I'd swim to Australia if I had to

GEORGE'S 10,000-MILE JOURNEY TO JOIN UP WITH 'SPECIAL' LIONS

- From Alex Spink in San Juan

JAMIE GEORGE flew out to join the British and Irish Lions insisting he would have swum to Australia for this chance.

England’s co-captain has been called up for his third Lions tour as hooker cover after Luke Cowan-Dickie was knocked out playing in Adelaide on Saturday.

It meant George was withdrawn just five hours before kickoff from the England team that went on to complete a 2-0 series sweep of Argentina, with Jack van Poortvliet’s last-minute try giving Steve Borthwick’s men a 22-17 win.

George said: "I can’t stress enough how much playing for the Lions means to me. I'd swim there if I had to because that is how special it is. Having done two tours already, I know what it's like, I know how good it is.