Lions Named For Queensland Reds

The British & Irish Lions today announced the team to play the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.

Paul O'Connell and Conor Murray are both named in the replacements for Saturday's game along with their Irish colleague Jonathan Sexton. Tommy Bowe is the only starting Irish representative.

Head Coach Warren Gatland said: “Two wins and two victories is great but those two matches are building blocks as we head towards the Test series. We always said we would give every player a start in the first three matches and this team reflects that. It also provides us with the opportunity to continue to look at different combinations.

“For the Reds match this includes a new centre pairing and a different front five. At the same time we have several players playing their second matches on tour and some proven combinations starting the match. Ben Youngs and Owen Farrell are the incumbent England halfbacks and we have an all-Welsh backrow.”

The Lions face Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday, ko 10.30am in Ireland.

British & Irish Lions:
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
13. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers/England)
12. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
11. Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ireland)
10. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Toulon/Wales)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
3. Matt Stevens (Saracens/England)
4. Richie Gray (Scotland)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
8. Tangaki Taulupe Faletau (Dragons/Wales)

Replacements:
16. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
19. Paul O’Connell (Munster/Ireland)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
23. George North (Scarlets/Wales)