Grateful.

British & Irish Lions head coach, Warren Gatland, confirmed on Sunday that tighthead prop, Andrew Porter, has been ruled out of this summer’s Castle Lager Lions Series in South Africa with a toe injury with England’s Kyle Sinckler replacing him.

Sinckler, who toured with the Lions in 2017, was a surprise omission in the original squad and made his feelings known on multiple occasions but did not let the disappointment affect his performances on the pitch.

The 28-year-old turned in a man of the match performance for his club Bristol following his exclusion and has carried himself incredibly well after the shock.

And now in a post to Instagram, Sinckler has reacted to the late call-up in a similar fashion, letting everyone know how grateful he is for how the last couple of days have gone.

“Just a post to say how grateful I am for all the positive messages received in relation to my last-minute Lions inclusion,” Sinckler wrote.

“I am honoured to be part of the team moving forward but feel it is most important to offer my empathy to Andrew Porter. I can only imagine how you are feeling brother, I wish you the very best with your recovery. Will make sure I do the shirt proud if I get a chance to wear it in your place.

“You all know how much this means to me, more so at this point in my career because I understand just how much rugby and overcoming adversity can inspire the next generation. My eyes have been opened in recent months, and in a tough world climate, my plan is to put this opportunity to good use as a platform for hope when we all need a little. Stay tuned.”