The Lions, playing on Irish soil for the first time, take on the Pumas in the 1888 Cup at the Aviva Stadium on Friday (20:00 kick-off). Saracens and England lock Maro Itoje will captain the side for the very first time as he prepares for his third Tour.
In total 14 players could make their Lions debut against the Pumas. Whilst two-times tourists Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Marcus Smith and Duhan van der Merwe all featured in South Africa in 2021. The Lions can also call on the experience of three-times tourists Elliot Daly and Tadhg Furlong off the bench.
The British & Irish Lions v Argentina
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855
- Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837
- Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #841
- Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)
- Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)
- Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England) #851
- Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) #825 (c)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
- Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
Replacements:
- Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #818
- Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland)
- Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England)
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)
- Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) #822
- Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
