Borderers join up with British & Irish Lions squad

Jedburgh's Greig Laidlaw joins up with the British & Irish Lions Credit: Press Association

Borderers Stuart Hogg and Greig Laidlaw have joined up with the British & Irish Lions ahead of the squad's summer tour to New Zealand.

Fullback Hogg, who comes from Hawick, was in the initial party while his teammate and Scotland skipper Laidlaw was called up as a replacement at the weekend after England scrum-half Ben Youngs withdrew from the trip for family reasons.

The squad met up in south-west London this morning for the so-called player administration day. It will be followed by training camps in Wales and Ireland before the 41-man squad leave for Auckland on May 29.

The Lions face a 10-game tour including a three match test series against the All Blacks.

Head coach Warren Gatland has backed Jedburgh's Laidlaw to handle the late call-up.