
What TV channel is Australia vs British & Irish Lions on? Stream, kick-off time and odds for Farrell's date with destiny
Andy Farrell's side have won all of their warm-up matches barring the
2
The 50-year-old was a defence coach for the Lions' Australia Tour in 2013
2
The former Ireland manager has been with Australia since replacing Eddie Jones last year
Since the
, Andy Farrell's squad have played matches in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide before landing back in 'Brissie' on Sunday.
T
he Lions will be hoping to win their first series since their Tour of Australia back in 2013 having lost and drawn their last two series.
Here's everything you need to know before watching the Test:
WHAT TIME IS KICK-OFF?
The first of three Test matches kicks-off at 11am Irish time today in the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. That is 8pm local time.
Read more on Irish sport
WHERE CAN I WATCH THE TEST?
The Lions' clash with Australia will be exclusively shown on Sky Sports on the 'Main Event' and 'Action' channels with coverage starting at 10am.
It will be available to stream through
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
Farrell's side are favourites to win the first Test at 3/10.
The odds for an Australia win is set at 7/2 while a draw is 30/1.
Most read in Rugby Union
The Lions to win the series is 1/3 while for Australia to replicate
A draw series - which occurred on the New Zealand Tour in 2017 - is set at 30/1.
Inside Scotland and Lions hero's stunning house that boasts giant basement room with bar for FIFTY people to party
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID IN THE BUILD-UP?
Winger
Hugo Keenan is named at full-back, with Tommy Freeman and James Lowe on the wing.
The Lions have had a gruelling schedule compared with Joe Schmidt's Aussies — just one warm-up game, an unconvincing 21-18 win over Fiji ten days ago.
Lions back rower
"We have to make that count. There's no replacement for playing rugby. We're in a good spot.'
Mari Itoje's efforts to distract Australia could be Shot Down in Flames — thanks to a bunch of Aussie rock legends.
Wallabies forwards coach Geoff Parling, the ex-England lock, has had AC/DC blaring out at full volume — knowing Lions skipper Itoje will try to put them off at lineouts by yelling so they cannot hear their set-piece codes.
Aussie lock Jeremy Williams said: 'We have been using music as a tool to try to distract the boys from the calls, so when we get into the arena we can react and listen to the calls. The music's been loud, bit of AC/DC.'
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The Irish Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Tadhg Furlong makes British and Irish Lions history as Andy Farrell names team for third Australia Test
TADHG Furlong will start a NINTH successive British and Irish Lions Test after Andy Farrell named his team for Saturday's Sydney clash. The Lions 2 Andy Farrell has named a whopping nine Irish players in his starting XV Credit: Getty 2 On Saturday Dan Sheehan once again crossed over for a try against the Wallabies Credit: Sportsfile The significance of that number for Furlong is that it puts him into joint-fourth place in the all-time record books on that front. Willie John McBride is way out on his own in top spot with a virtually insurmountable 15 while Graham Price had 12 on the bounce with Tony O'Reilly and Rhys Haydn Williams joint-third on 10. Leinster prop Furlong is now in good company as he's equalled the mark of former captain Alun Wyn Jones and current skipper Maro Itoje. He will fill out the front row with club teammates Andrew Porter as well as Dan Sheehan. Read More On Irish Sport James Ryan comes into the second row following his impressive substitute appearance last time out. He'll be partnered by England rock Itoje. The back row is unchanged as Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan and Tom Curry have retained their places. It's as you were among the half-back partnership too as Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell will continue to be act as the team's primary playmakers. Farrell has similarly resisted the urge to switch up his centre partnership. Bundee Aki and Huw Jones will continue their own Irish-Scottish axis there. Most read in Rugby Union James Lowe does drop out with Scottish ace Blair Kinghorn taking his left wing berth. The other two spots in the back three remain unchanged with Keenan naturally keeping his place while Tommy Freeman's cause was aided by Mack Hansen failing to recover from his foot injury in time. Katie Taylor shares inspirational message to British & Irish Lions A foot ailment has similarly ruled Joe McCarthy out altogether. There's also no place in the matchday 23 for Josh van der Flier despite the Ireland head coach opting for a 6:2 bench split. That means the unfortunate 32-year-old looks likely to nerve earn a Test cap with the odds against him doing so in four years' time against the All Blacks. For anyone doubting how much the Lions still means to Irish players like Furlong, they need only glance over The 32-year-old admitted: "It is a little bit emotional. The Lions has played a massive part in my career. Not so much me as a person but definitely as a rugby player. 'MASSIVE PART' "It's shaped the way I play the game or think about the game. It's a mad one. "I know this Lions tour is going to be me kind of closing the book on the Lions and I don't want it to end. "It's a great group. It's a special thing being a Lion. We have a week left to enjoy it but I don't want it to end, as much as I want to go home and see my family." British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Blair Kinghorn; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan. Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell. Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Nine Irish players to start for Lions but pair miss out after injuries
