Easterby In For Second Lions Cap

Llanelli and Ireland flanker Simon Easterby is to earn his second straight Lions cap tomorrow against Otago after Lewis Moody pulled out of the tourists’ side with injury.

2005 Lions Tour: Saturday, June 18
Otago v Lions, Dunedin, 8.10am (live Sky Sports 1/RTE Radio 1)

While Moody’s continuing battle with a knee injury could see another Ireland flanker Johnny O’Connor called up to the Lions tour, four other Irish players have been pencilled in to start in Dunedin.

Geordan Murphy, Denis Hickie, Gordon D’Arcy and Donncha O’Callaghan return to the side after missing Wednesday’s 23-6 defeat of Wellington, with Munster and Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara also making the bench.

Scotland’s Gordon Bulloch captains the tourists, in Brian O’Driscoll and Martin Corry’s absence. Wales number 8 Michael Owen, who is only just back on Kiwi soil after the birth of his second child, takes Easterby’s place in the replacements.

Their opposition this weekend, Otago, will contain four players with All Black experience – debutant fly-half Nick Evans, scrum-half Danny Lee, flanker Craig Newby and prop Carl Hoeft.

Wayne Graham’s side are without some notable forward talents for the “House of Pain” tie however.

The Otago pack will have to do without current international front rowers Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman, who are on duty with Graham Henry’s New Zealand squad, and lock James Ryan, who made his debut for the All-Blacks against Fiji last week.

Seilala Mapusua and Filipo Levi, who both lined out for the combined Pacific Islanders team last year, will start for Otago at inside centre and lock respectively.

OTAGO: Glen Horton; Hayden Pedersen, Neil Brew, Seilala Mapusua, Matt Saunders; Nick Evans, Danny Lee; Carl Hoeft, Jason Macdonald, Craig Dunlea, Filipo Levi, Tom Donnelly, Craig Newby (Capt), Josh Blackie, Grant Webb.

Replacements: Jed Vercoe, Jeremy Aldworth, Andrew McClintock, Alando Soakai, Chris Smylie, Ryan Bambry, Jason Shoemark.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS:

(15) Geordan Murphy (Leicester/Ireland)
(14) Denis Hickie (Leinster/Ireland)
(13) Will Greenwood (NEC Harlequins/England)
(12) Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
(11) Shane Williams (The Ospreys/Wales)
(10) Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks/England)
(9) Chris Cusiter (The Borders/Scotland)
(1) Graham Rowntree (Leicester/England)
(2) Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow/Scotland) (Captain)
(3) Matt Stevens (Bath/England)
(4) Simon Shaw (Wasps/England)
(5) Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster/Ireland)
(6) Simon Easterby (Llanelli Scarlets/Ireland)
(7) Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
(8) Ryan Jones (The Ospreys/Wales)

Replacements:

(16) Steve Thompson (Northampton/England)
(17) Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)
(18) Danny Grewcock (Bath/England)
(19) Michael Owen (Newport-Gwent Dragons/Wales)
(20) Matt Dawson (Wasps/England)
(21) Ollie Smith (Leicester/England)
(22) Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Ireland)

Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)