A healthy dollop of Ireland stars.
Warren Gatland has named his matchday squad for the British & Irish Lions’ 2021 tour warm-up against Japan. The Lions team has a big Irish contingent.
The Lions head coach is without several England internationals and Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg, who are finishing out their club seasons in the Premiership.
With Saracens players, and Finn Russell, only reporting for duty on Monday morning, there is a distinctly Irish and Welsh look to the starting XV to face the Japanese at Murrayfield [this Saturday, 3pm].
The only Irish player not starting is tighthead Tadhg Furlong, as Scotland’s Zander Fagerson gets the No.3 jersey.
In midfield, we have Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki paired together with Dan Biggar and Conor Murray as starting half bacs. Liam Williams gets the nod at fullback.
In the pack, Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones is in the second row with Iain Henderson while Six Nations Player of the Tournament Hamish Watson is in the back row with Jack Conan and Tadhg Beirne.
There are four England players – Jamie George, Anthony Watson, Courtney Lawes and Owen Farrell – on the bench.
LIONS XV vs. JAPAN
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)
9. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland)
5. Alun Wyn Jones – Captain (Ospreys, Wales)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)
REPLACEMENTS: Jamie George (Saracens, England), Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England), Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland), Owen Farrell (Saracens, England), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
*A very special British & Irish House of Rugby show – fronted by Sean O’Brien and Alex Goode – will start on June 25 and run for the duration of the Lions Tour. Follow and subscribe to it HERE
