Munster captain rested as British & Irish Lions team named to play Queensland Reds

ANDY Farrell has named his British & Irish Lions team that will take on the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Munster captain Tadhg Beirne is among those rested.

In the Lions second outing on Australian soil Saracens and England lock Maro Itoje returns to captain the side.

Itoje is joined in the second-row by fellow countryman and Leicester Tiger Ollie Chessum.

READ MORE: Munster Rugby players help Ireland U20s to World Championship win over Georgia

The second rows will pack down behind a front row of Leinster Rugby and Ireland prop Andrew Porter, his club and country teammate Ronan Kelleher and Bath Rugby and England tight-head Will Stuart.

Leinster and Ireland no 8 Jack Conan gets his first start of the Tour and is joined in the backrow by Sale Sharks and England's Tom Curry and Ospreys and Wales' Jac Morgan.

Leinster and Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan will make his Lions debut against the Reds.

He will be supported in the backfield by Northampton Saints and England wing Tommy Freeman alongside Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe.

Connacht Rugby and Ireland centre Bundee Aki and Glasgow and Scotland and Glasgow Warriors back Huw Jones form a new centre partnership.

Scotland and Bath Rugby's Finn Russell continues in the no 10 shirt and Leinster and Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park makes his Lions debut.

Lions Head Coach Andy Farrell, said: “We know each game on this Tour will be a step up from the game before and three more players are set to make their Lions debuts on Wednesday night, so congratulations to those guys.”

The game kicks off at 11am, Irish time, and will be broadcast live on SKY in the UK and Ireland.

In the corresponding fixture in 2013, the Lions won 22-12, but required a 100% record off the tee from Owen Farrell as the hosts outscored the visitors two tries to one.  

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) 
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) 
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) 
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) 
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) 
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) 
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) 
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) 
6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) 
7. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) 
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England)
17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/ England)
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
19. James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
20. Ben Earl (Saracens/England) 
21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)
22. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)
23. Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)