Teams: Lions Vs Waratahs
Jason Hennessy
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Warren Gatland has named a strong team to take on the HSBC Waratahs this Saturday. Newest recruit Simon Zebo will make his first start on the wing, while Rob Kearney recovers from a persistent injury to make his first squad on the tour.
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Simon Zebo gets his chance on the Wing
As reported earlier it looks likely that George North will miss the first Test match due to hamstring problems. This makes this game all the more important for wings Sean Maitland and Simon Zebo as they battle for a test spot in a weeks time. Waratahs are missing 16 of their regular players dues to injury and Wallaby call-ups but still boast a few top names in their side, including Toulon bound former Wallaby Drew Mitchell.
Interesting to note that the Lions head coach is sending out his fifth different back row trio of the tour to tackle the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday as he tries to find the right blend ahead of the Test series. Gatland will be hoping for a big game from his Captain.
Here are the combinations to date:
| Opposition | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Barbarians | Lydiate | Tipuric | Faletau |
| Force | Croft | O’Brien | Heaslip |
| Reds | Lydiate | Warburton | Faletau |
| Combined Country | O’Brien | Tipuric | Heaslip |
| Waratahs | Croft | Warburton | Heaslip |
