British and Irish Lions predicted team v Australia: Andy Farrell to trust ‘gamebreakers’ for series finale as 6-2 split preferred
From left to right: Andy Farrell, Blair Kinghorn and Jac Morgan
The British and Irish Lions roll into the third and final Test against Australia with the series already clinched, but they will be yearning to end the tour on a high.
Andy Farrell’s charges are unbeaten on Australian soil, winning all eight of their tour matches so far, but a win on Saturday would put them in the history books as the first Lions team to win a series 3-0 since 1904.
With that historical feat on the line, you’d think Farrell would opt to run his full-strength side out at the Accor, but he could still make some changes to his squad as well.
Questions remain over certain players following the victory at the MCG, and the impact of the bench will certainly give Farrell food for thought as well. But just how will he go?
Well, here is our best bet at the 23-man Lions squad tasked with making history in Sydney.
15 Hugo Keenan
The match-winner from the G, Hugo Keenan will undoubtedly retain his place in the starting line-up. The Irishman possibly had some pressure on his shoulders heading into last weekend’s Test, but he was a key man on both sides of the ball and showed the sort of glorious form he is capable of.
14 Tommy Freeman
This one split the PR team, with Mack Hansen now back in contention, but Tommy Freeman just edges ahead. It’s not been the Test series Freeman would have hoped for on a personal level, but his form pre-Tests and the flashes he’s had against the Wallabies show what an asset he can be to this side. His work in the air also complements Jamison Gibson-Park’s kicking game, which is always a good thing.
13 Huw Jones
With Garry Ringrose now ruled out, Huw Jones will almost certainly make the starting XV. The Glasgow back is also bang in-form right now, adding some serious fizz to this already exciting backline, and seems to find himself in key areas at the right time to make something happen.
12 Sione Tuipulotu
He’s back in full training and straight back into our starting XV alongside his usual partner-in-crime. Tuipulotu is exactly the sort of 12 this Lions attack is after, blending deft handling with punch in the carry, and he will likely be even hungrier to make a difference after missing out in his hometown.
11 Blair Kinghorn
It’s a big call to drop one of Farrell’s key men in James Lowe, but could Blair Kinghorn be set to come into the starting line-up? The Scot was a real gamebreaker in the win in Melbourne, adding serious impact on the Lions’ attack with one linebreak and 26 metres ball-in-hand – the sixth highest of any Lion – and that could see him leapfrog his way into the XV.
10 Finn Russell
No debate here, Finn Russell will keep his spot in the side. The win at the G showed that he has complete and utter control over this Lions side, be it with his kicking out of hand, playmaking skills or simply getting them playing in the right areas; this squad lives and dies with Russell. It would take a lot for someone to come in and take his spot.
9 Jamison Gibson-Park
Russell’s partner-in-crime, Gibson-Park, will also surely start again. The scrum-half has formed a devastating partnership with Russell thus far, injecting proper pace into the attack but keeping it controlled as well, and he also marshalls the pack around beautifully. His 80-minute shift also shows how valued he is within this squad.
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8 Jack Conan
He’s quietly grown into this tour and now seems one of Farrell’s key men. Conan brought some serious grunt and unrelenting physicality to proceedings at the MCG, growing into the game as the Lions gained momentum. His work rate is also going to be crucial in neutralising Harry Wilson as well.
7 Jac Morgan
It’s a big call to drop Tom Curry, but with the series won and him nursing a wrist injury, it seems a good time to give Jac Morgan a crack in the starting XV. The sole Welshman on tour has also fully warranted selection too, given his impact at the MCG and form across the tour, so it’s almost a perfect storm for him to make the XV.
6 Tadhg Beirne
Made that number six shirt his own in Test Two. His exploits in the wide channels proved a real point of difference within this system, and he backed that up with some imperious defensive efforts too.
5 Joe McCarthy
Like Tuipulotu, Joe McCarthy should retake his spot in the starting XV after making a return from injury. He has been one of the standout performers on tour prior to his bout with plantar fasciitis, and his sort of steel and ballast will be crucial in halting the work of Will Skelton too, a clash we’ve all been dreaming of.
4 Maro Itoje (c)
Next.
3 Tadhg Furlong
This seems like a 50:50 between him and Will Stuart, but we’ve just got Tadhg Furlong ahead. The scrum has fired pretty well all tour, so either man would do a job in the starting line-up, but Furlong’s experience could be crucial in a game like this when the Lions are gunning for a whitewash.
2 Dan Sheehan
World-class hooker Dan Sheehan will almost certainly retain his spot as well. He’s been a real standout for the Lions thus far in Australia, adding some proper power and pace to their attack while providing a solid platform from the set-piece.
1 Ellis Genge
Another one of the bench players who flipped the game around, Ellis Genge should be rewarded for his efforts with another start. Genge has been a real standout for the Lions this tour, charging around in the loose and tearing through tightheads with ease in the scrum too, and he did exactly that in Test Two. He should be fully unleashed from the off once again in Sydney.
Bench: 16 Jamie George, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Will Stuart, 19 James Ryan 20 Ollie Chessum, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Owen Farrell
The bench could see a couple of changes as well, but the biggest one is the deployment of the 6-2 split. It’s never really been Farrell’s style, even when Ireland toured South Africa he still opted for 5-3, but given the physicality of the last Test match, he could look to add some extra steel from his bench while also allowing his big hitters to go all out from the start.
In the actual personnel, Jamie George, Pierre Schoeman and Ben Earl seem the most likely players to come onto the bench, while Ollie Chessum drops down for the returning McCarthy. James Ryan’s work off the bench should see him keep his spot.
The back options will likely be Alex Mitchell and Owen Farrell, too. While he didn’t get on at the MCG, Mitchell has featured in every single 23-man squad so far, proving just how valuable he is to this side, while Farrell adds some versatility to cover both fly-half and 12 if needed.
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