Mako Vunipola, Conor Murray and Chris Harris come in for British and Irish Lions second Test starts vs Springboks
Warren Gatland has made three changes to his starting British and Irish Lions XV, with Mako Vunipola, Conor Murray and Chris Harris coming in at loosehead prop, scrum-half and outside-centre respectively; Taulupe Faletau replaces Hamish Watson on the bench; Elliot Daly takes the 23 shirt.
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 27/07/21 9:46pm
The British and Irish Lions have made three changes to their starting XV for the second Test vs South Africa on Saturday, with Mako Vunipola, Conor Murray and Chris Harris all coming in.
Welsh prop Wyn Jones remains out injured with a shoulder complaint, and so Vunipola starts ahead of Rory Sutherland at loosehead after his superb impact off the bench in the first Test.
At scrum-half, Ireland's Murray replaces Price, while Scotland's Harris starts at 13 with Elliot Daly dropped to the bench - where he takes the place of Liam Williams in the matchday squad.
A final change to the squad sees Wales back-row Taulupe Faletau replace Scotland's Hamish Watson - who was lucky to avoid a sin-binning off the bench in the first Test - among the replacements.
A back-three of Stuart Hogg, Anthony Watson and Duhan van der Merwe remains, while Robbie Henshaw stays at inside-centre to partner Harris in midfield.
Murray joins Dan Biggar, who is yet to train since the first Test and is scheduled to on Thursday following concussion, at half-back.
In the forwards, Vunipola joins hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and tighthead Tadhg Furlong in the front row, while the second row remains Maro Itoje and Alun Wyn Jones.
The back-row too is unchanged with Courtney Lawes at blindside, Tom Curry at openside and Jack Conan at No 8.
"As always, selection was incredibly tough," said Gatland. "However, we've made the changes we think are the right calls for the weekend's game.
"It'll be another tight contest. We know the Springboks will be hurting and they'll throw everything at us on Saturday, but I think there's plenty more to come from us too.
"We feel we can go up another level from where we were in the first Test and I would expect us to improve.
"It's the biggest game on the Tour and we have to embrace the expectation that comes with it. As players and coaches, these are the games you want to be involved in.
"We're relishing the opportunity to face the Springboks again on Saturday and potentially seal a Series win."
Ken Owens and Kyle Sinckler will act as hooker and tighthead replacements, with Sutherland swapping No 1 for No 17.
Ireland's Tadhg Beirne is named on the bench again as a potential second row or back-row option, with Faletau, Price, Owen Farrell and Daly completing the squad.
British and Irish Lions: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Taulupe Faletau, 21 Ali Price, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Elliot Daly.
