Royal XV v Lions: David Wallace will start at number eight for the British and Irish Lions this afternoon after Andy Powell was ruled out with a hand injury. And Jamie Heaslip has been named on the replacements bench in place of his Ireland teammate Stephen Ferris who has a calf problem.
This afternoon's tour opener against a Royal XV takes place at Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace with a 2pm (Irish time) kick-off. Wallace's inclusion means there will be five Irish players in the starting line-up with Heaslip also on the bench.
Lions head coach Ian McGeechan had planned not to field any of the Leinster, Leicester or Northampton players who were involved in European finals last weekend.
Powell has a hand injury, with Ferris suffering from a lower leg strain. Neither player is expected to be a long-term tour absentee.
But it is another setback for McGeechan, who saw Tomas O’Leary, Tom Shanklin and Jerry Flannery all suffer pre-tour injuries that ruled them out of the 10-match trip.
Flanker Alan Quinlan, meanwhile, was hit with a 12-week ban that ended his hopes, while Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny is expected to join the squad next week after remaining behind in Cardiff for intensive treatment on a thigh problem.
“After treatment and further assessment of the injuries, the medical staff believe precaution is the sensible option considering we are at the start of the tour,” said Lions doctor James Robson.
“On this advice, Ian McGeechan believed it was better for the two players and the squad that they not play in the first match today. Both players are undergoing recovery regimes with the medical staff, and both players are expected to recover and play a role on tour.
“It is important to understand that the management of injuries and their treatment is not black and white.
“One minute an injury will respond to treatment, then its nature can change, necessitating a change in the treatment regime. That is why we are continually monitoring the players and any injuries.”
The Lions travel back to Johannesburg tonight, where they will prepare for their second tour fixture against Super 14 side the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on Wednesday night.
Royal XV: R Jeacocks (Leopards); E Seconds (Griquas), D van Rensburg (Leopards), H Coetzee (Griquas), B Basson (Griquas); N Olivier (Griquas), S Pretorius (Griquas); A Buckle (Griquas), R Barnes (Griquas), B Roux (Griquas), R Mathee (Leopards), J Lombard (Griquas), W Koch (Leopards, capt), D Raubenheimer (Griquas), J Mokuena (Griquas).
Replacements: P van der Westhuizen (Leopards), S Roberts (Griquas), R Landman (Leopards), R W Kember (Leopards), J Coetzee (Pumas), R Viljoen (Griquas), J Bowles (Griquas).
British and Irish Lions: L Byrne (Ospreys and Wales); T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), K Earls (Munster and Ireland), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues and Wales), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales); R O'Gara (Munster and Ireland), M Blair (Edinburgh and Scotland); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), A Jones (Ospreys and Wales), S Shaw (Wasps and England), P O'Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt), J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), D Wallace (Munster and Ireland).
Replacements: L Mears (Bath and England), P Vickery (Wasps and England), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), J Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland), M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales), S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), R Flutey (Wasps and England).
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa).
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert and Mark Lawrence (both South Africa).
