Incumbent skipper Sam Warburton has been named on the bench.
The All Blacks are unbeaten at Eden Park since 1994, a 38-game sequence that underlines the degree of difficulty facing Gatland's men this weekend.
When they toured New Zealand in 2005, the Lions lost the first Test in Christchurch convincingly having picked more on reputation than form.
Despite the selection, Gatland insisted his side couldn't rely on penalty goals alone against the All Blacks for victory.
O'Mahony is one of four Irish players included in the Lions team, with 2013 series winners Conor Murray and Sean O'Brien featuring at scrum half openside flanker respectively, and 24-year-old tighthead Tadhg Furlong winning his first Lions Test cap in the front row.
The pair both performed positively and did enough to start over the likes of Leigh Halfpenny, who has been benched, and the omitted George North.
Ioane was a standout performer against the Lions earlier on this tour when dazzling for the Blues, and he will now start for his country for the first time in place of Savea who has accumulated 47 tries in his 53 Test's. The win against the Chiefs (on Tuesday) was also extremely important for the squad and some players played themselves into the side.
AP Brahmin Welfare Corp chairman Krishna Rao removed
Rao had alleged that he had been trying to meet Naidu for six months to discuss Brahmin welfare, but didn't get an appointment. Since morning, Brahmin social media groups have been witnessing widespread debates on the ousting of Krishna Rao.
"We have continuously been strong at set piece and have been good defensively in the last two or three outings".
"It's a reward for how the back row has gone", Gatland said in a statement on Thursday.
"We have trained hard and fast, which you have to to play the All Blacks", Rowntree said.
In Cork Constitution FC, they are looking forward to adding another British and Irish Lions jersey to the framed collection proudly displayed on the clubhouse wall.
A week ago, it was another of the Kiwi-born coach's reliant numbers, Liam Williams, who seemed a mile off the starting XV. Jonathan Davies, 14. Anthony Watson, 15. Jonathan Davies - Scarlets, Wales 12. Elliot Daly - Wasps, England 10.
Halfpenny's omission from the starting XV suggests that fly-half Owen Farrell - fit after a thigh injury scare - will kick at goal, though Wasps star Daly boasts a strong long-range kicking option. Ireland and Lions defence coach Andy Farrell reveals his performance against England was instrumental in his call-up. Mako Vunipola - Saracens, England 2. Jamie George (Saracens/England) #819 3. While it is a tough decision to list the outstanding Maro Itoje among the replacements, the selection of Alun Wyn Jones to start is not a complete surprise.
The former England center Will Greenwood once said of O'Mahony that "if the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse came around the corner, Peter O'Mahony would charge at them". Sean O'Brien - Leinster, Ireland 8. Jack McGrath - Leinster, Ireland 18.
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