Six Irish Players In Lions Test Squad To Face All Blacks
Leinster outhalf Johnny Sexton has missed out on a starting place in the first Lions Test side to take on the All Blacks this weekend but two of his provincial team-mates have made the cut.
Prop Tadhg Furlong will start in the pack with flanker Sean O'Brien who starts in the backrow alongside Peter O'Mahony who will captain the team.
The skipper's Munster team-mate Conor Murray is named at scrum-half alongside England outhalf Owen Farrell who pipped Sexton in the final selection.
The Leinster man will join another Blue on the bench for the first Test at Eden Park with Jack McGrath selected as the replacement loosehead prop.
Mako Vunipola beat McGrath to the starting spot and joins Jamie George in the front row with Furlong while Alun Wyn Jones and George Kruis complete the tight five.
Taulupe Faletau combines with the Irish duo in the back row.
Liam Williams gets the nod at full back with Elliott Daly and and Anthony Watson manning the wings while in the centre, former Leinster man Ben Te'o pairs up with Jonathan Davies.
Meanwhile, winger Rieko Ioane will win just his third cap for New Zealand as he joins Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg and Ben Smith in the back line.
Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett will team up in the half-back line.
The front row is Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks. Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock complete the tight five.
And it's Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane and skipper Kieran Read, who was passed fit, in the back row.
British & Irish Lions (v New Zealand, 1st Test, Saturday, June 24. K/O 8.35am Irish time
15. Liam Williams
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Davies
12. Ben Te’o
11. Elliot Daly
10. Owen Farrell
9. Conor Murray
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Alun Wyn Jones
5. George Kruis
6. Peter O’Mahony (capt)
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements
16. Ken Owens
17. Jack McGrath
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Maro Itoje
20. Sam Warburton
21. Rhys Webb
22. Johnny Sexton
23. Leigh Halfpenny