British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has named his side to take on the Cell C Sharks in their second match on tour on Wednesday.
Gatland has made a host of changes from the side that beat the Sigma Lions 56-14 on Saturday, with Iain Henderson coming into the starting lineup to captain the side.
Tour captain Conor Murray will be on the bench, alongside fellow countrymen Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan, while Bundee Aki will start in the centres.
Tom Curry, Josh Navidi and Adam Beard will make their Lions debuts when the match kicks off at 6pm, Irish time.
“It’s a quick turnaround from Saturday, but we’ll be ready to go by Wednesday night,” Gatland said.
“I’m pleased we managed to come through the weekend’s game unscathed, and the boys have rested and recovered well. We feel like we’re slowly building, but, as ever, there’s still room for improvement in all facets of our game.
“Wednesday night is another chance for us to have a look at a few more combinations. I’m looking forward to seeing how the back row goes; it’s an exciting mixture and one that we hope will offer something a bit different.
“We expect another physical test against a side who are known for their power play and ambition. My congratulations to Tom, Josh and Adam ahead of their first starts in a Lions jersey.”
British and Irish Lions team to face the Cell C Sharks
Starting XV: Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies, Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Zander Fagerson, Iain Henderson (Captain), Adam Beard, Josh Navidi, Tom Curry, Sam Simmonds
Replacements: Ken Owens, Rory Sutherland, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Stuart Hogg , Chris Harris
Catch full commentary of this and every other British and Irish Lions match on Off The Ball, with live analysis from former Lions and Irish rugby players.
The 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour on OTB Sports with Vodafone. Lead Partner of the British and Irish Lions
Download the British & Irish Lions App, Powered by Vodafone, to stay connected to the Lions this summer
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
