O’Connell To Start In First Test

Paul O’Connell is one of four Irish players named to start for the British and Irish Lions when they take on the Qantas Wallabies this Saturday in their first test.

O'Connell is partnered with Alun Wyn Jones in the second row, and his Irish colleague Jamie Heaslip starts at 8. Jonathan Sexton joins Mike Phillips in the half-back partnership while Brian O'Driscoll starts next to Jonathan Davies in the centre.

The British and Irish Lions play their first test game at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday at 11.05am Irish time.

British & Irish Lions:
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
11. George North (Scarlets/Wales)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Mike Phillips (Bayonne/Wales)
1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish/England)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
5. Paul O’Connell (Munster/Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
7. Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues/Wales) Capt.
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)

Replacements:
16. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
20. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
23. Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)