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Marcus Smith has been named on the bench for the British & Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia with Tom Curry and Sione Tuipulotu selected to start in Brisbane on Saturday.
Smith has defied the odds to claim a place in the match-day 23, benefiting from injuries to Blair Kinghorn and Mack Hansen and preferred to Owen Farrell among the replacements.
His selection comes after a rollercoaster season in which he was England’s most creative spark from fly-half during the autumn campaign before losing his place to Fin Smith, moving to fullback before finding himself on the bench. He has never looked entirely comfortable at fullback but his versatility earned him a place in the initial Lions squad and so far he has appeared in five of the six matches.
Barring a late change of heart, he is set to be preferred to Farrell. It may be significant that Smith assumed goal-kicking duties when both he and Farrell came on last Saturday.
Russell will begin as the nominated kicker but without Kinghorn, the Lions need a back-up and Farrell has endured problems all season as a result of his groin injury.
Curry, meanwhile, has been given the nod at openside flanker, joining Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan in a back-row that featured in the Test series against South Africa four years ago. All three have not found their best form to date in Australia but the head coach Andy Farrell is backing their experience against the Wallabies. Farrell’s decision to leave out Jac Morgan means the Lions run out without any Welsh representation in a Test side for the first time since the 19th century.
Tuipulotu forms an all-Scotland midfield partnership with Huw Jones handed the No 13 jersey. Farrell has selected eight Ireland internationals in his XV with Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, Joe McCarthy at lock, Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum-half, James Lowe on the left wing and Hugo Keenan at fullback. Elsewhere, Ellis Genge starts at loosehead prop, Finn Russell is at fly-half and Tommy Freeman is selected on the right wing while Maro Itoje captains the side and wins his 100th Test cap.
Joining Smith on the bench is Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell and Bundee Aki. While there are eight Ireland starters and none from Wales, England provide four and Scotland three. On the bench there are three from Ireland and five Englishmen.
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“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 Wallabies will be and we know they are 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.”
