Three Irish players start for opening match of Lions tour against Argentina
The 42
MARO ITOJE WILL captain a Lions team including three Irish players for Friday's warm-up game against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium [KO 8pm, TG4/Sky Sports].
Ireland inside centre Bundee Aki, second row Tadhg Beirne, and tighthead prop Finlay Bealham are part of Andy Farrell's starting XV for the clash in Dublin.
Tadhg Furlong will make his return from a calf/hamstring injury on the Lions bench, having last played for Leinster on 17 May.
Mack Hansen also makes his comeback from an ankle injury on the bench, while hooker Rónan Kelleher is among the replacements after featuring in Leinster's URC final win over the Bulls last weekend.
Kelleher, who came off the bench for Leinster on Saturday, is the only player involved in the URC or Premiership finals last weekend who backs up for the Lions' opening game under Farrell.
Two-time tourist Itoje captains the Lions for the first time, while Fin Smith gets the first shot in the number 10 shirt as he partners England and Northampton team-mate Alex Mitchell in the halfbacks.
Aki teams up with Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu in midfield, while the back three is made up of Marcus Smith, Tommy Freeman, and fit-again Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe, who hasn't played since March because of an ankle injury.
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Bealham is joined in the front row by English duo Ellis Genge and Luke Cowan-Dickie. Itoje and Beirne are the second row combination and there's a punchy-looking Lions back row of Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, and Ben Earl.
A 5/3 Lions bench split includes 20-year-old English back row Henry Pollock.
Lions team (v Argentina):
15. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England)
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton/England)
13. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh/Scotland)
10. Fin Smith (Northampton/England)
9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton/England)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol/England)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale/England)
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Ireland)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (captain)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland)
6. Tom Curry (Sale/England)
7. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
Replacements
:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland)
17. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland)
19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow/ Scotland)
20. Henry Pollock (Northampton/England)
21. Tomos Williams (Gloucester/Wales)
22. Elliot Daly (Saracens/England)
23. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland)
Referee
: James Doleman [New Zealand].
Written by Murray Kinsella and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe
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