Archer return a 'great day'

CRICKET Ben Stokes declared Jofra Archer's long-awaited Test comeback as a "pretty great day" for English cricket and backed the paceman to rediscover his 2019 magic. Archer has replaced Josh Tongue in England's only change for the third Rothesay Test at Lord's, finally ending a four-and-a-half-year absence that has seen him wrestle with a host of significant injury setbacks.

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THE British and Irish Lions are sweating on the fitness of Blair Kinghorn as they face the possibility of losing another fullback to injury.

Kinghorn took a bang to his knee early in the Lions’ 36-24 victory over ACT Brumbies in Canberra and attempted to play on before eventually limping off in the 25th minute.

The Scotland star, seen as a likely starter in the first Test against Australia on July 19, thumped the pitch in frustration when he first felt the injury and he is waiting to find out the extent of the damage.

The Lions have already had Elliot Daly forced out of the tour because of a fractured forearm and after calling up playmaker Owen Farrell as his replacement, Kinghorn and Keenan are left as the only specialist fullbacks in the squad, although Marcus Smith provides cover in the position.

“Blair is in good spirits. He got a bang on the knee, he carried on for quite a bit but there was no need to keep him going,” head coach Andy Farrell said.