The two teams have been named for the British & Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia and we now know who will be doing battle in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Lions will be looking to repeat their 2013 success at Suncorp Stadium, with them coming up against a Wallabies side shorn of some key names yet with some exciting talent in their midst.

Back row face-off

Perhaps the biggest debate over the Lions’ team selection ahead of the first Test was who Head Coach Andy Farrell would pick as his two flankers.

Tadgh Beirne, who captained the Lions in two of their warm-up matches, and Tom Curry have been given the nod, beating off competition for arguably the most hotly contested area of the team.

They will play alongside No.8 Jack Conan with Ben Earl, able to cover multiple back-row positions, on the bench with Ollie Chessum who provides an option at blindside as well as lock.

The battle between the two sets of loose forwards is set to play a key role in deciding who will come out on top in Brisbane.

Australia will be captained from No.8 by Harry Wilson, with the explosive Fraser McReight and Wallabies debutant Nick Champion de Crespigny alongside him, looking to provide dynamism in the loose and breakdown dominance.

Lynagh legacy

One of the big calls facing Australia Head Coach Joe Schmidt was who to pick at fly-half after his first choice at 10, Noah Lolesio, was ruled out of the series following neck surgery.

Schmidt has opted to give 22-year-old Tom Lynagh his first Wallabies start which in itself gives the first Test a wonderful story to follow.

Lynagh emulates his legendary father Michael, who played in all three Tests against the Lions in 1989 and was part of Australia’s Rugby World Cup-winning team of 1991, also at fly-half.

It is a big show of faith in Lynagh as he is earning just his fourth cap, and he has been picked ahead of the more experienced James O’Connor and Ben Donaldson.

It will be up to him to fire up what, on paper, looks a potent backline that includes Len Ikitau, Joseph Sua’ali’i and Tom Wright.

All-Scottish midfield

Garry Ringrose’s concussion meant Huw Jones was always likely to start at outside centre in Brisbane, although his performances on tour meant his selection was merited in any case.

What was less certain was who Jones would be paired with in midfield, but we now know he will have a familiar partner playing on his inside in Sione Tuipulotu.

It is a combination that has worked to great effect for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland on many occasions, plus they have the added familiarity of having international colleague Finn Russell pulling the strings at fly-half.

Tuipulotu’s main competition, Bundee Aki, has been named among the replacements and the 35-year-old will become the oldest back to play for the Lions in a Test match should he be called from the bench.

Slipper’s experience counts

Australia struggled at the scrum the last time the Lions visited in 2013, but if their options at prop are anything to go by, it will be a more level playing field between the two front rows this year.

The Wallabies will have the most-capped player in their history packing down at loosehead on Saturday after James Slipper was selected for what will be his 144th appearance in gold and green.

Schmidt has elected to go with his experience ahead of Angus Bell, who is 12 years Slipper’s junior and rated by former Wallabies captain Stephen Moore as a world-class performer.

Slipper will become the latest in a select group of players to have faced the Lions in two Test series having played off the bench for the hosts in all three games 12 years ago.

Wildcard replacement Smith

Marcus Smith has got the nod over four-time Lions tourist Owen Farrell in being named among the replacements for the first Test.

Like Farrell, the 26-year-old is capable of providing cover for more than one position having featured at both fly-half and full-back during the tour.

While Smith hopefully won’t be needed in the circumstances of anything unfortunate happening to Finn Russell or Hugo Keenan at Suncorp Stadium, he will provide an enticing option as the match wears on.

Smith is one of the most exciting attacking players in world rugby and would relish the opportunity of using his skill set to either change the Test in the Lions’ favour or pick off a tiring Australian defence if the tourists are looking to close out the result.