The Lions play the first of three Tests on Saturday in Brisbane
Ahead of the Lions first Test against Australia, RugbyJOE’s Pat Smith has selected his Test XV, alongside who we believe Andy Farrell will pick.
The Lions go into the first Test having won five of their six outings, losing to Argentina in Dublin in their first match last month.
Farrell has been criticised for his preference towards Ireland international players, and SportsJOE predicts he will pick no less than nine for Saturday.
But first, here’s who RugbyJOE would pick…
Forwards
1: Ellis Genge – I think Ellis Genge is the best loosehead on the planet right now. He simply has to start, his carrying speaks for itself, his scrummaging is ace, but the Lions will have their work cut out with Taniela Tupou likely to start opposite the Lions loosehead.
2: Dan Sheehan – Dan Sheehan will start. That is all. There is no more that needs to be said on this matter. The Leinster man is an absolute joke, he’s literally a hooker, back rower, centre and a winger all in one, is there anything he can’t do?
3: Tadhg Furlong – Now tighthead is where selection starts to get tricky. I’ve gone for Tadhg Furlong, he’s been there, done it, got the t-shirt, and he’s been bloody brilliant this tour. Hit form at the perfect time, and is a super reliable scrummager.
4 Maro Itoje – Ooohhhh Maro Itoje. The tour captain is probably the first name on the team sheet, leads by example, and is crucial to everything that Lions pack does, set-piece has been superb all tour, has barely missed a tackle, and sets standards and intensity for his teammates.
5: Joe McCarthy – Joe McCarthy has had a superb season with Leinster, and has brought that form into this Lions tour. Scott Cummings can consider himself very unlucky, as he has toured superbly himself, particularly against the Waratahs, but McCarthy’s class just gives him the edge for me, he’s also formed a strong partnership with Itoje.
6: Ollie Chessum – At blindside, this was probably the toughest call of the entire team. Personally, I like having three jumpers in a test match team, and that often involves a hybrid second/back rower. Now based on this, there are two sublime candidates, Tadhg Beirne and Ollie Chessum – we’ve gone for the latter in this team, based on form and athleticism. Beirne has been amazing this tour, on the back of carrying Munster at times this season, but just misses out on our selection for the first test to a similarly brilliant Ollie Chessum. The Leicester man has excelled at the line out, and has also made some impressive meters and carries in his Lions matches so far, offering a tad (pardon the pun) more as a 6 than Tadhg.
7: Jac Morgan – The number 7 shirt has been a summer-long debate in the world of rugby, but in my eyes, no one deserves this Lions jersey more than Jac Morgan. Wales had lost 18 matches in a row, and the whole time Morgan was the only shining light, and he’s shown what he can do for the Lions this summer. Tom Curry will be disappointed with his form, and Josh van Der Flier came very close, but Morgan is an absolute freak of nature at the breakdown, in the tackle, and his carrying has been vital for the Lions.
8: Ben Earl
God, I’m so glad to be rounding off my back row choices, because this has been hard. At number 8, is Ben Earl. Sorry Ireland and Jack Conan, but Ben Earl is arguably undroppable. He’s led the tackle count in nearly every game he’s played, and made huge metres carrying, but again, what I choose and what Andy Farrell chooses will likely differ with his (fairly so) Irish-leaning decisions so far this tour.
Backs
9: Jamison Gibson-Park – Jamison Gibson-Park was always going to be the test 9 (maybe an injury-free Tomos Williams could’ve posed a question) – and that is my choice for the first test. Antoine Dupont aside, he’s the best scrum-half in the world, and levels above the Lions’ other options. Don’t really need to say much more, Gibson-Park has been expectedly fantastic this tour, and has formed a formidable half-back partnership with…
10: Finn Russell – Finn Russell! Yep, similar to the number 9 jersey, this one could’ve been picked months, if not years ago. Russell is vital to everything the Lions backline produces, he’s just getting better and better as the years go by, the metronome, conductor etc. of the Lions’ creativity.
11: James Lowe – Both James Lowe and Duhan van der Merwe have been underwhelming this summer. We’ve picked Lowe, purely because his kicking game is levels above van der Merwe’s, and he’s far more solid under the high ball and in defence. Yes, Duhan has just scored a hat trick, but let’s be honest, they were absolute walk-ins.
