It’s almost time for the British & Irish Lions’ first test match against Australia, which means every rugby fan is currently debating about who should start and who may miss out.
Having watched each warm-up game closely over the past few weeks, I feel like I have a pretty decent idea of who Andy Farrell will go with for the first test. Of course, there’s never any guarantee, but here’s my best guess!
Predicted British & Irish Lions Starting XV
Here’s how I expect the British and Irish Lions to lineup against Australia in their first test on the 19th of July:
- Ellis Genge
- Dan Sheehan
- Tadhg Furlong
- Maro Itoje (C)
- Dan McCarthy
- Ollie Chessum
- Jac Morgan
- Jack Conan
- Jamison Gibson-Park
- Finn Russell
- James Lowe
- Bundee Aki
- Gary Ringrose
- Tommy Freeman
- Hugo Keenan
Nailed On Starters vs. 50/50s
There are a few nailed-on, such as:
- Maro Itoje: The tour captain hasn’t been a standout performer as of yet, but he is the epitome of a big game player and the tour captain, so he starts. 100%.
- Dan Sheehan: Quite possibly one of the first names on the team sheet, Dan Sheehan is a shoe-in for the number 2 jersey – there’s almost no competition for that starting position.
- Finn Russell: The Scottish fly-half is a nailed on starter, showing his true class over the past few weeks with his usual flair but also steady game management.
- Jamison Gibson-Park: While Tomos Williams would’ve been in contention, him being injured means that JGP is the number one choice at 9.
- Hugo Keenan: Low on form but there’s almost no other viable alternative.
Meanwhile, there are a few players who may not be quite as guaranteed a starting place, with competition fierce across positions such as the back-row and centres. Here are some debatable picks:
- Aki and Ringrose vs. Tuipulotu and Jones: Andy Farrell seems to have narrowed it down to one of two partnerships, rather than a combination of any of the four top centre options. While Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu have been in magnificent form, particularly the former, I think it’s more likely that Farrell goes with his tried and tested Irish partnership given his ties there. That said, any of the four could slot in easily.
- Back Row: Jac Morgan is my front runner and quite possibly the in-form player of the tour so far. However, the 7 jersey is going to be hotly contested given Farrell’s preference to go with a second row at 6. And Jack Conan is nailed on at 8. So that leaves one 7 jersey and a choice of three world class open-sides in Jac Morgan, Tom Curry and Josh van der Flier. JVDF and Curry have both had decent performances, but it’s fair to say that Jac Morgan has been the standout seven on tour so far, so I’d go with him – but wouldn’t be surprised if Farrell went with one of either Curry or Van Der Flier. And there’s also Pollock – but we are more likely to see him off the bench given his dynamism.
- 6 – Chessum or Beirne? While any of the back-row options could cover the blind-side, Farrell seems to prefer a second row there as a line-out option and a bit more grunt. Beirne or Chessum? If it’s based on form rather than reputation, Farrell goes with Chessum.
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Final Verdict
So there we have it – my take on how Andy Farrell set up the starting British & Irish Lions team for the first test. There are still many contentious picks and there’s bound to be some unhappy fans – be it disgruntled Scots who wanted to see Huwipulotu line up in midfield or the Welsh who are desperate to see Jac Morgan given the chance he deserves.
Either way, the world-class options are clear to see and the Aussies will be up against it come test-day.
The first Lions vs. Australia test will take place on Saturday, the 19th of July at 11am BST. It’ll be broadcast live on Sky Sports. DON’T MISS IT!
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