Close calls to be made on Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter as Lions' first Test team takes shape

Irish Times

5 days ago

Andy Farrell
and his assistant coaches most likely had a good idea of their starting XV and replacements for next Saturday's first Test against
Australia
at Suncorp Stadium when they landed in Brisbane last Sunday.
The
Lions
management and players all maintained what is most likely a pretence after their Tuesday training session that the squad would only be informed on Wednesday for fear of the line-up being leaked to the world and
Joe Schmidt
.
In any event, all will be revealed around 3pm Australian time/6am Irish on Thursday when the British and Irish Lions starting XV and replacements are announced.
But until then, speculation will remain around the chosen player in at least four starting positions as well as the configuration and composition of the bench.
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That said, one of those selection appears to have been settled in light of confirmation from the Lions that Mack Hansen suffered a foot injury in the 48-0 win over the AUNZ Invitational XV last Saturday, when his all-action, high-energy display looked like it might have sealed the right wing slot.
However, assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth bracketed Hansen with Blair Kinghorn on Tuesday and
admitted they were both a doubt
, indicating no decision would be made on their participation until seeing whether they are able to take part in Wednesday's training. That equates to Lions-speak for they're 'crocked', as if a player doesn't take part in the Tuesday training session he almost certainly won't be included in the first Test.
Hence, the in-form and more prolific Tommy Freeman looks sure to start. The same applies to Hugo Keenan at fullback and Huw Jones at outside centre in light of Kinghorn and Garry Ringrose being ruled out.
The riddle remains as to whether Jones will be partnered by club and international midfield team-mate Sione Tuipulotu or Bundee Aki. Farrell has maintained that national combinations and proven familiarity are not essential.
Indeed, he has strived to mix combinations and after last Saturday's game he gave the strongest indication yet that national identities do not concern him. What's more, he could point to the Aki-Jones combination working well in the 52-12 win over the Reds, so it would be no surprise to see an Irish-Scottish midfield axis outside the same at half-backs; namely Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell, who have long since looked the Test half-back pairing in waiting.
The choice between Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter looks to be a close call but perhaps tellingly the former has packed down alongside Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong as a unit off the bench against the Waratahs and starting against the Brumbies.
As at half-back, so the captain Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy have looked like the secondrow pairing since complementing each other in the opening tour win over Western Force in Perth.
Save for Jack Conan retaining his place at eight from the series in South Africa just ahead of Ben Earl, the make-up of the backrow appears to be the most difficult puzzle to crack, especially openside. The choice appears to be between Ollie Chessum and Tadhg Beirne (the thought persists that Ryan Baird really should be here), while Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan and Tom Curry would all have their admirers.
A hunch says Chessum and Van der Flier, and a regulation 5-3 bench rather than a 6-2 split, which will accommodate Owen Farrell and two from Beirne, Henry Pollock and Ben Earl.
Lions Possible XV
: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Aki, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong, Itoje (capt), McCarthy, Chessum, Van der Flier, Conan.
Replacements
: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Pollock, Earl, Mitchell, Farrell, M Smith.