Warren Gatland keeps promise as Curry and Simmonds named in Lions team

A Lions back row that many supporters will be eager to see in action.

Warren Gatland has named his British & Irish Lions team to face the Sharks, on Wednesday, and there are several changes again. As promised, there are starts for those squad members who have yet to have one yet. 10 members of the squad - including the recently called up Adam Beard and Josh Navidi - start and Iain Henderson has been named captain. The other Ireland star included is Bundee Aki, who will partner Elliot Daly in midfield. Liam Williams gets another crack at the 15 jersey and there are backline starts for Daly and England teammate Anthony Watson. Four other Irish players, including tour captain Conor Murray are named on the bench. Robbie Henshaw [hamstring] is the onlt Ireland player in the squad to sit this one out. There are lots of fresh [if somewhat gnarled] faces in the pack, with Mako Vunipola and Luke Cowan-Dickie packing down in the front row with Scotland's Zander Fagerson. Henderson is partnered by Beard in the second row and there is an exciting-looking back row selected. Navidi is named at blindside along with the England duo of Tom Curry and Sam Simmonds. The Exeter No.8 came off the bench, on Saturday, but gets his chance to impress from the off, this time.

LIONS XV (vs. Sharks)

15. Liam Williams 14. Anthony Watson 13. Elliot Daly 12. Bundee Aki 11. Duhan van der Merwe 10. Dan Biggar 9. Gareth Davies 1. Mako Vunipola 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 3. Zander Fagerson 4. Iain Henderson (CAPTAIN) 5. Adam Beard 6. Tom Curry 7. Josh Navidi 8. Sam Simmonds REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Rory Sutherland, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Stuart Hogg, Chris Harris

The Lions have won their first two games of this 2021 tour. The first was against Japan, before they flew out to South Africa. On Saturday, they ran in eight tries in a 56-14 victory over the Sigma Lions at Ellis Park, in Johannesburg.

---