British and Irish Lions 2017: George North starts against Hurricanes in chance to force way into Test side
North is given the chance to push his claims for a place in Saturday's second Test
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Your support makes all the difference.Rory Best will captain the British and Irish Lions for the second time in a week after Warren Gatland named his side to face the Hurricanes in Tuesday’s final mid-week match of their tour of New Zealand.
Gatland rests every player that featured in the first Test defeat by the All Blacks bar George Kruis, who is named among the replacements, and there are three changes from the team who thumped the Chiefs last week 34-6, with Scotland wing Tommy Seymour, Wales back George North and England centre Jonathan Joseph coming into the starting line-up.
Jack Nowell moves to full-back to accommodate Seymour and North starts in place of Elliot Daly while Joseph replaces Jared Payne at outside centre, with the Irishman named among the replacements along with all six of the mid-tour call-ups from Wales and Scotland.
“We are obviously hugely disappointed with the result last night but it is important to regroup,” said head coach Gatland. “We know there are a lot of players motivated to go out and get a result for the whole group.”
While the pack is the same eight that started the game against the Chiefs, the back line sees George North included in the mid-week side for the first time, and in only his third match since touching down in New Zealand nearly a month ago.
However, the fact that North, along with many others, has been named in this side should not dishearten them ahead of selection for the second Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday, according to Gatland. The Kiwi offered Elliot Daly and Liam Williams as examples of why he is willing to give everyone a chance to impress, and it’s not out of the realms that the likes of North or Nowell could force their way into the Test squad.
“A few players put their hands up for selection from the Chiefs game and played their way into the Test team so they know that there is another opportunity for them on Tuesday against the Super Rugby champions,” Gatland added.
British and Irish Lions squad to face Hurricanes:
Jack Nowell; Tommy Seymour, Jonathan Joseph, Robbie Henshaw, George North; Dan Biggar, Greig Laidlaw; Joe Marler, Rory Best, Dan Cole; Iain Henderson, Courtney Lawes, James Haskell, Justin Tipuric, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Allan Dell, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, George Kruis, Gareth Davies, Finn Russell, Jared Payne.
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