Saints star Lawes gets a start for the Lions

Saints star Courtney Lawes will start at six in the British & Irish Lions' first match on South African soil this Saturday.

Warren Gatland s men will be up against Emirates Lions in Johannesburg (kick-off 5pm BST).

And after replacing the injured Alun Wyn Jones' early in last weekend's 28-10 win against Japan, Lawes makes the shift to start this weekend.

Saturday's skirmish with Emirates Lions marks the first of five opening ties with South African club teams before the Lions play their first Test against the Springboks on July 24.

And Gatland said: “It’s good to have arrived in Johannesburg and to get the Tour underway.

“We had a pleasing win last week up in Edinburgh, but there’s still plenty we need to get right on Saturday.

“I’ve been encouraged by the way the boys have trained this week. I feel it’s gone up a level from where we were in Jersey and we’re starting to see a better understanding of some of our tactics.

“There’s some new player combinations for us to have a look at this Saturday, which is good information for us as the Test series approaches.

“My congratulations to all those playing their first game as a Lion, and also to Hoggy (Stuart Hogg) too, who I am sure will lead the side by example.”

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS vs EMIRATES LIONS

2021 Castle Lager Lions Series

Saturday July 3, 2021

Emirates Airline Park

Kick-off 5pm (BST)

Live on Sky Sports

15 Stuart Hogg – captain (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783

14 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales)

13 Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland)

12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780

11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales) #836

10 Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland) #835

9 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843

1 Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842

2 Jamie George (Saracens, England) #819

3 Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814

4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825

5 Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, England)

6 Courtney Lawes (Saints, England) #826

7 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland)

8 Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales) #779

Replacements:

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England)

17 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) #787

18 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)

19 Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland) #808

20 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England)

21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales)

22 Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland) #837

23 Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822