Former Munster player in line to face the British and Irish Lions

A FORMER Munster Rugby player is in line to face the British and Irish Lions next month.

Gerhard van den Heever has been included in the 36-strong Japan squad which will face the the British & Irish Lions in the highly-anticipated 1888 Cup clash in Edinburgh.

The game will take place at Murrayfield on June 26 at 3pm and will be live on Channel 4.

Uncapped winger Van Den Heever made 29 appearances for Munster and was named by Brave Blossoms head coach Jamie Joseph among a raft of Japan's 2019 Rugby World Cup heroes in the travelling party, which has been trimmed down from the 52-man training squad.

Van den Heever joined Munster in November 2013 from Western Province. The South African made his Super Rugby debut with the Bulls at the age of just 19 and enjoyed a highly successful two years there, winning the Super Rugby competition in 2010.

He made the move to the Stormers in 2011 and has played provincial rugby for the Blue Bulls and Western Province, winning the Currie Cup with both sides.

He scored his first try for the Munster senior side against Cardiff Blues in February 2014, before making his Heineken Cup debut against Toulouse two months later.

Van den Heever played for a Munster 7’s side at the Limerick World Club 7s Festival in Thomond Park, August 2014.  

He departed the province at the end of the 2015/2016 season, moving initially to Japanese side Yamaha Júbilo. He currently plays for KUBOTA Spears.

Captained by Michael Leitch, the Japan squad includes a strong mix of experience and fresh faces, including 23 capped players with 476 combined Test caps between them.

Andy Farrell's Ireland side will welcome Japan to Dublin on Saturday July 3 for an international fixture, a week after the Brave Blossoms face the Lions.