MUNSTER captain Peter O’Mahony has been named to captain the British and Irish Lions against the Maori All Blacks this Saturday in Rotorua.
The Munster skipper has been elevated to the match day captaincy role after Alun Wyn Jones and Ken Owens previously captained the tourists with Lions tour captain Sam Warburton.
O’Mahony is retained in the starting 15 along with Munster scrumhalf Conor Murray and fellow Irish internationals, Jonny Sexton, Sean O’Brien and Tadgh Fulrong.
Jack McGrath and Iain Henderson are amongst the replacements.
Owen Farrell, originally named on the bench, has suffered a grade one quadriceps strain in training and has been ruled out of the match against the Maori All Blacks and will be replaced on the bench by Wales fly-half Dan Biggar.
British & Irish Lions (v Maori All Blacks, Saturday, June 17, Rotorua International Stadium, 7.35pm NZST/8.35am BST)
The full team;
15. Leigh Halpenny – Toulon, Wales, #775
14. Anthony Watson – Bath Rugby, England, #816
13. Jonathan Davies – Scarlets, Wales, #778
12. Ben Te’o – Worcester Warriors, England, #815
11. George North – Northampton Saints, Wales, #792
10. Johnny Sexton – Leinster, Ireland, #791
9. Conor Murray – Munster, Ireland, #790
1. Mako Vunipola – Saracens, England, #787
2. Jamie George – Saracens, England, #819
3. Tadhg Furlong – Leinster, Ireland, #818
4. Maro Itoje – Saracens, England, #825
5. George Kruis – Saracens, England, #817
6. Peter O’Mahony (Capt) – Munster, Ireland, #832
7. Sean O’Brien – Leinster, Ireland, #796
8. Taulupe Faletau – Bath Rugby, Wales, #779
Replacements
16. Ken Owens – Scarlets, Wales, #829
17. JackMcGrath – Leinster, Ireland, #827
18. Kyle Sinckler – Harlequins, England, #814
19. Iain Henderson – Ulster, Ireland, #808
20. Sam Warburton – Cardiff Blues, Wales, #800
21. Greig Laidlaw – Gloucester Rugby, Scotland, #810
22. Dan Biggar – Ospreys, Wales, #821
23. Elliot Daly – Wasps, England, #822
