RugbyRebels

Owen Farrell will captain the British and Irish Lions against a First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne on Tuesday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... w0e58edjjo

First Nations & Pasifika XV: Muirhead, Reilly, Foketi, Feliuai, Daugunu, Beale, Thomas; Ieli, Paenga-Amosa, Tupou, Swain, Salakaia-Loto, Uru, Gamble, Tualima

Replacements: Asiata, Pearce, Doge, Vocevoce, Leota, Goddard, Debreczeni, McLeod

British and Irish Lions: Kinghorn, Graham, Osborne, Farrell, Van der Merwe, F Smith, White; Schoeman, George, Bealham, Ryan, Cummings, Morgan, Van der Flier, Pollock

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Clarkson, Brown, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Ringrose

What a fucking joke.

Some decent names in the opposition so might be fun. Lions team looks decent, though some wouod have preferred not to be picked.

And, yes, I have spotted Farrell and some ring ins, but it'll be boring to spend all week angry about it. Let's just enjoy seeing a back three with some pace and finishing ability.

Farrell as captain makes some sense if he is in the squad.

An experienced leader who has captained club, country and Lions before.

George (16), Kinghorn (11, 14, 15, 22 or 23) and Ringrose (23) have to be in with a shot at making the test team. Cummings too if McCarthy is fucked.

I'm ok with bringing players in for this game. Asking many of the test boys to back up 3 days after a test match is daft. Wouldn't surprise me if Mitchell and Earl stay on the pine all game.

Can’t wait to see Jgnf on backrow. Well, I can.

Nepotism isn’t a good look. Nor stacking the side with a load of originally unselected players tho understand the argument.

I’d hope George is in line for the test bench, because Kelleher has stunk the place up.

Fin Smith thought he managed to avoid playing with the handbrake but he gets his chance now.

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:27 am Fin Smith thought he managed to avoid playing with the handbrake but he gets his chance now.

Yes, the try machines out wide would be looking forward to being brought into the game by Fin.S
I hope the option of a centre being 1st. receiver here is not overly forced.

Apparently, all those selected know they have a chance of making the test squad if they perform.

I suspect they all know that isn’t the case, but as pro players they will do their bit and not go the full Austin Healey.

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:27 am Fin Smith thought he managed to avoid playing with the handbrake but he gets his chance now.

"Fin, you've dropped down the order behind Marcus. Don't worry, though, you've got the last mid-week game to impress . . . . . . . . Ah, forget I said that. Just do what Owen tells you to do."

Well...I hope Kinghorn, Cummings, and George can all play midweek and at the weekend...

It will be interesting to see if any of the starting back row come off at (or shortly after) half time. I genuinely think all (and possibly more than one) has a chance for a bench spot on Saturday. Pollock because of his engine (could easily manage 100-120 mins over 4 days), Earl because of him being the incumbent and JdF because of credit in the bank. Only Morgan making me wonder whether he have the impact needed coming off the bench.

If Kinghorn goes well would love to see him hauled off and feature on Sunday. Graham slightly less so because he was a late call up (even tho he should have been in from start IMO).

Kinghorn’s form for Toulouse was top notch last season and he must be in line to wear 15 on Saturday.

Hansen not in squad- significant?

Banquo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:59 am Hansen not in squad- significant?

Feels like it - but maybe just his foot isn’t yet right?

francoisfou wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:58 am Kinghorn’s form for Toulouse was top notch last season and he must be in line to wear 15 on Saturday.

Or wing.

Sure it’s a weird team, but the Lions is a fundamentally flawed idea. I don’t get all the relentless negativity.

Will be very interesting to see who gets taken off first in the backrow and back 3, if there really is any room for change in the test side.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:46 am

FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:27 am Fin Smith thought he managed to avoid playing with the handbrake but he gets his chance now.

"Fin, you've dropped down the order behind Marcus. Don't worry, though, you've got the last mid-week game to impress . . . . . . . . Ah, forget I said that. Just do what Owen tells you to do."

Accurate for poor Fin Smith. Add in a 13 that's only just arrived in camp and it'll be a test for him to get that backline moving won't it.

Marcus covers 10 and 15. That enforced versatility at international level has been very helpful for him. Allowed Farrell Snr to select Aki in the 23 shirt. Selecting FSmith would have meant probably needing a different player in the 23 shirt.

Could this be anymore colonial cringe?

Big D wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 9:28 am

francoisfou wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:58 am Kinghorn’s form for Toulouse was top notch last season and he must be in line to wear 15 on Saturday.

Or wing.

Farrell/Osborne form a rather non-pacy midfield which will limit the strike power of the Lions back three. Again, three shorty lightweights in the back row, but their athleticism/speed will probably compensate.
Ringrose to replace Aki on the test bench on Sat. and George in for the cockeyed Kelleher, and possibly Kinghorn to start ahead of Keenan, who does not look at all right after losing 6Kg during his illness.
I'd have Bealham ahead of Stuart too but don't think it will happen, and any of VDF/Morgan/Pollock ahead of Earl.

Spiffy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 3:56 pm Farrell/Osborne form a rather non-pacy midfield which will limit the strike power of the Lions back three. Again, three shorty lightweights in the back row, but their athleticism/speed will probably compensate.
Ringrose to replace Aki on the test bench on Sat. and George in for the cockeyed Kelleher, and possibly Kinghorn to start ahead of Keenan, who does not look at all right after losing 6Kg during his illness.
I'd have Bealham ahead of Stuart too but don't think it will happen, and any of VDF/Morgan/Pollock ahead of Earl.

I was conversing with one of the more sane accounts on X and they reckoned that the Aussie staff have been at the refs about Porters scrummaging. Schoeman over Porter may be a sneaky change.

Kinghorn is an outside shout for the 22 shirt too if not starting.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 10:05 am Sure it’s a weird team, but the Lions is a fundamentally flawed idea. I don’t get all the relentless negativity.

Will be very interesting to see who gets taken off first in the backrow and back 3, if there really is any room for change in the test side.

The Lions are still adjusting to the pro era. Consider how long the tours used to be- plenty of time to gel a team and give everyone a chance.

Now you’re more likely to play yourself out of contention and coaches have their test team in mind before leaving the UK. The more honest approach would be just to play a couple of warm ups and straight into the tests. But we persist with the illusion that anyone on tour can make the test team.

unopposed training..at the mo.

graham knee ligamets? bad luck anyway.
ben white oops

eta ankle

Could be a try-fest.
Bit of entertainment anyhoo.

fin two bad passes.

playing too loose still.