Lions Tour LIVE: Can the Brumbies take down the Lions again?
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7.33pm
Teams as listed ...
So here are the teams for tonight, and they're as listed.
Take a look at that Lions side. If it looks suspiciously full strength, you'd be on the money. All the British media have labelled the side for this Brumbies clash as 'testy' … namely this is the core of the first Test team to meet the Wallabies on July 19 in Brisbane.
Interestingly, this last midweek game in previous tours would have seen the Lions 'B' team rolled out (if there such a thing on a Lions tour) and the Test team would be used on the Saturday. It's usually known as 'the Saturday team'.
But Farrell has flipped the script a bit on this trip. He has played the stronger unit midweek, against the stronger opponents Queensland and the Brumbies, and the lesser side against NSW and (presumably) the AUNZ team.
It will give the Lions top guys a 10-day break before the first Test.
The Brumbies are missing a big chunk of their regular starting team: names like Ikitau, Lolesio, Alaalatoa, Frost, Pollard, Slipper.
So they'll be up against it.
ACT BRUMBIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAMS
BRUMBIES (15-1): Andy Muirhead; Ben O'Donnell, Ollie Sapsford, David Feliuai, Corey Toole; Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan (capt); Tuaina Taii Tualima, Rory Scott, Tom Hooper; Cadeyrn Neville, Lachie Shaw; Rhys van Nek, Lachlan Lonergan, Lington Ieli
Replacements: Liam Bowron, Cameron Orr, Feao Fotuaika, Lachie Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton
LIONS (15-1): Blair Kinghorn; Tommy Freeman, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Ollie Chessum; Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje (capt); Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
7.32pm
Welcome to the (cold) jungle
By Iain Payten
Good evening sports fans, and welcome to the live blog of the Brumbies-Lions clash in Canberra.
My name is Iain Payten and I will be blog master tonight. Our man from the heart of Ulster territory, Jonathan Drennan, is at GIO Stadium and will provide us with updates and match reports. It's cold as a polar bear's paw in Canberra but you can't wipe the smile of Dr Dre's face.
Great to to have you here. Clearly you are a true believer. Feel free to check in on the score of the other game going on tonight - there's a good blog going on the SMH - but don't drift too far.
For the record, this Lions schedule was locked in two years ago and the rugba leeg bosses had second bite at the cherry. They chose the same night.
Anyway, this promises to be a cracker. The Lions have named a very strong outfit and no doubt that's because this is the Australian venue they hate the most.
In 2013, the Brumbies downed 14-12 the Lions in a massive upset and became the first provincial side to get the job done in the professional era. And the Brumbies only lost by 2 in 2001.
Can they have a crack again tonight? Have a vote.
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