Second Test Preview: Australia v British & Irish Lions

2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR – SECOND TEST:

Saturday, July 26 –

AUSTRALIA v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 8pm local time/11am Irish time (live Sky Sports Action & Main Event/talkSPORT)

Team News: With Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter coming into the Lions team, 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 to head coach Andy Farrell following training on Thursday. Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen both miss out on selection, having been sidelined with foot injuries.

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 last Saturday’s 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, 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.”

Meanwhile, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has been handed a huge boost with Will Skelton and Rob Valetini both returning as part of three changes to his starting XV.

Back from a calf injury, Skelton adds significant power to the second row, with the La Rochelle star set to partner Nick Frost, meaning that Western Force’s Jeremy Williams drops to the bench.

Valetini, the back-to-back John Eales medallist who has also recovered from a calf strain, comes in at blindside flanker to complete a strong back row unit with Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson.

NSW Waratahs hooker Dave Porecki, who played in England for a number of years with Saracens and London Irish, is the only other change to the side.

Making just his second international start, Tom Lynagh continues at half-back alongside Jake Gordon. Try-scoring winger Max Jorgensen. who is only 20, is also part of an unchanged back-line for the showdown at the MCG.

The Wallabies’ bench has seen a subtle shift, with Schmidt opting for an extra forward in a six-two split. There are two back rowers included in Langi Gleeson and Carlo Tizzano, who snapped up an almost immediate try last Saturday after being introduced during the final qyarter.

“The squad has recovered well after a very physical first Test, and the week’s preparation here in Melbourne has allowed us a bit more time together,” said Schmidt.

“We took some confidence from the second half last week, but we know we’ll need to improve further against a Lions team that will bring plenty of fire to the contest on Saturday night.”

AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies); Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs), Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i (NSW Waratahs), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Harry Potter (Western Force); Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds), Jake Gordon (NSW Waratahs); James Slipper (ACT Brumbies), Dave Porecki (NSW Waratahs), Allan Ala’alatoa (ACT Brumbies), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Will Skelton (La Rochelle), Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds) (capt).

Replacements: Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Tom Robertson (Western Force), Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Langi Gleeson (NSW Waratahs), Carlo Tizzano (Western Force), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Ben Donaldson (Western Force).

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Owen Farrell (Saracens/England), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland).

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Pre-Match Quotes: Andrew Porter (British & Irish Lions) – “I’m delighted to be able to do it alongside them (Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong). I just need to be on top of my game because they’ve had great tours so far, so I just need to be able to make them look good.

“It’s a dream come true, firstly just being a part of this squad and then hearing your name in the Test squad last week was incredible. Hearing my name in the starting line-up for this week is another dream ticked off again.

“I’m just incredibly excited for the opportunity to go out there and play for this team and play with these lads who we’ve created such great connection with over the last few weeks. Looking forward to ripping into it.”

Joe Schmidt (Australia) – “I would never be outcome focused, but this (winning the second Test) would be special and it would be special for this group. I think it would accelerate a little bit of their growth as well in terms of gaining confidence.

“We’ve got a group of players who haven’t won too much in recent times, whether it’s in Super Rugby or whether it’s internationally, and so I think building confidence is an incremental thing.

“You’ve got to get small wins here and there. Winning the second half (last week), it just helps a little bit, but we know that we’ve got to put more and more, stack more and more of those winning moments together to try to get a result because this weekend is pivotal.”

Pre-Match Insights:

– Fraser McReight won three turnovers during the opening Test of the series, the joint-most of any player (also Tadhg Beirne). It is the second time he has won as many as three in a game for the Wallabies, after winning four against Ireland last November. No tier 1 player has won as many jackal turnovers as McReight since the beginning of 2024 (14)

– Tadhg Beirne completed 23 tackles against Australia last Saturday, the most by any Lions player in a Test game since the start of the 2005 tour. It was also Beirne’s highest tally in a Test match, surpassing his previous best of 17 for Ireland against New Zealand at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

– Australia conceded just seven penalties in the first Test against the Lions last week, their fewest in a match since conceding seven against Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. In fact, the Wallabies have conceded fewer than 10 penalties in each of their last three Tests, as often as in their previous 15 combined

– The Lions gained 420 metres from their 107 carries against Australia in the first game of the series, their most in a Test fixture since their final match against South Africa in 2009 (665). Their 34 kicks in play last week was also their most since that game (35)

– Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell will face off as head coaches in a Test match for the third time, with Schmidt losing both previous encounters against his former assistant (1 v Lions, 1 v Ireland). The current Wallabies boss has never faced another head coach on 3+ occasions without winning at least once. Only Warren Gatland, Eddie Jones, and Steve Hansen have beaten Schmidt on three occasions (3 each)

– The Lions scored three tries against Australia in the 2025 series opener, their most in a Test since their final match against Australia in 2013 (4). The Lions last scored 3+ tries in back-to-back Tests in 1974, against South Africa

– The Lions have lost each of their last three Tests after taking a 1-0 lead in the series, scoring just one try in total across those three games (2001 v Australia, 2013 v Australia, 2021 v South Africa). The last time they won their opening two matches in a Test series was in 1997, against the Springboks

– The Lions have won each of their first seven games in Australia this summer, their longest winning run on a single tour since winning seven on the bounce in South Africa in 1997. The last time they won more during a tour was a run of 10 straight victories in New Zealand in 1977

– The Lions will be playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the third time, previously winning against Victoria at the famous venue in both 1899 and 1930. Australia have played four Tests there, all against New Zealand, winning twice (1998, 2007), and losing twice (1997, 2023)

– The Lions have lost both of their matches against the Wallabies in Melbourne, those defeats coming in the second Tests of their last two tours to Australia (2013 and 2001). The tourists led at half-time on both occasions

Most Recent Meetings:

2013: British & Irish Lions Tour To Australia – First Test: Australia 21 British & Irish Lions 23, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; Second Test: Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15, Docklands Stadium, Melbourne; Third Test: Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 41, Stadium Australia, Sydney

2025: British & Irish Lions Tour To Australia – First Test: Australia 19 British & Irish Lions 27, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane