New Edinburgh halfback pairing ahead of Lions match

Club co-captain Ben Vellacott and stand-off Ben Healy will start for tomorrow’s clash against the Lions at Emirates Airlink Park (5 October, kick-off 12.45pm UK, 1.45pm local) – live on PremierSports.

Vellacott (scrum-half) and Healy have featured in all the capital’s matches this season, however this will be the pair’s first competitive starts of the campaign.

The half-back duo are two of four changes made to the capital side, with Ross McCann and Ewan Ashman promoted to the starting lineup following injuries to Mark Bennett and Dave Cherry, respectively.

Head Coach, Sean Everitt, said: “This will be another testing encounter for us however we feel that, from our performances against Leinster and Vodacom Bulls, we’re more than capable of securing a positive result.

“The Lions are a tough team, with a good set piece and exciting backs, especially in transition, so we know that we’ll be in for a fight tomorrow.”

Everitt names an unchanged back-three for the third game in a row, with Wes Goosen starting at full-back flanked by the Scotland wing duo of Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe.

Veteran centre Matt Scott retains the 12 jersey from last week, with McCann his new midfield partner – having featured at outside centre for the majority of last week’s match.

Ashman is the only change in the pack, with the props of Pierre Schoeman (loosehead) and Paul Hill (tighthead) starting again in the front row.

The engine room remains the same as both previous matches, with co-captain Grant Gilchrist and Scottish Building Society Player of the Month nominee Marshall Sykes again occupying the second-row starting spots.

The back-row is also a carbon copy of last week, with the experienced trio of Jamie Ritchie (blindside flanker), Hamish Watson (openside flanker), and Magnus Bradbury (number eight) completing the pack.

Elsewhere, young trio of Ben Muncaster (back-row), Scotland cap Paddy Harrison (hooker) and Mosese Tuipulotu (centre) join the bench for their first involvements of the tour.

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Lions at Emirates Airlink Park (Saturday 5 October, kick-off 12.45 UK, 1.45 local) – live on PremierSports

15. Wes Goosen (33)

14. Darcy Graham (66)
13. Ross McCann (3)
12. Matt Scott (96)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (94)

10. Ben Healy (25)
9. Ben Vellacott CO-CAPTAIN (63)

1. Pierre Schoeman (117)
2. Ewan Ashman (22)
3. Paul Hill (2)
4. Marshall Sykes (64)
5. Grant Gilchrist CO-CAPTAIN (207)
6. Jamie Ritchie (116)
7. Hamish Watson (161)
8. Magnus Bradbury (115)

Replacements

16. Patrick Harrison (15)
17. Boan Venter (68)
18. D’arcy Rae (7)
19. Jamie Hodgson (63)
20. Ben Muncaster (31)
21. Ali Price (19)
22. Ross Thompson (2)
23. Mosese Tuipulotu (1)