Lions select strong side for Brumbies clash as Test series comes into focus
Providing X-factor on the bench are back-rower Henry Pollock and versatile playmaker Marcus Smith in an opportunity for both England stars to prove they are ready to take on the Wallabies on July 19.
Our team to face the Brumbies in Canberra! 🦁#Lions2025
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 7, 2025
Pollock was due to start Saturday's shaky 21-10 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs but withdrew shortly before kick-off because of a tight calf, an injury that has now healed.
The all-Ireland combination of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose have been chosen in the centres and Blair Kinghorn makes his first start at full-back having joined the squad late because of his Top 14 duties with Toulouse.
Tommy Freeman and James Lowe are the favourites to fill the wings against Australia in Brisbane and both are present, with Mack Hansen adding back-three cover from the bench against his former Super Rugby franchise.
Ellis Genge has been the form loosehead prop on tour while on the other side of the scrum three-times Lions tourist Tadhg Furlong is given another start to develop his match-fitness at the end of a season that has been marred by calf and hamstring injuries. Dan Sheehan is named at hooker.
Normally an unstoppable force, Tom Curry has yet to find his stride Down Under but he is handed the openside duties in a back row that offers an important line-out option in the shape of Ollie Chessum.
Jack Conan is included at number eight and it appears as though Chessum will supply second-row cover in the event of injury to Itoje and McCarthy given flankers Josh van der Flier and Pollock are the inclusions on the bench.
Ireland provide eight players to the starting XV, England five and Scotland two with no place in the 23 for Wales openside Jac Morgan.
The Brumbies are the strongest team the Lions will face in Australia outside of the Tests after reaching the semi-finals of Super Rugby, where they lost 37-17 to the Chiefs on June 14.
'In 2013 the Brumbies Lions in Canberra and this year they were the leading Australian team in Super Rugby – so we are fully aware of the challenge in front of us,' head coach Farrell said.
'It will also be a special occasion for Mack Hansen as he returns to his home town and gets the opportunity to play for and represent the Lions against some of his old team-mates.'
Lions team: B Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); T Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), G Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), B Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), J Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); F Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), J Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); E Genge (Bristol Bears/England), D Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), T Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), M Itoje (Saracens/England, capt), J McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), O Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), T Curry (Sale Sharks/England), J Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland).
Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), A Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), W Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), J van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), H Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), A Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), M Smith (Harlequins/England), M Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
All-Ireland win could be 'last hurrah' for O'Connor
Kerry manager Jack O'Connor says Sunday's All-Ireland final victory over Donegal could be his "last hurrah" in charge of the Kingdom.O'Connor guided Kerry to a 1-26 to 0-19 victory at Croke Park and Sam Maguire will head back home with the Munster champions for the first time since is a fifth All-Ireland for O'Connor, who has led the Kingdom across three spells since 2001. The 64-year-old's current term is set to expire this year and he said his future would be sorted in "due course", adding there was "no hurry" on a decision."I think I went on record earlier in the year that it would probably be my last hurrah," he said in his post-match press conference at Croke Park. "I don't want to be telling you lads [the media] before I tell anyone else, there are more important people down the corridor." He added that his wife, Bridie, had captured a special moment before he headed to Dublin with his team in case it was his last time with Kerry."I was going out the door on Thursday evening with my bag and my wife took a picture of me going out the gate," he said."I've a fair idea that will be up on the wall as my last. She'll be framing that one."Star forward David Clifford, who said comparisons to Lionel Messi motivated him in his 0-9 performance in the final, said O'Connor also had additional fuel due to praise given to opposite number Jim McGuinness."He's a winner," Clifford said on his manager. "I don't think Jack was happy with the commentary around the Donegal manager and all he could do."I think there was a lot of disrespect around that for Jack so that was for him today."
BBC News
13 minutes ago
- BBC News
Messi comparisons 'motivated' Clifford in final
David Clifford says comparisons to being the Lionel Messi of Gaelic football motivated him in Kerry's All-Ireland final win over scored 0-9 at Croke Park to cement his place as one of the greatest players of his is a first Sam Maguire since 2022 for the Kingdom as they blew Donegal away in the 1-26 to 0-19 says he feels comparisons to Messi, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, don't always come from the "right place" and that fuelled is final performance. "To be honest, I nearly take it as a hit because I think there are people who say it but it isn't coming from the right place," Clifford told BBC Sport NI."I think they are trying to build you up and hope that you will fail. That was a massive motivation for me today." Clifford said he was struggling for words after the win, which came after a blistering start from the Kingdom and Jack O'Connor's side had enough to hand to hold off any potential Donegal O'Connor's late goal was the icing on the cake for Kerry, and there were wild celebrations when the hooter went at Croke Park."You think about doing it all week and over the last two weeks you are nearly waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it. "When you are here and it goes well it's such a good feeling. We couldn't be happier."Clifford added that Kerry studied Meath's approach in the semi-finals and were able to score crucial two-pointers that Donegal's last-four opponents could not said it was not a specific tactic by the Kingdom, but the management "trust the forwards"."You could see Meath in the semi-final probably over do it. "The beauty of our set-up, our management team and how we approach things is we let the forwards do what they want. We trust the forwards to make good decisions and it's great when they go over."
Belfast Telegraph
42 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Pragmatic Kerry manage to beat Jim McGuinness and Donegal at their own game in All-Ireland decider
Kerry have always been known as the architects of Gaelic football, purists in the eyes of many, winning only by the traditional style of 'kick and catch', but on All-Ireland day, they managed to 'out Donegal' Donegal themselves. The northern side are famed for their pragmatic style of football, and their journey to this year's All-Ireland final has been built on three pillars - accuracy from kickouts, patience with the ball, and being clinical in front of goal.
