D'Arcy shrugs off old lethargy to plug injury gap

Gordon D' Arcy, the Irish centre who was too tired to make his Lions Test debut in New Zealand four years ago – he pulled out with "general fatigue" – may yet have an opportunity to break his duck by appearing against the Springboks.

The 29-year-old from Co Wexford was called in by the tour management yesterday because of injuries affecting three other midfield contenders in Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald and, most seriously, Riki Flutey, whose future here is in some doubt as a result of the knee injury he suffered during his brief opening match appearance off the bench in Rustenburg.

Flutey is not yet off the trip – there will be no final decision for several days – but the head coach, Ian McGeechan, and his staff were sufficiently concerned by the latest bulletin from the treatment room to take early steps to avoid a personnel crisis ahead of the tough games over the next week and a half.

D'Arcy, a gifted attacker who is at home in the heavy traffic, has had his lean spells in recent seasons, but his contribution towards Leinster's successful Heineken Cup campaign ensured him a prominent place on the Lions' reserve list.