Owen Farrell has been ruled out of the British and Irish Lions match against the Maori All Blacks.
The English fly-half suffered a grade one quadricep strain in training and will not be playing for Warren Gatland’s side on Saturday.
Farrell was not due to start the game after Gatland rang in the changes for the match after their latest defeat at the hands of the Highlanders but was penned down as a replacement.
However, Dan Biggar will now take his place on the bench as the Lions look to get their tour back on track.
With Farrell’s injury listed as grade one, many would hope that he should return to the playing field sooner rather than later and be fit for the first test game come 24 June.
Peter O’Mahony has been named as captain of the side, an incredible honour for the Munster man and is joined by four other Irishmen in the starting XV.
Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, Tadgh Furlong and Sean O’Brien will all start the game with Ian Henderson on the bench.
It has been a turbulent start for the Lions as they have lost two of their four games but the side to face the Maori All Blacks on Saturday looks to be the strongest yet.
The line up is as followed:
15. Leigh Halfpenny – Toulon, Wales
14. Anthony Watson – Bath Rugby, England
13. Jonathan Davies – Scarlets, Wales
12. Ben Te’o – Worcester Warriors, England
11. George North – Northampton Saints, Wales
10. Johnny Sexton – Leinster, Ireland
9. Conor Murray – Munster, Ireland
1. Mako Vunipola – Saracens, England
2. Jamie George – Saracens, England
3. Tadhg Furlong – Leinster, Ireland
4. Maro Itoje – Saracens, England
5. George Kruis – Saracens, England
6. Peter O’Mahony (Capt) – Munster, Ireland
7. Sean O’Brien – Leinster, Ireland
8. Taulupe Faletau – Bath Rugby, Wales
Replacements
16. Ken Owens – Scarlets, Wales
17. JackMcGrath – Leinster, Ireland
18. Kyle Sinckler – Harlequins, England
19. Iain Henderson – Ulster, Ireland
20. Sam Warburton – Cardiff Blues, Wales
21. Greig Laidlaw – Gloucester Rugby, Scotland
22. Dan Biggar – Ospreys, Wales
23. Elliot Daly – Wasps, England
