FURLONG FOLLOWS IN FOOTSTEPS OF GIANTS

TADHG FURLONG will join the legends of the Lions today — but admits he still feels like an imposter in their company.

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The Irish tighthead will make his ninth consecutive Test start for the tourists, over three trips, in the final clash of the series against Australia.

Furlong joins Wales great Alun Wyn Jones and England’s iconic scrumhalf of the 1950s, Dickie Jeeps, right, at fifth in the list but still six behind Willie John McBride, captain of the 1974 Invincibles. Crucially, none of those sequences came in the professional era.

Furlong, who made his Test debut for the Lions in the 30-15 opening defeat by New Zealand in 2017, insists he still does not deserve to be ranked in that company but most rugby fans would disagree. The 32-year-old said: "It wasn’t something I overly thought about.

"I just wanted to try to get on this tour and play rugby and see where it got me — but it’s class to be up there.