Key Takeaways As Andy Farrell Names Lions Squad For First Test Showdown
Key Takeaways As Andy Farrell Names Lions Squad For First Test Showdown
Andy Farrell selects experienced Lions squad for first test vs. Australia, with Tom Curry starting and Owen Farrell left out.
Andy Farrell has named his British and Irish Lions squad to take on Joe Schmidt’s Australia in their first test this Saturday in Brisbane.
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Still unbeaten down under, the Lions have grown steadily in performance throughout the tour and enter the first test confident against an inexperienced Wallabies side.
Farrell’s selection leans heavily on tried-and-tested internationals, opting for experience over a handful of in-form, less-capped players.
Here are the key takeaways from Farrell’s matchday 23:
Backrow Balancing Act
From the outset of the tour, questions surrounded Farrell’s decision to omit a traditional blindside flanker. Instead, he opted for hybrid options in Tadhg Beirne and Ollie Chessum, pairing them with a quintet of opensides: Henry Pollock, Josh van der Flier, Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Jac Morgan.
The back-row combinations trialed often felt like square pegs in round holes.
While Curry, Morgan and Pollock each had runs in the No. 6 jersey, none brought true balance to the unit. However, when Chessum or Beirne started at blindside—even though both are more comfortable at lock—the back row functioned more cohesively.
Their line-out prowess, physicality in tight exchanges, and work at the breakdown, freed up their teammates to operate as wide forwards in the Lions’ 1-3-3-1 setup.
This rationale echoed throughout the tour, and at FloRugby, we consistently flagged Beirne or Chessum as ideal options at No. 6. That decision forced five opensides to battle for the No. 7 jersey, with Jack Conan the only specialist No. 8, and Ben Earl offering back-row versatility.
In the end, Farrell went with the experienced Tom Curry, despite murmurs that Jac Morgan or Van der Flier were in better form.
Curry’s Lions pedigree, World Cup final experience and longstanding dominance at test level always likely were to tip the scales.
Ben Earl’s selection on the bench reflects his versatility and dynamic carrying, while the other three flankers will feel hard done by after strong tour performances.
Irish Injury Opens Scottish Door
Garry Ringrose’s injury arguably simplified Farrell’s midfield dilemma, as it prevented him from having to choose between the in-form Irishman and Scotland’s Huw Jones.
Both Jones and Ringrose have been standout performers on tour, pushing each other to new heights.
With Ringrose unavailable, Jones was the obvious choice at 13—and his selection paved the way for Scottish teammate Sione Tuipulotu to get the nod at 12.
Tuipulotu’s inclusion is richly deserved based on tour form. But had Ringrose been fit, Bundee Aki likely would have slotted in at 12 to maintain the familiar Irish pairing.
Farrell has long championed the value of cohesion, and it’s clear he still leans heavily on well-worn test combinations. Aki’s bench role signals that he remains very much in the mix should changes be needed for the second test.
Tuipulotu and Jones now have the inside track. If they perform, it will be hard to justify shifting them. But should either falter, both Aki, and potentially Ringrose—if fit—will be ready to step back in.
No Owen Farrell… Yet
One of the most talked about decisions heading into the test was whether Farrell would include his son, Owen, in the squad.
Like Curry, Owen Farrell brings big-game experience and leadership in spades. He reminded everyone of his quality in a standout cameo against the AUNZ XV, but Andy Farrell has resisted the temptation, opting instead for Marcus Smith on the bench.
Smith’s versatility—able to cover both fly-half and fullback—adds tactical flexibility, and his selection likely influenced Aki’s inclusion as the inside center cover.
Smith allows the Lions to shift pieces fluidly across the back line, with Tuipulotu, Jones, Freeman and Keenan all offering positional interchangeability.
Still, should things go sideways in Brisbane, few would bet against Owen Farrell’s recall for Test 2. His temperament and tactical control remain assets Andy Farrell may not leave unused for long.
A Power Game Tilted Red
Perhaps the most striking element of the Lions squad is the sheer physicality and depth of power athletes across the board.
The starting front row of Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong is built to dominate, combining ball-carrying ferocity with technical scrummaging and playmaking ability.
Behind them, captain Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy form a lock pairing with a mandate to disrupt breakdowns and punch through tight channels.
Completing the pack, the back row of Curry, Beirne and Conan is stacked with jackals.
Beirne and Curry rank among the best in the game at slowing down opposition ball, while Conan’s relentless work rate and soft hands add nuance to his power game.
The bench doesn’t let up either. Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Chessum and Earl bring fresh energy and explosive carrying for the final quarter.
In the back line, the Scottish midfield of Tuipulotu and Jones already has a psychological edge—they’ve bested this Wallabies side before. Tuipulotu, in particular, will relish the rematch with Joseph Sua'ali’i, a tantalizing prospect in gold.
Out wide, the Lions bring brute strength in James Lowe and Tommy Freeman—both over 100kg and masters of the physical contest.
Directing traffic are three elite playmakers: Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell and the ever-reliable Hugo Keenan.
On the bench, Farrell has stacked the deck with impact: Alex Mitchell’s spark, Smith’s creativity and Aki’s punch offer multiple ways to twist the knife late on.
From 1 to 23, this Lions squad arguably outguns the Wallabies man-for-man.
Harsh as it may seem, only Angus Bell and Sua'ali’i would have a realistic shot at breaking into this Lions XV.
But as every Lions tour reminds us, on paper doesn’t mean on the scoreboard. And with Joe Schmidt pulling the strings, the Wallabies have a proven disruptor ready to flip the narrative.
The Unlucky Ones
Form is fleeting, class is permanent and in a Lions squad, every player has class. But when it comes to form selections, Andy Farrell has always marched to the beat of his own drum.
With Ireland, Farrell has consistently backed players who have delivered for him on the biggest stages or whom he believes have a higher ceiling, even when public opinion and pundit consensus have leaned elsewhere. He’s never been afraid to shut out the noise and stick with trusted lieutenants.
In Irish squads, we’ve seen this loyalty in selections such as Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Cian Healy, Aki, Mack Hansen and more recently, the fast-tracked Sam Prendergast. That same philosophy clearly has carried into his Lions stewardship.
Realistically, this matchday 23 looks a lot like the one Farrell would have sketched before a ball was even kicked on tour.
Apart from the enforced change with Ringrose’s injury and Aki’s move to the bench, perhaps only Hansen—who remains in the wings, quite literally—was in with a shout of disrupting the core selection.
Of those who miss out, the players with the strongest cases based on form are Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan, Fin Smith, Scott Cummings and Finlay Bealham. All five have impressed, but most always were chasing from behind in Farrell’s pecking order.
Van der Flier, an ever-reliable figure in Farrell’s Ireland setup, might feel the sting most. But for the rest, history shows that cracking Farrell’s inner circle, especially for a high-stakes opener, always was going to be a long shot.
Whether this selection policy pays off or not will become clear by the final whistle in Brisbane. But if the Lions win, few will question his conviction. If they lose, expect the debates to flare back up just as quickly.
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