BREAKING NEWS Marcus Smith set to start at full-back for British & Irish Lions against Argentina - with NINE English players in Andy Farrell's starting XV
Marcus Smith will start at full-back for the British & Irish Lions when they face Argentina in their pre-tour fixture in Dublin on Friday night.
Ahead of the hotly-anticipated tour of Australia, the Lions will take on the Pumas at the Aviva Stadium. Head coach Andy Farrell's first team of the summer is full of intrigue.
After moving from No 10 to No 15 with England during the Six Nations, Marcus Smith stays in the back-field for the Lions with Fin Smith at fly-half.
There are nine Englishmen in Farrell's starting XV. Fin Smith's Northampton team-mates Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell will also begin the Argentina game on the wing and at scrum-half respectively. In the pack, there are starts for Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Lions captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry and Ben Earl.
Henry Pollock, English rugby's breakthrough sensation, has continued his remarkable ascent after being named on the Lions bench.
Pollock has played just 32 minutes of Test rugby and hasn't started for England. But his performances for Northampton catapulted him into the Lions reckoning.
The 20-year-old back-row is a replacement against Argentina and is one of 14 players poised to make a Lions debut.
Farrell's team for Argentina is also notable for the inclusion of powerhouse Irish prop Tadhg Furlong who is on the bench. Furlong has started the last six Lions Tests across two tours.
But he has been struggling badly with a calf problem and has had an injury-interrupted campaign until now. His fitness is a big boost for the Lions.
Farrell said: 'Congratulations to Maro ahead of leading out the Lions for the first time. It is a truly special moment and one that very few players ever get to experience.
'Maro has led the group well during our time in Portugal and then Dublin this week. This is also our first opportunity to show what the 2025 Lions are about and what we want to stand for as a team.
'We know Argentina will challenge us up front and out wide, so Friday night will be a tough contest, but also great occasion for all the fans.'
All but two of Farrell's matchday 23 for Argentina were part of the team's Portugal training camp last week. Leinster front row forwards Ronan Kelleher and Furlong are the only players whose club teams were involved in domestic finals last weekend to be playing on Friday.
Marcus Smith and Freeman are joined in the back three by Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe. Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu form a giant powerhouse centre pairing.
Fin Smith and Mitchell provide a Northampton half-back pairing.
Genge, Cowan-Dickie and Ireland's Finlay Bealham make up the front row. Bealham was a late call-up to the squad as an injury replacement for Zander Fagerson but comes straight in to start. Tadhg Beirne, another Irishman, is alongside Itoje at lock.
Wales flanker Jac Morgan completes the back-row alongside Curry and Earl.
Pierre Schoeman, Scott Cummings, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly and Mack Hansen complete the bench. The Argentina game is the first chance for the Lions players to impress.
Farrell's men are strong favourites to beat Australia Down Under and should also have enough to beat Argentina.
But the Pumas have named a strong team themselves – one packed full of international experience and containing a number of players employed by Gallagher Premiership clubs.
British & Irish Lions team to face Argentina: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (capt), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl
Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen
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