DUBLIN (AP) — Maro Itoje will captain the British & Irish Lions for the first time after being selected to start the non-cap international against Argentina in Dublin on Friday.
Itoje was one of nine England players in the starting XV announced on Wednesday for the Lions’ tour opener, with Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith as the halfbacks.
Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong was among the reserves and will be given the opportunity to prove his fitness after struggling with a calf injury that ruled him out of Leinster’s victory over the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final on Saturday.
The bench also included Ronan Kelleher, who will be the only player to be involved against the Pumas six days after taking part in the end-of-season domestic league finals in the URC and English Premiership.
After the Argentina game, the Lions will fly to Australia for a nine-match tour featuring three tests against the Wallabies.
Argentina’s first of 13 matches this year comes seven months after its last — a loss to France in the autumn campaign. It will be Los Pumas’ first meeting with the Lions since 2005.
Three players among the reserves will wear the Argentina jersey for the first time if they come on: front-rowers Bautista Bernasconi and Boris Wenger and flyhalf Simon Benitez Cruz.
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Lineups:
Lions: Marcus Smith, Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe, Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ben Earl, Jac Morgan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne, Maro Itoje, Finlay Bealham, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen.
Argentina: Santiago Carreras, Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy, Tomas Bathrobe, Gonzalo Garcia; Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera, Pedro Rubiolo, Franco Molina, Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya (captain), Mayco Vivas. Reserves: Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Santiago Grondona, Joaquin Moro, Simon Benitez Cruz, Matias Moroni, Santiago Lamb
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
The Associated Press
