Ireland’s back three reunited for Taranaki contest

GEORDAN Murphy and Denis Hickie have played down the significance of their inclusion in an all-Irish back three for the Lions’ game against Taranaki in New Plymouth on Wednesday.

Full-back Murphy will be in familiar territory when he joins wingers Hickie and Shane Horgan for the second game in New Zealand as the Lions management continues its commitment to give every member of its squad a run during the first three fixtures of the tour.

With Test-potential combinations featuring in the Lions’ opening game against Bay Of Plenty on Saturday, the selection of this back three could prove meaningful but both players and midweek coach Ian McGeechan have sought to diffuse such talk.