Paul O’Connell will captain the Lions in the opening game of their tour, against the Barbarians in Hong Kong. O’Connell takes the captaincy in place of the injured Sam Warburton. Warburton is being rested as a precaution following a knee injury suffered in training.
The first 23 man squad of the tour contains 17 new Lions, with five Irishmen, three Scots, 11 Welshmen and four English tourists. O’Connell is one of six former Lions in the squad, along with Jamie Heaslip, Adam Jones, Mike Philips, Jamie Roberts, Alun Wyn Jones.
"I'm really excited by the first selection of the tour. Naturally it comprises largely those players not involved in last weekend's Aviva Premiership and RaboDirect PRO12 finals and we've a lot of players making their debuts for the Lions," said Lions head coach Warren Gatland.
"At the same time we have a hard core of experience with the six former Lions sharing 430 caps between them and 19 Lions Tests. There are also some proven combinations such as the Welsh centre pairing and back row.
"Some of the boys who played last weekend are on the bench as cover and generally everyone in the camp is raring to go."
British & Irish Lions (v Barbarians, 1 June, Hong Kong Stadium)
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)
1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens/England)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Richie Gray (Scotland)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland, captain)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Justin Tuperic (Ospreys/Wales)
8. Toby Faletau (Dragons/Wales)
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)
Image: Paul O'Connell ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
