The British & Irish Lions made a late alteration to their line-up for Saturday’s tour match against the NSW Waratahs at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium after rising flanker Henry Pollock was withdrawn with a tight calf. The side described the move as precautionary. Lock Scott Cummings steps into the starting XV, captain Tadhg Beirne moves to the back row, and wing Duhan van der Merwe joins the replacements. Pollock’s absence is the first fitness setback of the tour for coach Andy Farrell, whose squad opened their Australian campaign with comfortable wins over the Western Force and Queensland Reds. The Waratahs will field Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou as they attempt to halt the Lions’ momentum. The reshuffle comes against a backdrop of friction between Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt and Lions officials over the availability of Australia’s internationals for provincial fixtures. Schmidt has ring-fenced a core group of 25 players for national duty, resisting Lions calls for unrestricted use by the franchises. The Lions face Fiji on 6 July before turning their attention to the three-Test series that starts in Brisbane on 19 July.