
No Will Skelton for Wallabies as Champion de Crespigny gets surprise debut
The 29-year-old flanker, who played for Castres Olympique in France in recent seasons, slots into the back row next to captain and No 8 Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight.
Champion de Crespigny is one of just two uncapped players in Joe Schmidt's match-day squad, and had surged into calculations after injury to pivotal backrower Valetini and the in-form Langi Gleeson.
Schmidt has backed 22-year-old Tom Lynagh to steer the ship in a new-look halves combination with Jake Gordon.
Ben Donaldson will provide backline backup on the bench, with Schmidt resisting the temptation to recall veteran James O'Connor, who wore the No 10 in all three Tests 12 years ago. Hooker Matt Faessler returns after a last-start hat-trick in gold, having started for the Reds instead of playing against Fiji in his comeback from a hamstring injury.
Uncapped Andrew Kellaway has bumped Filipo Daugunu off a new-look bench that includes hooker Billy Pollard, scrumhalf Tate McDermott, prop Tom Robertson and flankers Tom Hooper and Carlo Tizzano. James Slipper will join George Smith as the only Wallabies to feature in back-to-back Lions series in the professional era while Wilson has retained the captaincy.
Canberra-raised Champion de Crespigny returned from a Top 14 stint with Castres Olympique to play for the Western Force this season to join the back of a bulging queue of contenders.
But, with two-time defending John Eales medallist Valetini and Gleeson on ice – former captain Liam Wright (shoulder) is also out of the picture – he'll be asked to dent a Lions line that has enjoyed five relatively comfortable wins since arriving in the country late last month.
Lynagh hasn't played since the Reds lost their Super Rugby quarter-final in early June, with a broken hand ruling him out of the Fiji Test.
The Italy-born, England-raised playmaker finished school and moved to Australia in 2021 and has flourished under Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss as the Queensland Reds' main man for the last two years. He will make Australian rugby history as the first father-son Wallabies to face the Lions after Michael Lynagh wore the No 10 against the Lions in 1989.
'The whole squad has worked hard as a group to prepare for what's going to be a massive challenge against an in-form Lions team,' Schmidt said.
'With the short runway leading up to such a big test match, we know we must adapt fast and improve quickly, from the performance we had against Fiji recently. We're very much aware of the occasion and conscious of earning the support from the public through the effort they see on the field.' The Lions will name their side later on Thursday, when it's expected coach Andy Farrell will confirm son and four-time tourist Owen will not be part of the match-day 23.
WALLABIES: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c), Jake Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright. Bench: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Evan Ferguson following in muddied footsteps of Irish abroad with move to Roma
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The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Garry Ringrose praised for selfless act that sent ‘very powerful message' to rugby players at all levels
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Five Lions v Australia talking points as major questions surround Irish stars
Lions boss Andy Farrell has made three selection changes from First Test to Second Test, two of them enforced and one by choice. Joe McCarthy and Sione Tuipulotu are unavailable through injury and sees Ollie Chessum and Bundee Aki step in while Andrew Porter swaps up from the bench with Ellis Genge, in turn, dropping down. The chance is there this Saturday for the tourists to kill off, to take a 2-0 lead in the best of three, series. The Lions are favourites to win even if a worrying drop off and taking some of the metrics from the last half-hour last week suggests the Wallabies could be set for ambush. We take at five key talking points surrounding selection and Saturday's game in Melbourne (11am Irish, Skysports). TADHG BEIRNE AND OLLIE CHESSUM SWITCH WAS BRAVE - AND WORTHY Tadhg Beirne has started five of the eight Tour matches so far including both international games - as a second-row against Argentina and no6 last week against the between he was blindside no6 for Western Force and Waratahs before lining up at second-row - and captain - against AUNZ. He has not been asked to sit on any which, by turn, backed up an idea that surfaced, as people took to making long-range guesses at Andy Farrell First Test XV, through 