Andy Farrell names Test-ready starting line-up for British & Irish Lions clash against Brumbies
The Lions head coach has played his strongest hand to date for a tour match just 10 days ahead of the first Test against the Wallabies with Maro Itoje captaining at lock in a second-row partnership alongside Ireland's Joe McCarthy.
There are combinations throughout the XV which have the look of Test selections as England loosehead prop Ellis Genge forms a front row with Irish duo Dan Sheehan at hooker and Tadhg Furlong at tighthead while scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park partners fly-half Finn Russell at half-back and the back three features Blair Kinghorn at full-back alongside wings Tommy Freeman and James Lowe.
Farrell will not back himself into a corner by calling this his first Test team and an all-Irish centre partnership of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose appears to be the latest midfield combination up for audition, while the back row sees Tom Curry start at openside flanker for the first time on this tour with hybrid lock/flanker Ollie Chessum on the blindside with Jack Conan at No.8.
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Scratchy Lions win has simplified the Test selection equation for Farrell
The rest of the squad will be assured Test places remain up for grabs across the next two games and Wednesday night's bench, including former Brumbie Mack Hansen named as outside back cover, will be keen to stake their claims. It is a strong set of replacements with a covering front row of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Will Stuart, and two back rowers in Josh van der Flier and a fit-again Henry Pollock while Alex Mitchell is the scrum-half replacement alongside fellow Englishman Marcus Smith and Hansen.
The Brumbies, coached by Stephen Larkham, will be missing eight of their Wallabies for their big night at GIO Stadium but back row Tom Hooper has been released by Joe Schmidt to face the Lions and could play alongside 21-year-old younger brother Lachie Hooper for the first time as professionals if the latter is sprung from the bench.
BRUMBIES: A Muirhead; B O'Donnell, O Sapsford, D Feliuai, C Toole; D Meredith, R Lonergan – captain; L Ieli, L Lonergan, R van Nek; L Shaw, C Neville; T Hooper, R Scott, T Taii Tualima.
Replacements: L Bowron, C Orr, F Fotuaika, L Hooper, L Reimer, H Goddard, J Debreczini, H Creighton.
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: B Kinghorn; T Freeman, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; F Russell, J Gibson-Park; E Genge, D Sheehan, T Furlong; M Itoje – captain, J McCarthy; O Chessum, T Curry, J Conan.
Replacements: R Kelleher, A Porter, W Stuart, J van der Flier, H Pollock, A Mitchell, M Smith, M Hansen.
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