
Owen Farrell to captain Lions against Beale's Pasifika
But with the second Test at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, coach Andy Farrell is not risking any injuries to his first-choice stars.
None of the Brisbane starting side are in the matchday 23 for the clash at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium on Tuesday against an untested team spearheaded by Wallabies great Kurtley Beale.
That has opened the door to a host of players looking to make a late case to play a part in the second Test, including former England captain Farrell.
He came off the bench for a solid cameo against a combined Australia-New Zealand side after his surprise call-up to replace the injured Elliot Daly.
The 33-year-old now gets the chance to start and impress his father, head coach Andy Farrell, enough to earn a bench spot for the second Test in what will be his 20th Lions appearance.
"This fixture gives players another opportunity to put their hand up for selection for the final two Tests," said Andy Farrell.
"The coaches' minds are open when it comes to selection, they have to be with so many players performing and pushing for places and we want that to continue for the remaining two Tests.
"This group know the level of performance that we will require against a First Nations Pasifika team that is packed with talent and power."
Farrell will partner Ireland's Jamie Osborne in the centre, with Scotland's Ben White at scrum-half and England's Fin Smith the playmaker at 10.
Fullback Blair Kinghorn returns from injury and forms an all-Scotland back three alongside Darcy Graham and Duhan van Der Merwe.
Up front, 102-Test veteran hooker George, who was called up last week as cover for the concussed Luke Cowan-Dickie, will pack down with Scotland's Pierre Schoeman and Irishman Finlay Bealham.
Ireland's James Ryan is partnered in the second row by Scot Scott Cummings while in the back, Wales captain Jac Morgan lines up alongside Ireland's Josh van der Flier and England's Henry Pollock.
British Lions XV (15-1):
Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Jamie Osborne, Owen Farrell (capt), Duhan van Der Merwe; Fin Smith, Ben White; Henry Pollock, Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan; Scott Cummins, James Ryan; Finlay Bealham, Jamie George, Pierre Schoeman

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


France 24
17 hours ago
- France 24
Injured Pant bats on as India move on to 321-6 in fourth Test
Pant had to retire hurt Wednesday on 37 when struck a painful blow on the foot attempting an audacious reverse-sweep off a Chris Woakes yorker. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced Pant was ruled out of keeping wicket at Old Trafford. But they added Pant, who has been one of India's outstanding players during the five-match series, racking up 462 runs in seven innings so far, would bat "as per team requirements". And after Shardul Thakur fell for 41, with India 314-6, Pant slowly made his way down the dressing room steps and out into the middle. Pant's opening ball Thursday saw him prod tentatively at a wide delivery, from England captain Ben Stokes, with the left-hander clearly struggling to move. He was then comprehensively beaten by the next delivery. Runners are no longer allowed in international cricket and Pant added two runs in seven balls faced Thursday to be 39 not out when rain stopped play 10 minutes before lunch. India resumed on 264-4 after Stokes went against history by sending the tourists in to bat. No team winning the toss and bowling first has ever won a Test at Old Trafford. But India, 2-1 down in a five-match contest, needed to make some history of their own if they were to maintain their hopes of a series victory as they had yet to win any of their previous nine Tests at Old Trafford. And with play resuming in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions, India soon slumped to 266-5 as Jofra Archer struck with just his fifth ball of the day. Ravindra Jadeja, on a run of four successive fifties this series, had added just one to his overnight 19 when he was undone by a superb Archer ball that moved sharply to take the outside edge, with second slip Harry Brook holding a fine low catch to his right. Thakur, one of three changes to the India side, counter-attacked by smashing a short ball from Woakes through cover for a commanding four. But his useful innings of 41 ended when Stokes once again proved himself a partnership breaker, although he needed considerable help from a leaping Ben Duckett at gully after Thakur edged a booming drive.


France 24
18 hours ago
- France 24
Lord's to host historic women's Test match in 2026
The dates for the historic fixture were announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Thursday as part of the full 2026 home schedule for both the men's and women's teams. England women's last home Test, in 2023, ended in defeat to Australia at Trent Bridge in a match played over five days, but the India game will revert to the usual women's format of four days, played from July 10 to 13. The team also has white-ball series against New Zealand, India and Ireland. England's men will face New Zealand in a three-match Test series in June, with three Tests to follow against Pakistan, starting in August. The white-ball team take on India in July in five T20s and three one-day internationals, with Sri Lanka visiting in September.


France 24
19 hours ago
- France 24
Injured Pant resumes innings for India in fourth Test against England
Vice-captain Pant was forced to retire hurt on 37 on the opening day of the match on Wednesday after he inside-edged a Chris Woakes yorker onto his right boot. A Board of Control for Cricket in India statement on Thursday confirmed Pant was unfit to keep wicket but would be available to bat if required. After Shardul Thakur fell for 41, with India 314-6 in their first innings, Pant slowly made his way down the dressing room steps and out into the middle. Runners are no longer allowed in international cricket. On Thursday he first faced England captain Ben Stokes, prodding tentatively at a wide delivery. The left-hander was then comprehensively beaten by the next delivery. Rain stopped play about 10 minutes before lunch in Manchester, with Pant 39 not out in India's total of 321-6. Earlier, the BCCI issued a statement on his fitness. "Rishabh Pant, who sustained an injury to his right foot on day one of the Manchester Test, will not be performing wicketkeeping duties for the remainder of the match," it said. "Dhruv Jurel will assume the role of wicketkeeper. Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant has joined the team on day two and and will be available to bat as per team requirements." Jurel deputised behind the stumps during England's 22-run win in the third Test at Lord's after India's first-choice gloveman suffered a finger injury. Under the laws of cricket, Jurel can keep wicket in Pant's absence but cannot, as a substitute, bat instead of him. Pant, 27, has been one of India's outstanding players during the five-match series, racking up more than 450 runs in seven innings so far. England lead the series 2-1.