown has been called up to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia because of concerns over the fitness of lock Joe McCarthy.

Brown was to join Andy Farrell’s squad in Melbourne on Sunday to provide cover for Tuesday’s final midweek match against a First Nations and Pasifika XV.

McCarthy left the field in the 44th minute of Saturday’s 27-19 victory over the Wallabies because of a foot issue that makes him in doubt for the Lions’ attempt at clinching the three-test series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

“It was niggling away at Joe. We got him off. Hopefully we got him off in time,” said head coach Farrell, who revealed that the Ireland player also has heel pain due to plantar fasciitis.

Brown joins Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman in leaving Scotland’s tour of New Zealand to link up with the Lions. All three of them started Friday’s 41-12 victory over Samoa in Auckland.

The Lions are now 6-0 in their Australian tour after wins over Super Rugby franchises Western Force,Queensland Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies and an Australia-New Zealand invitational XV.