Captain Paul O’Connell is back in the team for the British and Irish Lions to play the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Munster and Ireland lock, who missed the midweek 74-10 mauling of the Golden Lions, pairs up with Donncha O’Callaghan and both will be out to make their mark after impressive performances on Wednesday by fellow second-row forwards Alun-Wyn Jones and Nathan Hines.
”The starting XV to play the Cheetahs is an interesting one with club and country combinations in many areas,” said Lions tour manager Gerald Davies.
”The boys who played against the Golden Lions put down a marker in terms of the way we want to play and I know those playing against the Cheetahs will be very keen to keep the momentum going and produce another strong Lions performance.”
Head coach Ian McGeechan expressed his satisfaction that all squad members would have had a run-out by the third match of the tour.
”With the selection of Donncha O’Callaghan, Leigh Halfpenny and Luke Fitzgerald in the starting XV it means that all the squad players will have taken to the field according to plan,” he said.
”We also have new arrival Gordon D’Arcy on the bench which gives him a chance to get straight into the action.
”Although there are no players backing up from the starting XV against the Golden Lions several of the replacements who saw action in that match have now been selected for their first start.
”For the Cheetahs match Andy Powell, Stephen Ferris, Euan Murray, Ross Ford, Harry Ellis and James Hook are all in the starting XV team for the first time.
”The team includes an all-Welsh back three, an Irish combination in midfield and a Munster second row pairing.
”We are also are continuing to build partnerships and combinations among the players from the four nations and this is reflected in the front row where Scottish team-mates Euan Murray and Ross Ford will pack down in the front row alongside Andrew Sheridan, and the backrow where three players from three different nations will play alongside each other.” — AFP
