Marcus Smith completed a remarkable turnaround to earn a spot on the British & Irish Lions bench for Saturday’s first Test against Australia in Brisbane, as high-profile names Owen Farrell and Henry Pollock were left out of the matchday squad altogether.
Smith’s inclusion is all the more striking given the fly-half was seen as an outsider at the start of the tour. His Test hopes appeared even slimmer after Farrell – a late call-up due to Elliot Daly’s injury – joined the touring party. But with Farrell omitted from the 23-man squad and Smith now covering both fly-half and full-back, it marks a personal triumph for the Harlequins star.
“Marcus has stayed patient, applied himself brilliantly and now gets a deserved opportunity,” said Lions head coach Andy Farrell. “He brings that spark and vision we’ll need in tight moments.”
Ireland dominate the starting XV with eight players, while England have four and Scotland three. For the first time since 1899, no Welsh player has made the Test squad. Jac Morgan, the sole Welshman in the 44-man tour party, loses out to England’s Tom Curry for the openside role.
Curry joins Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan in a back row designed for physical dominance. Farrell called it “the biggest and most confrontational unit” the Lions could field, hinting at their strategy to meet Australia head-on at the breakdown and in contact.
Ben Earl offers back-row cover from the bench, preferred to England’s 19-year-old phenom Pollock, whose omission will be keenly debated.
In midfield, an all-Scotland axis of Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu, and Huw Jones are taksed with conjuring creativity, with the dynamic Bundee Aki named among the replacements. Hugo Keenan starts at full-back.
The front row is as expected: Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong form a fearsome trio. Maro Itoje captains the Lions from lock alongside Joe McCarthy, while wingers James Lowe and Tommy Freeman provide cutting edge out wide.
“This is the business end of the tour,” said Farrell. “We’ve spoken about delivering our best performance when it matters most. That time is now.”
Australia, meanwhile, have rolled the dice. Coach Joe Schmidt has sprung a surprise by naming Nick Champion de Crespigny for a shock debut on the blindside flank. With Rob Valetini not fully fit, the former Castres man gets the nod ahead of Tom Hooper.
“Nick gives us something different,” Schmidt said. “He’s a roving scavenger, very smart at the breakdown and can add variety to our back-row dynamic.”
De Crespigny will combine with captain Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight in a mobile, abrasive loose trio. Injuries have also opened doors elsewhere. Hooker Matt Faessler starts following Dave Porecki’s head knock, while veteran props Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper complete the front row. Slipper, a veteran of the 2013 series, becomes just the second Wallaby in the professional era to face the Lions twice.
With Will Skelton unavailable, Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost continue at lock. In another bold move, Schmidt has entrusted the No 10 shirt to 21-year-old Tom Lynagh, just four caps into his Test career.
Lynagh follows in the footsteps of his father Michael, the Wallabies great who starred against the Lions in 1989. Schmidt said the youngster had impressed in camp and shown he could “run the game with quiet confidence”.
Jake Gordon partners him at half-back, with Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii forming a new-look midfield. Max Jorgensen and Harry Potter take the wings, while Tom Wright starts at full-back.
