Ken Owens named on bench for second Lions Test

Rob Lloyd News

Scarlets skipper Ken Owens has been named in the British & Irish Lions match-day 23 to face South Africa in the second Test of the Castle Series in Cape Town on Saturday.

Owens, who made a big impact off the bench in the opening Test victory, is included among the replacements again as Warren Gatland makes three changes to his starting line-up.

With Scarlets team-mate Wyn Jones ruled out through a shoulder injury, Mako Vunipola steps in at loose-head prop, Chris Harries replaces Elliot Daly at centre, while Conor Murray comes in for Ali Price at scrum-half.

“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.”

Saturday’s clash against the reigning World Champions is the second of three Tests matches in the Castle Lager Lions Series to be shown live and exclusively on Sky Sports. 

SOUTH AFRICA v THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

Saturday 31 July 2021; Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town; Kick-off: 5pm (BST) 

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland);   14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England), 13. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland), 12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland), 11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland);  10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales),  9. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland); 1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England),  2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland), 4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England), 5. Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales), 6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England), 7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England), 8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839
Replacements: 16. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales), 17. Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland), 18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England),  19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland), 20. Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales), 21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland), 22. Owen Farrell (Saracens, England), 23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England).