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Morgan among replacements for Lions in Sydney

Jac Morgan drops to the bench for the Lions against the Waratahs

There is no rest for Jac Morgan as he has been picked in the matchday 23 for the third time in four games with the British & Irish Lions.

After his man of the match performance against Queensland Reds on Wednesday, the 25-year-old Wales and Ospreys skipper is included among the replacements for the clash with the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

He is the only survivor from the back row trio that starred in the 52-12 triumph over the Reds in Brisbane as Lions head coach Andy Farrell continues to look at different combinations. Morgan started alongside Tom Curry and Ben Earl in the 28-24 defeat to Argentina in Dublin.

Farrell then went with Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock in the 54-7 victory over the Western Force and paired Curry and Morgan with Jack Conan at No 8 in Brisbane against the Reds. For the clash with the Waratahs, Earl returns at No 8 after his cameo appearance at centre in midweek, Pollock wears No 6 and Van der Flier plays at No 7.

Beirne is given the honour of leading the side from the second row as tour captain Maro Itoje gets the night off. Ireland’s Hugo Keenan and Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn make their tour debuts at full bck and wing repectively.

Keenan pulled out of the game against the Red with sickness, while Kinghorn only joined up with his teammates after helping Toulouse win the Top 14 title last weekend. Scotland scrum half Ben White is among the replacements after being called up to replace the injured Tomos Williams.

Elliot Daly has followed Williams out of the tour after injuring his arm in the win over the Reds. His place has been taken by England and Saracens star Owen Farrell, who joins for his fourth Lions tour.

The last time the two teams met the Lions beat the Waratahs 47-17 with Leigh Halfpenny contributing 30 points.  It will be the 22nd clash between the two teams since 1888 and the Lions lead 16-4 with one game drawn.

The British & Irish Lions v Waratahs

Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland)

Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby / Ireland) #867
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors / Scotland) #878
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors / Scotland) #863
Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/ Scotland)

Fin Smith (Northampton Saints / England) #862
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints / England) #860

Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/ Scotland) #868
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks / England) #851
Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby / Ireland) #856
Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby / Ireland) #838 CAPTAIN
James Ryan (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) #880
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints / England) #865
Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) #874
Ben Earl (Saracens / England) #857

Replacements
Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) #873
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears / England) #859
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) #818
Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) #871
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors / Scotland) #869
Jac Morgan (Ospreys / Wales) #861
Ben White (Toulon / Scotland)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins / England) #855

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