Eight Ireland players named in squad for British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa

Warren Gatland has named eight Irish players in his squad for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa this summer, with Johnny Sexton a notable omission.

The Ireland players named in the squad are as follows:

• Conor Murray (Munster)
• Bundee Aki (Connacht)
• Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
• Tadhg Beirne (Munster)
• Jack Conan (Leinster)
• Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
• Iain Henderson (Ulster)
• Andrew Porter (Leinster)

The Lions will take on the Springboks on Saturday, July 24 (Johannesburg), Saturday, July 31 (Cape Town) and Saturday, August 7 (Johannesburg). In the build-up to the three main events, they will come up against Super Rugby sides DHL Stormers, Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls, as well as a South Africa Invitational XV and the South Africa 'A' side. The squad will be captained by Welsh skipper Alun Wyn Jones. READ NEXT: Presidential dog Misneach is officially famous as U.S. media shares his antics to millions of followers