‘Lazarus’ Alun Wyn Jones back in the picture for opening Lions Test in Cape Town

Head coach Gatland revealed his matchday 23 for the first Test against the world champions and then decided to announce it publicly 24 hours earlier than initially intended

British & Irish Lions training ahead of the team for the first Test being announced on Wednesday. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Alun Wyn Jones looks set to captain the British & Irish Lions against South Africa on Saturday as Warren Gatland prepared to spring further surprises after bringing his team announcement forward by 24 hours.

Head coach Gatland revealed his matchday 23 for the first Test against the world champions on Tuesday and then decided to announce it publicly 24 hours earlier than initially intended, with the Lions set to reveal their hand at 10am Wednesday morning.

That could spell bad news for Conor Murray, the Munster and Ireland scrum-half who started all three Tests in the drawn series with the All Blacks four years ago and was promoted to the tour captaincy when Jones dislocated his shoulder in the pre-tour Test against Japan on June 26. The veteran Wales lock’s surprise return to action after just 21 days on the sidelines last Saturday against the Stormers in Cape Town signalled the end of Murray’s tenure and there could be further disappointment ahead with Gatland thought to have selected Scotland’s Ali Price as his starting nine, with the more experienced Murray on the bench alongside fellow 2017 linchpin Owen Farrell and fellow Irishmen Tadhg Beirne and Iain Henderson.

There could be some positive news for Jack Conan, who appears to be poised to get the nod at No.8 ahead of Taulupe Faletau and Sam Simmonds, and the surprises may not stop there with Stuart Hogg set to be named at full-back and South African-born Scotland back Duhan van der Merwe on the wing instead of Josh Adams.

Robbie Henshaw seems to have shown enough in his first 57 minutes of game time on tour against the Stormers last Saturday to have nailed down the number 12 shirt in a midfield partnership with Eliot Daly while it would be a major shock if Tadhg Furlong were not the starting tighthead prop in a front row which may see Luke Cowan-Dickie in at hooker ahead of his more experienced rivals, fellow Englishman Jamie George and Wales veteran Ken Owens.

Beirne could have missed out at blindside flanker to Courtney Lawes while in the back three Gatland seems to have gone for pace and power with the inclusion of van der Merwe and fellow Scot Hogg alongside right wing Anthony Watson.

For Scotland captain Hogg, it would mean selection at the third time of asking having toured with the Lions in 2013 and four years ago in New Zealand when his hopes were dashed by a fractured eye socket before the Tests in a collision with Conor Murray.

“This is massive, massive,” Hogg said on Tuesday. “To be involved in two tours prior to this one. In 2013, I can't complain about not being involved — I was sitting behind Leigh Halfpenny and I learned a hell of a lot. In 2017, I felt I was playing some nice rugby ahead of it and to have it taken away from you was bitterly disappointing.

“That was all in the past and I can't change anything. I just have to suck it up and get on with it, but it has made me hungrier to try and get back and represent the Lions. I have had a couple of games on tour so far and I have loved every minute of it. But we are judged on the performances in Test series, and I speak on behalf of everybody, those are the games that you want to be involved in.” Hogg, speaking before the team was announced to the squad when he said he was “uber nervous”, added: “I don’t want this to be a sob story because I’ve missed out on it on the two previous tours but it’s something I have really worked hard towards for a long, long time. These are the games that everyone wants to be involved in.

"It would mean the absolute world to me to be involved on Saturday. The next couple of hours are going to be squeaky-bum time before we find out the matchday squad. I’m quite enjoying speaking to you guys, because it takes my mind off the fact we’re about to have one of the toughest meetings we’ll probably ever have. It’s an exciting time for everybody.” 

 None more so than for four-time tourist Jones, 36, who could be leading the Lions four weeks after being left at home with his shoulder in a sling. Hogg spoke of the boost his return had given to the squad.

“It’s been absolutely brilliant. I’ve got a lot of respect and admiration for Alun Wyn. We heard snippets that he was going to be back fit and potentially be involved but I didn’t believe it until he walked through the door.

“I was going for a Covid test and he and Ronan Kelleher popped up...the smile on my face was absolutely massive. He just has this big aura around him that I absolutely love. It just instills a huge amount of confidence to have a guy like that back in the squad.

“He’s taken a little bit of stick about the fact that he’s “Lazarus” and came back from absolutely nowhere, but to have a guy like that back in camp is absolutely tremendous.” 

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS (possible): S Hogg (Scotland); A Watson (England), E Daly (England), R Henshaw (Ireland), D van der Merwe (Scotland); D Biggar (Wales), A Price (Scotland); W Jones (Wales), L Cowan-Dickie (England), T Furlong (Ireland); A W Jones (Wales) - captain, M Itoje (England); C Lawes (England), T Curry (England), J Conan (Ireland).

Replacements: K Owens (Wales), R Sutherland (Scotland), K Sinckler (England), T Beirne (Ireland), H Watson (Scotland), I Henderson (Ireland), C Murray (Ireland), O Farrell (England).