Russell at heart of Irish-heavy Lions side is an exciting prospect

The 42

5 hours ago

FINN RUSSELL COULD hardly have asked for a better opportunity to open his claim to be the Lions' starting Test out-half.
The creative, clever Scotland number 10 is part of an exciting Lions side to take on the Western Force on Saturday in Perth, with strong Irish representation around him.
Russell is excellent at picking out passes and kicks within a sharp, organised attacking framework. He tends to hum beautifully when the pack in front of him gets momentum. A stream of good possession from set-piece allows Russell to weave his magic.
He gets those things in Bath and the results have been a delight to watch, but it's less often the case with Scotland. That's what must excite Russell most about this Lions tour – getting to be part of an international team with better players around him.
As expected, Andy Farrell has named a Lions side featuring lots of his Ireland internationals, which should help with implementing the style of attack that showed promising signs in defeat to Argentina.
Dan Sheehan captains the XV from hooker in his latest big achievement, while Tadhg Furlong will start a game for the first time since 3 May. Sheehan's leadership credentials have been rewarded with the captaincy, but Furlong is already standing out as a leader behind the scenes with the Lions, as he should given his experience.
Sheehan, Furlong, and Pierre Schoeman are tasked with continuing the scrum dominance that we saw last weekend in Dublin. They should be helped by the hard-scrummaging Joe McCarthy coming into the second row on Saturday.
Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham were two of the biggest winners from that Argentina game. The scrum standard has been set.
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Tadhg Furlong and Dan Sheehan. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Lions' lineout had a bad day against the Pumas. Not having a genuine lineout forward in the back row didn't help, so Farrell has addressed that issue by moving Tadhg Beirne to the blindside. It will be interesting to see if Beirne calls the lineout from there, or if Scottish lock and lineout specialist Scott Cummings takes on that role. Either way, the Lions have to be better on their own throw and do more to disrupt the Force's.
A maul penalty try last weekend was pleasing for Lions forwards coach John Dalziel, while hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie nearly scored from a close-range maul in the first half, so more encouraging stuff there would also be welcome.
It's frustrating for James Ryan that he has to wait until next week to get his tour rolling, the knock he took in the URC final keeping him sidelined. The Irish lock is surely raring to go.
If those Lions set-piece platforms are solid on Saturday, Russell and his thrilling backline will almost certainly do damage.
Sione Tuipulotu shifts to his best position at inside centre, where his ball-carrying power, deft handling, and skillful kicking are best harnessed, while Garry Ringrose comes in to offer a little more balance to the centre partnership. Having missed out on the 2021 tour, Ringrose is undoubtedly doubly motivated for this chance in red.
The back three of James Lowe, Mack Hansen, and fullback Elliot Daly seems ideally suited to playing off Russell. All three of them are intelligent and intuitive in roaming around the pitch and making decisions. The Irish wing pair are excellent at working hard off the ball and arriving late to pop up on inside shoulders or outside shoulders.
It's not difficult to imagine Russell, Lowe, and Hansen sparking up an instinctive relationship that results in sizzling attacking rugby. Farrell will obviously demand that the Lions are more accurate with their offloading and passing, but there is real potential in this side.
Launching their efforts from the base of the rucks and set-pieces will be Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams, who impressed off the bench last weekend in Dublin. Jamison Gibson-Park is still not ready to go due to his glute injury, but he is worth the wait and still in line to be the Test starter.
Crucially, this is a Lions backline full of kicking quality. Their kicking game was weak against the Pumas last time out, the absence of a left-footed kicker in the back three not helping. They have two of those now in Lowe and Daly.
Russell has lovely variety in his kicking game, combining long tactical kicking with smart attacking dinks, while Tuipulotu and Hansen will both look to contribute creative touches.
Elliot Daly speaks after the Lions' defeat in Dublin. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Daly is an interesting figure to follow. He started three Tests on the left wing in 2017 and then one at outside centre in 2021 before moving to the bench for the other two Tests. He is vastly experienced and it was interesting to see Daly addressing the team forcefully on the pitch after last weekend's defeat.
The 32-year-old was somewhat under the radar for this tour, but his return for England coincided with their uptick in form in the Six Nations, which he ended with starts on the left wing and at fullback.
Daly's versatility is useful and after coming on at outside centre last weekend in Dublin, he gets his starting shot at fullback with Hugo Keenan still injured with his calf issue and Blair Kinghorn still in France with Toulouse.
Adding to the attacking potential of this Lions team for Saturday are Henry Pollock and Josh van der Flier in the back row.
Pollock missed a tackle for one of the Argentina tries after coming off the bench last weekend, but had some strong moments too. He is well suited to one of the wide forward roles in the Lions' 1-3-2-1-1 attack framework, so expect him to have some big moments near the touchlines.
Van der Flier can shine in those wide roles, although his well-rounded skillset and power mean he is impactful in tighter spaces too. The Leinster openside makes everything around him tick through his sheer accuracy. If the likes of Russell tear it up in Perth, it's like that a van der Flier clearout or carry will have paved the way. The Irishman looks ready to hit absolute peak form on this tour.
There is further Irish influence on the bench, from where Andrew Porter and Jack Conan will get their Lions campaigns up and running.
England's Ollie Chessum comes in to cover the second row and blindside flank, Scotland centre Huw Jones is another man set for his first outing, and Marcus Smith offers back-up at out-half and fullback.