The British and Irish Lions starting XV showed five changes for the second Test against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld, in Pretoria on Saturday.
There were three personnel changes in the scrum, Welsh duo Adam Jones and Matthew Rees taking the place of England’s Phil Vickery and Lee Mears, who struggled in the first Test 26-21 loss and did not make the match-day 22.
Captain Paul O’Connell will be partnered in the second row by English veteran Simon Shaw, the sole survivor of the Lions’ 2-1 series win here in 1997 and starting his first Test after 17 midweek appearances on three tours.
Alun Wyn Jones falls to the bench alongside England prop Andrew Sheridan and Scottish hooker Ross Ford.
In the backs, Ireland’s Rob Kearney replaces the injured Lee Byrne at full-back while Luke Fitzgerald’s good showing in Tuesday’s 13-all draw with the Emerging Springboks sees him oust Ugo Monye on the left wing.
Monye misses out on a place among the subs, with the more versatile Shane Williams called up. — AFP
Team:
Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Luke Fitzgerald; Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Tom Croft; Paul O’Connell, Simon Shaw; Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins Replacements: Andrew Sheridan, Ross Ford, Alun Wyn Jones, Martyn Williams, Harry Ellis, Ronan O’Gara, Shane Williams