First Test Preview: Australia v British & Irish Lions

2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR – FIRST TEST:

Saturday, July 19 –

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

Team News: Eight Ireland players have made the Lions starting XV to face the 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 Andy 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 head coach 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.

Meanwhile, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has handed Nick Champion de Crespigny his Test debut. The Western Force flanker starts in a back row with Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson.

Champion de Crespigny gets his opportunity with Rob Valetini and Langi Gleeson both ruled out through injury, while powerhouse lock Will Skelton, like Valetini, is sidelined with a calf strain.

Queensland Reds out-half Tom Lynagh, who has made three Test appearances off the bench, has won the race to start at half-back in the place of Noah Lolesio (neck).

Partnering Jake Gordon in a back-line that has rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i at outside centre, the 22-year-old Lynagh will become part of the first father-son duo to start against the Lions, after his dad Michael achieved the same feat in 1989.

In further changes to the team that secured a late 21-18 win over Fiji, Matt Faessler returns to the side as the Reds hooker starts in the front row, with Billy Pollard off the bench.

He teams up James Slipper and Allan Ala’alatoa, with Ulster signing Angus Bell, and Tom Robertson on the bench. Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams are the starting locks.

With his inclusion in Schmidt’s starting line-up, the 144-times capped Slipper will become only the second Australian to play in back-to-back Lions series. Robertson is set to play his first Test since 2022 if called upon.

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), Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds), Allan Ala’alatoa (ACT Brumbies), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Nick Champion de Crespigny (Western Force), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds) (capt).

Replacements: Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Tom Robertson (Western Force), Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies), Carlo Tizzano (Western Force), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Ben Donaldson (Western Force), Andrew Kellaway (NSW Waratahs).

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). 

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Ben Earl (Saracens/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland).

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

Pre-Match Quotes: Dan Sheehan (British & Irish Lions) –

I think we have to find another level. We’ve had some close games in the last few weeks, so we definitely need to step up. We’ve talked about it.

“What we’ve done so far has been great and I think we’ve done a good job doing it, but there has to be a visible difference this week.

“We should be able to feel the energy off people. Everything is just going to be up a level. It would be a good story and a good legacy to have a winning series.

“We haven’t delved too much into the wider picture. We did at the start when we were trying to frame the mindset, but this week has been all about Saturday. There’s going to be no holding anything back or waiting for the next two Tests.”

Joe Schmidt (Australia) –

The whole squad has worked hard as a group to prepare for what’s going to be a massive challenge against an in-form British & Irish Lions team.

“With the short runway leading up to such a big Test match, we know we must adapt fast and improve quickly, from the performance we had against Fiji recently.

“We’re very much aware of the occasion and conscious of earning the support from the public through the effort they see on the field.”

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