8 hours ago
2
So here are the teams for tonight, and they’re as listed.
Take a look at that Lions side. If it looks suspiciously full strength, you’d be on the money. All the British media have labelled the side for this Brumbies clash as “testy” … namely this is the core of the first Test team to meet the Wallabies on July 19 in Brisbane.
Interestingly, this last midweek game in previous tours would have seen the Lions “B” team rolled out (if there such a thing on a Lions tour) and the Test team would be used on the Saturday. It’s usually known as “the Saturday team”.
But Farrell has flipped the script a bit on this trip. He has played the stronger unit midweek, against the stronger opponents Queensland and the Brumbies, and the lesser side against NSW and (presumably) the AUNZ team.
It will give the Lions top guys a 10-day break before the first Test.
The Brumbies are missing a big chunk of their regular starting team: names like Ikitau, Lolesio, Alaalatoa, Frost, Pollard, Slipper.
So they’ll be up against it.
ACT BRUMBIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAMS
BRUMBIES (15-1): Andy Muirhead; Ben O’Donnell, Ollie Sapsford, David Feliuai, Corey Toole; Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan (capt); Tuaina Taii Tualima, Rory Scott, Tom Hooper; Cadeyrn Neville, Lachie Shaw; Rhys van Nek, Lachlan Lonergan, Lington Ieli
Replacements: Liam Bowron, Cameron Orr, Feao Fotuaika, Lachie Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton
LIONS (15-1): Blair Kinghorn; Tommy Freeman, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Ollie Chessum; Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje (capt); Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Josh van der Flier, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Mack Hansen
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
