Four
Scotland players set to start in pre-tour fixtureSquad leaves for
South Africa on Sunday nightAlun Wyn Jones will lead out the
British &
Irish Lions in their pre-tour curtain-raiser against
Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday. Jones will be at the helm of a starting XV notable for the absence of any Englishmen and containing 10 first-time Lions in the matchday squad of 23.
No fewer than four Scotland players are set to start the fixture, with Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson, Hamish Watson and Duhan Van der Merwe all involved from the outset in the Lions’ first ever game against Japan. The only English representation is on the bench in the form of the Saracens pair of Jamie George and Owen Farrell, who only joined up with the squad on Monday, and Northampton’s Courtney Lawes and Bath’s Anthony Watson.