It all becomes real for the British & Irish Lions on Saturday when they take on Australia in the first Test at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
The Lions have had a full week to prepare for the Wallabies after winning their final warm-up game against an AUNZ Invitational XV full of experienced internationals 48-0 last Saturday.
Four of the players who lined up at the Adelaide Oval have earned their way into the starting XV to face Australia, including the all-Scotland centre pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.
Tadhg Beirne’s performance last week was enough for him to be selected at blindside flanker while Hugo Keenan starts at full-back having shaken off the ring rust brought on by injury and illness.
For captain Maro Itoje and tighthead Tadhg Furlong, selection means a Lions cap in a third different Tour while it is a second for Beirne, Tom Curry, Finn Russell and Jack Conan after featuring in South Africa in 2021.
The main headline coming from Australia’s line-up is Tom Lynagh being handed a first international start at fly-half, with the 22-year-old following in the footsteps of his father Michael who faced the Lions in 1989.
The Wallabies also give a debut to back rower Nick Champion de Crespigny in the absence of the injured Rob Valetini while Nick Frost and Jeremey Williams make up a second row that will have to cope without Will Skelton.
In the front row, the experienced James Slipper has been picked at loosehead ahead of the younger Angus Bell and there is a dangerous-looking midfield pairing of Len Ikitau and Joseph Sua’ali’i.
Twelve years have passed since the Lions defeated Australia 41-16 in the third Test at Sydney to seal a series win, which began with a narrow victory in Brisbane.
Head Coach Andy Farrell was on the Lions’ coaching staff back then and will be hoping for more success in the same city to have this year’s series start on the right foot.
Where to watch
Sky Sports will be showing all the action live in the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar throughout this Tour.
Welsh language channel S4C will broadcast extensive same-day highlights of each game every evening.
For a full breakdown, click here.
What they said
British & Irish Lions Head Coach Andy Farrell said: “We know how motivated the Wallabies will be and we know they are a well organised and dangerous side.
“It is a great occasion and a proud moment for Maro Itoje, who will captain the Test side, but also for those players who get the opportunity to represent the group on Saturday night.
“We have seen a flood of Lions supporters on the streets of Brisbane this week and we are looking forward to seeing a Sea of Red in the stands of the Suncorp Stadium cheering on the team.”
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt said: “The whole squad has worked hard as a group to prepare for what’s going to a massive challenge against an in-form Lions team.
“With the short runway leading up to such a big Test match, we know we must adapt fast and improve quickly, from the performance we had against Fiji recently.
“We’re very much aware of the occasion and conscious of earning the support from the public through the effort they see on the field.”
Key battle: Tom Lynagh v Finn Russell
Eyes will be on Tom Lynagh on Saturday night as he starts a Test match for the first time, following three appearances off the bench totalling 60 minutes last year.
Schmidt believes Lynagh will bring a ‘quiet confidence’ to the Wallabies, rather similar to the way his father, the great Michael Lynagh, did in their No.10 jersey for so many years.
In direct opposition to the youngster is a player who is on his third Lions Tour and earning his second Test cap, Finn Russell.
The Scottish playmaker has vastly more international experience to call upon and has arguably never looked better on the pitch than he has for the last couple of years.
Both are tasked with controlling the contest and firing up what, on paper, look like dangerous backlines, but can Lynagh, the comparative apprentice, outperform Russell, who has mastered proceedings on tour so far?
Teams
Australia: 15. Tom Wright, 14. Max Jorgensen, 13. Joseph Sua’ali’i, 12. Len Ikitau, 11. Harry Potter, 10. Tom Lynagh, 9. Jake Gordon, 1. James Slipper, 2. Matt Faessler, 3. Allan Ala’alatoa, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (c)
Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Tom Robertson, 19. Tom Hooper, 20. Carlo Tizzano, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Andrew Kellaway.
British & Irish Lions: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. James Lowe, 10. Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Maro Itoje (c), 5. Joe McCarthy, 6. Tadhg Beirne, 7. Tom Curry, 8. Jack Conan.
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Andrew Porter, 18. Will Stuart, 19. Ollie Chessum, 20. Ben Earl, 21. Alex Mitchell, 22. Marcus Smith, 23. Bundee Aki
