Six Ireland players named in team for opening Lions match

Warren Gatland has named six Ireland players in his team for the opening British & Irish Lions match against Japan this Saturday.

The Lions will face off against Japan at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium and there will be an all-Irish midfield consisting of Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki.

Iain Henderson will start in the second row, with Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan also involved in the pack, while Conor Murray will take his place at scrum half. Tadhg Furlong has been named on the bench.

The Lions will kick off their tour of South Africa against Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on July 3 before the three-test series against South Africa gets underway in Cape Town on July 24.

The full starting XV for this Saturday’s game is listed below:

15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland) #808
5. Alun Wyn Jones – Captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)

More information can be found here.

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