Blair Kinghorn and James Ryan are set to make their first starts in the British and Irish Lions' series against Australia, with Andy Farrell largely relying on his seasoned Test starters to secure a clean sweep. Kinghorn is stepping in for James Lowe on the left wing for Saturday's final match of the tour at Sydney's Accor Stadium, while Ryan will replace Ollie Chessum in the second row. Chessum has been relegated to the bench where head coach Farrell has chosen a six-two split favouring forwards over backs, bringing back Ben Earl as back row cover after missing out on the second Test. The starting line-up features nine players from Ireland, three Englishmen, and three Scots, with Maro Itoje leading the charge as captain, aiming to be the first Lions team to finish a tour unbeaten since 1974. Having clinched the series with a 29-26 win in Melbourne last weekend, Farrell's squad is eager to deliver a final blow to the Wallabies. "We have put ourselves in a great position to finish this Tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history," Farrell commented. "The second Test was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions tours are and what they mean to both the players and the supporters. "We are expecting another epic battle this weekend against a Wallaby side that showed their quality last week." Kinghorn and Ryan previously entered the fray as second-half substitutes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A reshuffle on the wing was anticipated after Lowe's underwhelming performance in the first two Tests, while Kinghorn made a notable contribution during his 20-minute stint and will rejoin the back three alongside Hugo Keenan and Tommy Freeman. Ryan also proved to be an effective substitute in Melbourne, outshining the less impactful Chessum. The Lions had previously stated their intention to field their strongest XV rather than rotating deserving squad members, and they've stayed true to their word by going all out at Sydney Olympic Park. This includes keeping the high-energy flankers Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry, who gave their all at the MCG but have been outstanding throughout the series. Joe McCarthy, Sione Tuipulotu and Mack Hansen were given the green light to participate after recovering from injuries that ruled them out of the second Test, but none of them are included. Prop Tadhg Furlong is set to start his ninth consecutive Lions Test, becoming only the seventh player in history to achieve this feat. Lions team: H Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); T Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), H Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), B Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), B Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); F Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), J Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); A Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), D Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), T Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), M Itoje (Saracens/England, capt), J Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), T Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), T Curry (Sale Sharks/England), J Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). Substitutes: R Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), E Genge (Bristol Bears/England), W Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), O Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), J Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), B Earl (Saracens/England), A Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), O Farrell (Saracens/England).


Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Andy Farrell makes two changes for final Lions Test
Andy Farrell has made two changes to the British & Irish Lions team for Saturday's third and final Test against Australia, with James Ryan and Blair Kinghorn coming into the starting line-up. Both players made big impacts off the bench in last Saturday's series-clinching second Test victory over the Wallabies in Melbourne and each played a important part in the final attacking sequence that led to Hugo Keenan's try which secured the Lions' dramatic 29-26 victory. Ireland lock Ryan comes in for Ollie Chessum to partner captain Maro Itoje in the second row, while Scotland's Kinghorn replaces James Lowe on the left wing. Otherwise, the Lions are unchanged with tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong set to make his ninth consecutive Lions Test start in an all-Irish front row alongside Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan. Try-scoring flankers Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry continue in a settled back row with Jack Conan at No.8, while the backline sees half-backs Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell and the centre pairing of Bundee Aki and Huw Jones retained with Kinghorn slotting into a back three alongside fellow wing Tommy Freeman and full-back Keenan as head coach Farrell bids to complete a 3-0 series victory over Joe Schmidt's Australia. The selection means there is no place for Ireland openside flanker Josh van der Flier while Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen are also omitted despite returning to training this week following foot injuries. Garry Ringrose was unavailable due to concussion return to play protocols. 'We have put ourselves in a great position to finish this Tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history,' Farrell said on Thursday. 'Last weekend's Test match in Melbourne was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions Tours are and what they mean to both the players and the supporters. 'We are expecting another epic battle this weekend against a Wallaby side that showed their quality last week.' The Lions bench, which made such a vital contribution to the victory at the MCG, has been switched from a 5-3 split between forwards and backs to a 6-2, with Ben Earl restored as a third back-rower alongside Jac Morgan and Chessum, who can cover lock and blindside. Schmidt has made four changes to the Wallabies starting side for this Saturday's 82,000 sell-out crowd at Sydney's Accor Stadium. Racing 92-bound tighthead prop Taniela Tupou comes in for his first Test appearance of the year having faced the Lions nine days ago for the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Tupou replaces the injured Allan Alaalatoa, partnering hooker David Porecki and loosehead James Slipper, now set for his 147th international. Rob Valetini has been rested after his explosive 40-minute comeback from injury in last Saturday's second Test and is replaced at blindside flanker Tom Hooper alongside fellow back-rowers Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson. There is a freshen up at scrum-half where Nic White has been named to start in his 73rd and final Wallabies Test having announced his retirement from Test rugby earlier on Thursday. White replaces Jake Gordon. The final change sees Dylan Pietsch replace the injured Harry Potter on the left wing. 'The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week's Test in Melbourne,' Schmidt said, 'but they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on Saturday.' AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson - captain. Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland); Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) - captain. James Ryan (Leinster/Ireland); Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland). Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Will Stuart (Bath/England), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Ben Earl (Saracens/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Owen Farrell (Saracens/England).