12: Sione Tuipulotu – Sione Tuipulotu has been mega for the Lions, so he’s in. That injury during the Six Nations looked to be a huge spanner in the works, but the Scot’s form from the Autumn has carried on since his comeback in May, and he’s nailed on to start in our eyes in the number 12 jersey.
13: Huw Jones – Garry Ringrose’s untimely injury has saved both myself and Andy Farrell from a huge selection headache in the number 13 jersey, with Huw Jones set to secure the position. The Huwipulotu partnership in the middle is unmatched, with Jones’ moments of magic sure to continue for the next month.
14: Tommy Freeman – Mack Hansen hasn’t showed his best form this tour, which has led me to the easy decision of picking Tommy Freeman in the number 14 shirt. Freeman himself hasn’t showed what he’s capable of this summer, because he was sublime during the Six Nations.
15: Hugo Keenan – Hugo Keenan has had a fine tour, a solid 7/10, but he’s going to play fullback because everyone else is injured, and Marcus Smith isn’t a fullback. I think if and when Blair Kinghorn returns to full fitness, he’ll slot in at 15. (I’m still upset about Blair Murray being snubbed)
Subs
16: Ronan Kelleher
A nice easy choice here, Ronan Kelleher is in line to wear the number 16 jersey. That said, Jamie George is a more than suitable option after his call up, should he be required.
17: Pierre Schoeman
The substitute Loosehead is a really tough call, but in my opinion Pierre Schoeman currently has the edge over Andrew Porter, based on form during this series. As ever though, with Andy Farrell at the helm, it wouldn’t surprise us to see the Irishman named in the number 17 shirt.
18: Will Stuart
Will Stuart has had a sublime season for club and country, but has been a tad underwhelming on this tour, nonetheless he’s still comfortably my pick for the number 18 shirt. Little shoutout to Finlay Bealham who has had a great tour, but Stuart is the right option here.
19: Josh van der Flier
Right, I’m not picking a substitute second row on the bench, I’m starting Chessum in the back row, so any problems, they can just deal with it. I want two back rowers on the bench. My number 19 is Josh van Der Flier, because he’s a machine, and is ever so slightly behind Jac Morgan in my personal pecking order. Brings you a lot off the bench, and can seamlessly slot into the back row around the 60 minute mark.
20: Henry Pollock
Yes, you know who it is – the maverick wondered himself – Henry Pollock. The kid is absolutely magic, and I particularly think you get the best out of him when he comes off the bench, proper spanner in the works stuff for the opposition. If the Aussies go with Valetini or Wilson, power could become a slight concern, but I think with Pollock coming off the bench, his athleticism and moments of magic could be huge as the game breaks down.
21: Alex Mitchell
Alex Mitchell is the second best scrum-half in this squad, and I think he’ll be breathing a quiet sigh of relief after Tomos Williams’ injury, meaning he is nailed on the be the substitute 9. That said, Ben White was superb against the Australia/NZ XV – but I don’t think he’s quite ready to push Mitchell’s place on the bench.
22: Owen Farrell
I love Bundee Aki, you love Bundee Aki, we love Bundee Aki, Andy Farrell loves Bundee Aki. But not today, because I am picking Owen Farrell for the first test. He can not only cover centre, which with Sua’ali’i and Len Ikitau running down ‘Huwipulotu’s’ gullet, may well be required, but also can cover fly-half meaning you don’t need to pick Marcus Smith on the bench. He’s taken a lot of stick, but Farrell was great when he came on at the weekend, and I just back him to come on and do a job in a test match.
23: Mack Hansen
Marcus Smith has had a great Lions tour, and he’s a world class player, never forget that. But that said, I think he’s wasted at fullback, and I wouldn’t want to bring him on as a fly-half in a test match right now. With Owen Farrell covering the centre and fly-half on the bench, this allows me to pick Mack Hansen in the number 23 jersey. Mack hasn’t hit the heights we know he’s capable of so far this tour, but he can not only come on at wing should he be needed, he can also slot in at fullback, should the worst happen to Hugo Keenan.
Who we think Andy Farrell will pick
Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Bundee Aki, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, James McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Jac Morgan, Jack Conan; Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Mack Hansen.
Knowing Andy Farrell, it’s likely he will back his boys, and go for a tried and tested Irish-heavy selection. This leads me to believe that Beirne and Conan may get the nod over Chessum and Earl, and with it being the first test, Tuipulotu and Aki is a very safe choice in the centre. Andrew Porter could also edge Pierre Schoeman out of the side on the bench.
