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Four Irish players in Lions team to play Crusaders

Ireland internationals Sean O'Brien and Conor Murray are set to make their first appearances for ...



Four Irish players in Lions te...
Rugby

Four Irish players in Lions team to play Crusaders

Ireland internationals Sean O'Brien and Conor Murray are set to make their first appearances for the Lions on the 2017 Tour this Saturday.

The duo are among four Irish players in the staring fifteen. Tadhg Furlong and Peter O'Mahony will make their first Lions starts are both came off the bench in their first appearance.

Jack McGrath, CJ Stander and Johnny Sexton are on the bench. Sexton looks set to be the only player to be involved in the opening three games of the tour.

Head Coach Warren Gatland has kept his promise of giving every player a start in one of the first three games. The Wales duo of Jonathan Davies and George North both start, making their first appearances of the tour.

Nine of the starting 15 were part of the 2013 Tour to Australia, with Alun Wyn Jones set to captain the side. It is the third match in a row on tour, where the team will be captained by a Welshman.

After Wednesday's loss to the Blues, the Crusaders will be a tougher test for the Lions. The Christchurch-based side named their team for the game on Thursday, with seven All Blacks named in the starting lineup, including the front five.

British and Irish Lions team to face Crusaders:

(15-9): Stuart Hogg, George North, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Liam Williams, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray.

(1-8): Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), George Kruis, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements (16-23): Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, CJ Stander, Rhys Webb, Johnny Sexton, Anthony Watson.

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