Sale Sharks’ 20-year-old tight-head prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour has received a call-up to the prestigious British and Irish Lions training squad ahead of their upcoming tour.
Despite having only one cap for England — earned in 2024 — Opoku-Fordjour will now travel to Portugal next week as the Lions prepare for their match against Argentina in Dublin on Friday, June 20.
With 12 players from United Rugby Championship finalists Leinster unavailable for training next week, alongside key players from Premiership finalists Bath and Leicester, Lions head coach Andy Farrell is facing a shortage of players. The squad is especially thin in the front row, forcing him to bring in additional talent like Opoku-Fordjour to bolster preparations.
Hookers Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher remain with Leinster, leaving Luke Cowan-Dickie as the only hooker from the original squad available next week. Meanwhile, the tight-head position is also stretched thin: Tadhg Furlong is nursing an injury and tied to Leinster duties, Bath’s Will Stuart is unavailable, and Scotland’s Zander Fagerson is recovering from a calf strain.
Opoku-Fordjour’s inclusion caps off a breakthrough season for the Sale youngster. After making his England debut last autumn, he was shortlisted for the Premiership Young Player of the Season award. Most recently, he started for Sale in their narrow 21-16 defeat against Leicester at Welford Road.
Looking ahead, Ireland prop Finlay Bealham and England hooker Jamie George are also expected to join the Lions squad, with official announcements due on Monday.
The Lions will face Argentina at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium before flying to Perth to start their Australian tour with a match against the Western Force on June 28.
