Murray Kinsella reports from Hamilton

IRELAND CAPTAIN RORY Best will lead the Lions in Tuesday’s clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton [KO 8.35am], with his compatriots Robbie Henshaw, Iain Henderson, CJ Stander and Jared Payne also in the starting XV.

Best will lead the Lions on Tuesday. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Given that Lions boss Warren Gatland has spoken about protecting as many of his Test match 23 as possible from this fixture, it looks like bad news for the Irish quintet ahead of next weekend’s first Test with the All Blacks.

Tour captain Sam Warburton is not included either, suggesting that he will be in the matchday 23 to face the Kiwis, while Irishmen Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Jack McGrath have also been put on ice.

Gatland has named his controversial six new call-ups on the bench for Tuesday’s clash with the Chiefs, as Henshaw and Payne start in midfield together outside a halfback pairing of Greig Laidlaw and Dan Biggar.

Meanwhile, 2011 World Cup winner Stephen Donald will captain Dave Rennie’s Chiefs from out-half, with Samoa international Tim Nanai-Williams at outside centre and All Blacks Dominic Bird and Nepo Laulala in the back.

Laulala’s younger brother, Luteru – they are both younger brothers of former Munster centre Casey – is set for his Chiefs debut off the bench, as is the exciting Chase Tiatia.

Lions (v Chiefs):

15. Liam Williams
14. Jack Nowell
13. Jared Payne
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Elliot Daly
10. Dan Biggar
9. Greig Laidlaw

1. Joe Marler
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Dan Cole
4. Iain Henderson
5. Courtney Lawes
6. James Haskell
7. Justin Tipuric
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Kristian Dacey
17. Allan Dell
18. Tomas Francis
19. Cory Hill
20. Alun Wyn Jones
21. Gareth Davies
22. Finn Russell
23. Tommy Seymour

Chiefs:

15. Shaun Stevenson
14. Toni Pulu
13. Tim Nanai-Williams
12. Johnny Faauli
11. Solomon Alaimalo
10. Stephen Donald
9. Finlay Christie

1. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi
2. Liam Polwart
3. Nepo Laulala
4. Dominic Bird
5. Michael Allardice
6. Mitchell Brown
7. Lachlan Boshier
8. Tom Sanders

Replacements:

16. Hika Elliot
17. Aidan Ross
18. Atu Moli
19. Liam Messam
20. Mitchell Karpik
21. Jonathan Taumateine
22. Luteru Laulala
23. Chase Tiatia

Referee: Jerome Garces [FFR].

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