Andy Farrell has confirmed a Lions starting line-up featuring eight Ireland players – seven of them from Leinster – for the first Test against Australia at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
As expected, England flanker Tom Curry has won the selection vote to start at openside, with Tadhg Beirne preferred to the in-form Ollie Chessum at blindside.
As reported by Mail Sport on Wednesday, Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has been picked ahead of Bundee Aki in midfield, but Aki’s inclusion among the replacements, along with Marcus Smith, means no place in the match-day 23 for Owen Farrell, following his late call-up.
Injuries to Blair Kinghorn and Mack Hansen simplified the debate about back-line places, meaning that Hugo Keenan will start at full-back and James Lowe has been trusted to rise to the occasion, despite some patchy performances in the tour so far.
It has been evident for weeks that Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell would be the preferred half-back pairing, while Garry Ringrose’s head knock ensured that Huw Jones became a certainty to be chosen at outside centre.
Up front, captain Maro Itoje and world-class Irish hooker Dan Sheehan were the only absolute shoo-ins. Joe McCarthy’s towering contribution to the win over Western Force propelled him to the front of the queue for the other lock place, while Ellis Genge has been rewarded for a series of impressive displays to earn the starting loosehead role and Tadhg Furlong is the pedigree pick at tighthead.
England flanker Tom Curry has won the selection vote to start at openside for the first Test
Andy Farrell has named a Lions starting line-up featuring eight Ireland players
Sione Tuipulotu, left, has been picked to start in midfield ahead of Bundee Aki, whose inclusion on the bench means there is no place in the match-day 23 for late call-up Owen Farrell, right
Among the forward replacements, Will Stuart has made the cut despite a powerful challenge from Finlay Bealham, Chessum offers cover for the second row and blindside and Ben Earl’s versatility has earned him a place ahead of the unlucky Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock.
Having picked his team, Farrell called for a collective raising of standards from his Lions. ‘We are entering the business end of the tour and it is time to put in our best performance to date. We know how motivated the Wallabies will be and we know they are a well organised and dangerous side.’
However, the Wallabies won’t be as dangerous as they should be, as leading forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini were absent from the line-up named by Joe Schmidt, due to calf injuries which they have been unable to recover from in time for the series opener.
Giant La Rochelle lock Skelton will be missed for the physical presence and experience he brings, while Valetini has been one of Australia’s best-performing players in recent times, operating at blindside.
Schmidt has selected abrasive, uncapped Western Force flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny for an in-at-the-deep-end debut while, as expected, Tom Lynagh – son of World Cup-winning Wallabies legend Michael Lynagh – will make his first start as the rookie choice at 10.
The Kiwi head coach, who confirmed that No 8 Harry Wilson will continue as captain, is optimistic that Skelton and Valetini will be available for the second Test in Melbourne next week.
‘They were right on the edge, to be honest,’ said Schmidt. ‘If it was the last game of the series, they would have been in the mix. We just felt it was the most judicious decision at the time.’
Australia will be without Will Skelton and Rob Valetini with their leading forwards having failed to recover from injury in time for the opening Test
Tom Lynagh, son of World Cup-winner Michael Lynagh, will make his first start as the No10
He also backed Lynagh to handle a grand occasion in a venue the Queensland Reds playmaker is very familiar with, adding: ‘I’m confident in him. It’s a stadium he knows really well. It’s a piece of grass he’s been on and been across many, many times. So, I think that will help him settle into his game.
‘If he can settle early, hopefully he can get a rhythm that allows him to dictate the game to a degree. He’s very brave defensively and very competent in the air. So, whatever gets thrown at Tom, I am confident that he’ll cope.’
WALLABIES: T Wright; M Jorgensen, J-A Suaalii, L Ikitau, H Potter; T Lynagh, J Gordon; J Slipper, M Faessler, A Alaalatoa; N Frost, J Williams; N Champion de Crespigny, H Wilson (capt), F McReight. Replacements: B Pollard, A Bell, T Robertson, T Hooper, C Tizzano, T McDermott, B Donaldson, A Kellaway.
LIONS: H Keenan (Ire); T Freeman (Eng), H Jones (Sco), S Tuipulotu (Sco), J Lowe (Ire); F Russell (Sco), J Gibson-Park (Ire); E Genge (Eng), D Sheehan (Ire), T Furlong (Ire); M Itoje (Eng. capt), J McCarthy (Ire); T Beirne (Ire), J Conan (Ire), T Curry (Eng). Replacements: R Kelleher (Ire), A Porter (Ire), W Stuart (Eng), O Chessum (Eng), B Earl (Eng), A Mitchell (Eng), M Smith (Eng), B Aki (Ire).
