Munster Rugby star to captain British and Irish Lions in Adelaide fixture

THE British & Irish Lions Head Coach Andy Farrell has named the team that will play against an AUNZ Invitational XV side on Saturday, 11am Irish time, at the Adelaide Oval, live on Sky Sports.

Munster Rugby and Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne captains the side for the second time on Tour as Maro Itoje is given the night off.

Beirne lines out in the second row alongside countryman and Leinster Rugby’s James Ryan.

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The front row pairs Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby’s Pierre Schoeman with England duo Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart, of Sale Sharks and Bath Rugby resproictively.

Northampton Saints and England back row Henry Pollock is named on the blindside flank with Ospreys and Wales captain Jac Morgan at openside and Saracens and England’s Ben Earl at No.8.

Scotland and Toulon’s Ben White gets his first start on Tour and is partnered in the half-backs by England and Northampton’s Fin Smith.

Scottish duo and Glasgow Warriors teammates Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones get another opportunity to impress in midfield.

While Leinster and Ireland’s Hugo Keenan is set to make his second appearance of the Tour. Connacht Rugby and Ireland’s Mack Hansen and Edinburgh and Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe complete the back three.

Saracens and England’s Owen Farrell is named amongst the replacements and is set to make his 19th appearance for The British & Irish Lions.

Lions Head Coach Farrell said: “We are in a great position just over a week out from the First Test. The players now have another chance to put in a strong team performance and put a hand up for selection for the Test matches against the Wallabies. Les Kiss has assembled a strong squad with lots of international experience and we know that he will have them well organised and they will bring a lot of physicality to the contest.”

The game kicks off at 11.00am BST and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

On the 1989 Tour the Lions beat an ANZAC XV 19-15 at Ballymore in Brisbane.

The British & Irish Lions v AUNZ Invitational XV
Adelaide Oval, Saturday, July, 12, KO: 11am Irish time

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #881

14. Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/ Ireland) #867

13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #878

12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #863

11. Duhan van Der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #841

10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/ England) #862

9. Ben White (Toulon/ Scotland) #883

1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/ Scotland) #868

2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/ England) #851

3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) #877

4. James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #880

5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/ Ireland) #838 (c)

6. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/ England) #865

7. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/ Wales) #861

8. Ben Earl (Saracens/ England) #857

Replacements:

16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #864

17. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #876

18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/ Ireland) #856

19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #869

20. Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #874

21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/ England) #860

22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855

23. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England) #780