England flanker Tom Curry and Scottish centre Sione Tuipulotu won the race Thursday to
start for the British and Irish Lions against Australia, but veteran Owen Farrell and emerging star Henry Pollock missed out.
The experienced Curry edged Jac Morgan for the openside flanker role in the first Test on Saturday in Brisbane, joining Irish pair Jack Conan and Tadhg Beirne in the back row.
Despite some impressive performances on tour, Morgan failed to make the bench meaning there is no Welsh player in a Lions matchday 23 for a Test for the first time since 1896, according to the BBC.
“Obviously we feel that that’s the right balance for the first Test,” said head coach Andy Farrell, adding that Curry was “the engine that we all know that you need in regards to Test match football”.
Dan Sheehan got the nod as hooker over Ronan Kelleher and will pack down alongside Ellis Genge and Tadhg Furlong in the front row.
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England captain Maro Itoje leads the side and is partnered in the second row by Ireland’s Joe McCarthy.
But rising star Pollock misses out after a standout season in the back row for Northampton and some dynamic performances in Australia.
Former England captain Farrell was also overlooked after being called up when utility back Elliot Daly broke his arm.
The veteran was never going to make the starting side, but could have been included on the bench as backs cover, but that role went to Marcus Smith.
‘Building for this’
“It’s been a very vigorous, thorough debate in how we got to this point,” said Farrell.
“And that’s exactly what you would hope for as far as selection for a first Test in a Lions series.”
Farrell said that his son Owen was likely to play in the final Lions tour match in Melbourne on Tuesday ahead of the second and third Tests.
Garry Ringrose was ruled out with concussion, leaving Farrell to opt for the tried and tested all-Scottish pairing of Huw Jones and Tuipulotu in the centres
Farrell noted they “know each other, but also know the way that we as a team want to play”.
Their selection leaves Ringrose’s Irish teammate Bundee Aki on the bench, while Blair Kinghorn’s failure to recover from a knee injury means Ireland’s Hugo Keenan starts at fullback.
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Scotland’s Finn Russell and Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park form the half-back combination, with England’s Tommy Freeman and Ireland’s James Lowe on the wings.
“They’ve been building for this over the last three or four weeks. So they’ll be ready to go. There’s no doubt about that,” Farrell added of the threat posed by Australia.
“Just knowing what it means to them, more than anything. We know the quality as far as their attacking threats, the athletic ability, the way that they want to play the game, from turnover, ball, counter attack.”
“When it comes around every 12 years and you’re privileged to be able to represent Australia, they’ll be obviously making sure that they use (the chance) appropriately and rightly so.”
Despite this, the Lions are overwhelming favourites. After an upset loss to Argentina in Dublin, they have won all five games since arriving in Australia.
In contrast, the Wallabies have only had one warm-up Test, a lacklustre 21-18 win against Fiji.
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British and Irish Lions (15-1):
Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne; Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje (capt); Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki.
Australia (15-1):
Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Nick Champion de Grespigny; Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost; Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Daessler, James Slipper
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
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