LIONS HEAD COACH Warren Gatland has brought Robbie Henshaw back into his starting XV for Saturday’s clash with the Stormers in Cape Town [KO 5pm Irish time, Sky Sports].
Henshaw returns from a hamstring injury to start at inside centre a week out from the first Test against the Springboks.
Tour captain Alun Wyn Jones has been included on the bench after his stunning recovery from a shoulder injury. The Welshman only arrives in South Africa today but will have a chance to push for Test match inclusion.
England’s 22-year-old Marcus Smith will debut for the Lions at out-half, having only joined the squad as injury cover for Finn Russell earlier this week.
Stuart Hogg captains the team having finished his period of isolation after being identified as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case in the Lions’ management team.
Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan get a final chance to impress in the back row, while Tadhg Furlong starts at tighthead prop.
Lions:
15. Stuart Hogg – captain (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff, Wales) #836
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster, Ireland) #824
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester, Scotland) #841
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, England)
9. Ali Price (Glasgow, Scotland) #843
1. Rory Sutherland (Worcester, Scotland) #840
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter, England) #851
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster, Ireland) #818
4. Adam Beard (Ospreys, Wales) #852
5. Jonny Hill (Exeter, England) #845
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster, Ireland) #838
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh, Scotland) #847
8. Jack Conan (Leinster, Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Jamie George (Saracens, England) #819
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) #787
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow, Scotland) #848
19. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, Wales) #761
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter, England) #849
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales) #850
22. Chris Harris (Gloucester, Scotland) #844
23. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester, Wales) #846
Stormers:
15. Sergeal Petersen
14. Seabelo Senatla
13. Rikus Pretorius
12. Dan du Plessis
11. Edwill van der Merwe
10. Tim Swiel
9. Godlen Masimla
1. Leon Lyons
2. JJ Kotze
3. Neethling Fouche
4. Ernst van Rhyn (captain)
5. JD Schickerling
6. Nama Xaba
7. Johan du Toit
8. Evan Roos
Replacements from:
16. Andre-Hugo Venter
17. Kwenzo Blose
18. Sazi Sandi
19. Justin Basson
20. Marcel Theunissen
21. Thomas Bursey
22. Abner van Reenen
23. Juan de Jongh
24. Lee-Marvin Mazibuko
25. Niel Otto
26. Leolin Zas
27. Cornel Smit.
