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Lions name nine Welshmen in starting XV

30th May 2013


Alex Cuthbert and Jamie Roberts have been named in Warren Gatland's first Lions team to take on the Barbarians in Hong Kong this Saturday

Paul O’Connell will captain the side for the tour opener, with Sam Warburton ruled out due to a knee injury.  Gatland has stated that Warburton's absence from the opening game is purely precautionary.

Jamie Roberts is one of six former Lions in the squad; he is joined by Adam Jones, Mike Phillips, Paul O’Connell, Alun Wyn Jones and Jamie Heaslip, all of whom played in the opening game four years ago.

The match-day 23 features 17 players who are on their first Lions tour.

British & Irish Lions v Barbarians

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/ Wales)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/ Wales)
12 Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/ Wales)
11 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens/ England)
9 Mike Phillips (Bayonne/ Wales)
8 Toby Faletau (Dragons/ Wales)
7 Justin Tuperic (Ospreys/ Wales)
6 Dan Lydiate (Dragons/ Wales)
5 Paul O’Connell (Munster/ Ireland)
4 Richie Gray (Scotland)
3 Adam Jones (Ospreys/ Wales)
2 Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens/ England)

Replacements
16 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
17 Cian Healy (Leinster/Ireland)
18 Matt Stevens (Saracens/England)
19 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/wales)
20 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
21 Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22 Johnny Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
23 George North (Scarlets/Wales)