Eight Ireland Players To Start For Lions In First Test

Eight Ireland players have made the starting XV to face Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies, including Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan, and Joe McCarthy who are all set for their Lions Test debuts.

Tadhg Furlong packs down at tighthead prop, continuing his very impressive run in the Lions Test team having worn the number 3 jersey throughout the 2017 and 2021 series in New Zealand and South Africa respectively.

Jack Conan, who also started all three Tests against the Springboks, is selected again at number 8, while there is a maiden Lions Test start at blindside flanker for Munster captain Tadhg Beirne, who made two appearances off the bench four years ago.

The eight-strong Irish representation is a record in the professional era, with seven in the 2009 second Test against South Africa being the previous best. The third Test of the 1938 tour to South Africa also saw eight Ireland players make the side.

Lions Test debutants Rónan Kelleher and Andrew Porter, and Bundee Aki, who started the final Test in 2021, bring the Irish contingent involved to a total of eleven. They are part of a strong replacements bench at Farrell’s disposal.

“We are entering the business end of the tour and it is time to put in our best performance to date,” said Farrell. “We know how motivated the Wallaby team will be, and we know they’re a well organised and dangerous side.

“It is a great occasion and a proud moment for Maro Itoje, who will captain the Test side, but also for those players who get the opportunity to represent the group on Saturday night.

“We have seen a flood of Lions supporters on the streets of Brisbane this week, and we’re looking forward to seeing a ‘Sea of Red’ in the stands of Suncorp Stadium cheering on the team.”

The 24-year-old McCarthy joins Saracens and England’s Itoje in a powerhouse lock pairing, behind a front row consisting of Leinster and Ireland duo Sheehan and Furlong, and English loosehead Ellis Genge.

Beirne and Conan have beaten off stiff competition for starting roles in the back row, while the openside flanker berth is filled by Sale Sharks and England’s Tom Curry, as it was throughout the 2021 series.

The Glasgow Warriors and Scotland centre partnership of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones stands out in an exciting Lions back-line, which is led for the first time in a Test by Gibson-Park and Finn Russell.

From the Paris Olympics to the Lions Test team, Keenan will be keen to make a strong start to the series at full-back. His provincial and international team-mate, Lowe, and Northampton Saints and England’s Tommy Freeman complete the back-three.

When the Lions opened up the 2013 Test series against Australia in Brisbane, they narrowly won 23-21 with wingers George North and Alex Cuthbert both touching down. Kurtley Beale missed a last-minute penalty attempt for the hosts.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Australia, 2025 Qatar Airways Lions Men’s Series, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday, July 19, 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. 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) (capt) #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. Rónan 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