Andy Farrell has named his matchday 23
Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne will start in the back row of Andy Farrell’s Lions team v Australia for Saturday’s first Test in Brisbane.
Curry has fought off stiff competition from the likes of Wales’ Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and young superstar Henry Pollock for the No 7 shirt with his England team-mate Ben Earl providing back-row cover from the bench. Pollock and Van der Flier had to make do with a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with Duhan van der Merwe on Thursday instead.
Farrell has plumped for a Scottish 10-12-13 combination as Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are the centres outside fly-half Finn Russell who is partnered by Jamison Gibson-Park.
Ellis Genge got the nod over Andrew Porter to start at loosehead alongside Leinster and Ireland duo Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong in the front row.
Captain Maro Itoje is joined by Joe McCarthy in the second row with Ollie Chessum providing engine room and No 6 cover from the bench.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 02: Maro Itoje of the British & Irish Lions shouts instructions during the tour match between Queensland Reds and British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on July 02, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Hugo Keenan starts at full-back after battling both injury and illness on tour and he is joined in the back three by Tommy Freeman and James Lowe.
🦁 Tom Curry wins the race for 7 and starts the opening British & Irish Lions Test v Australia…
❌ No place in the 23 for Josh Van der Flier, Henry Pollock or Jac Morgan…
💥 Marcus Smith earns a spot on the bench… pic.twitter.com/JYKpH7tfx4
— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) July 17, 2025
There are eight Irish starters in Farrell’s XV with four English and three Scots and in the absence of Morgan, there is no Welshman in a Lions Test squad for the first time since 1896 and the second-ever tour 129 years ago.
The replacements are dominated by England players with Marcus Smith preferred to Owen Farrell while Bundee Aki will provide outside back cover after his chances of starting were dented by the concussion picked up by compatriot Garry Ringrose.
Lions team v Australia for first Test
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #881
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England) #858
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #878
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #863
11. James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #870
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) #835
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #879
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) #859
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #873
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (C) #825
5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #871
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #864
17. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #876
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) #877
19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) #875
20. Ben Earl (Saracens/England) #857
21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) #860
22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837
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