Aki And Porter To Start In Second Lions Test

With Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter coming into the side, there are a record nine Ireland starters, eclipsing the eight that started last week in Brisbane, and against South Africa in the third Test of the 1938 tour.

Garry Ringrose was due to feature alongside Aki in the centre but reported symptoms of concussion following training today. Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen both miss out on selection, having been sidelined with foot injuries this week.

It will be Aki’s first involvement in the 2025 Test series – he started the final Test against the Springboks four years ago – while Porter replaces Ellis Genge at loosehead prop to make his maiden Test start for the Lions.

Dan Sheehan, a try scorer in the 27-19 win over the Wallabies, and Tadhg Furlong complete an all-Irish front row, with McCarthy’s absence is covered by Leicester Tigers and England’s Ollie Chessum, who joins tour captain Maro Itoje in the engine room.

Tadhg Beirne, the player-of-the-match in the series opener, Tom Curry, and Jack Conan continue together in the back row, as doe Jamison Gibson-Park and Scotland star Finn Russell in the half-back positions.

Aki combines with Glasgow Warriors and Scotland’s Huw Jones in midfield, with Sione Tuipulotu nursing a tight hamstring. The back-three of Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, and James Lowe is unchanged.

The presence of Rónan Kelleher and James Ryan on the replacements bench brings the number of Ireland players in the matchday 23 to eleven.

With Chessum starting in the second row, Ryan has the back-up role, and is set for his Lions Test debut after playing 53 minutes against the First Nations & Pasifika XV.

Three more of the starters from Tuesday’s 24-19 victory in that final midweek fixture have been added to the bench – Wales captain Jac Morgan, Owen Farrell, who captained the Lions from inside centre, and Toulouse and Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn.

Speaking ahead of the much-anticipated rematch with Australia, Lions head coach Andy Farrell said:

We have put ourselves in a good position after the first Test, but we know there will be a massive reaction from this Wallaby team.

“Everyone saw the quality they have in Brisbane, and we know we will have to be a lot better than we were last week.

“The opportunity to play in front of 100,000 supporters at the MCG, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, is what makes Lions tours unique and special. We know our Lions fans will get behind the team and create a fantastic atmosphere.”

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Australia, 2025 Qatar Airways Lions Men’s Series, MCG, Melbourne, Saturday, July 26, kick-off 8pm local time/11am Irish time):

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #881
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England) #858
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #878
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837
11. James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #870
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) #835
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #879
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #876
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #873
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt) #825
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) #875
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #839

Replacements:

16. Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #864
17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) #859
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) #877
19. James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #880
20. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) #861
21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) #860
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England) #780
23. Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland) #882