2023 and Beirne might not be the best no6 or one of the best two second-rows in the squad but Farrell would still want him in the side for his uber-efficient breakdown work and leadership which, in his case, were quantifiable 24, has been a breakout star on Tour, an 86 percent tackle, 57 percent gain-line carry success rate, alongside outstanding lineout work from no6, as Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy dominated the second-row persistent foot injury saw him ruled for Saturday and Farrell, who doesn't use Beirme as a no6 for Ireland anymore, had a could put Chessum at no6 and Beirne at no5 or Beirne at no6 and Chessum at no5 which was slightly contra Tour logic to the latter - a worthy, brave call given the way the cards were dealt. WILL THE REAL JOE SCHIDT STAND UP? Joe Schmidt (Image:) Joe Schmidt has been taking his fair share of flak in Australia where there is discontent centring on the idea he has undercooked the Wallabies has focussed on three specific selection areas; out-half, scrum-half (not least as Schmidt was a scrum-half when he played) and 22 year-old Tom Lynagh in place of injured first-choice Noah Lolesio for his first start in just his fourth international was a gamble that simply didn't pay Reds no10 looked nervy as Australia lost their way earlier on. Moreover his performance surely wasn't helped by having Jake Gordon as his scrum-half and leaving his far more experienced Reds captain Tate McDermott on the it was even suggested Lynagh was such a rookie that irrepressible 35 year-old Nic White, who did so well for Force in the earlier match against the Lions, should have been there were front-row problems, albeit an area which has long been a bone of contention on the back of the suspicion their schools rugby is weak in coaching in this who felt the Lions would put a big emphasis on the front-row were for relying Taniella Tupou aka 'The Tongan Thor' at tight-head to combat this. Jettisoned early on by Schmidt, Topou came back with a big, big performance for First Nations & Pasifika against the Lions. As interestingly, he was taken in after 46 minutes which suggests he may now be a Third Test possibility. IT IS OVER A YEAR SINCE PORTER-SHEEHAN-FURLONG HAVE STARTED 1-2-3 ON THE SAME TEAM There has been concern about the Lions scrummaging from almost day one - all the more shocking as it had almost been taken as a given the touring side would have superiority were hardly settled either when Tuesday's starting front-row Schoeman-George-Bealham were given a hard time, their replacements Ashman-Sutherland-Clarkson it stands of Second Test selection Andrew Porter has been used sparingly to here, a sub against Force, starting against Reds, and then three further sub appearances against Brumbies, AUNZ and left the question as to whether he was carrying an injury, judged to be in poor form, or that Ellis Genge had simply been in irresistable form. Consider this oddity too; the selected Leinster/Ireland unit haven't been on a starting team at either Leinster or Ireland for over 12 months! The last time they wore 1-2-3 was against world champions South Africa in Pretoria on July 6, 2024. The Springboks won a hard fought game 27-20 with, some might say, two controversial TMO decisions going in their favour. WALLABIES BOUNCE BACK? Australia have made three changes to their starting line-up for Saturday's Second return of fit-again Brumbies back-row Rob Valetini, the John Earles/Australian Player of the Year medal winner in 2023 and 2024, was a no-brainer and seen as a terrific boost for the inclusion of the 33 year-old, six-foot-eight, 21-plus stone Will Skelton hasn't brought anything like that universal approval following an underwhelming season at underperforming La is a big unit but given the Lions high-tempo game, Jamison Gibson-Park's speed at the breakdown and the desire to get the ball to second-centre, full-back and wingers early and often it is hard work for has never particularly prospered against Leinster who work on moving him around and, as Ronan O'Gara pointed out midweek, there are question marks over his fitness as he is returning from third change sees hooker David Porecki, 32, return. A former Wallaby captain and one of those jettisoned after RWC 2023, he was recalled after an almost two year absence to play the warm-up game against Schmidt has opted to roll over the half-back partnership of Tom Lynagah and Jake Gordon despite their being overwhelmed last Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon;James Slipper, David Porecki, Allan Ala'alatoa, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, Fraser McRight, Harry Wilson Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson Lions Garry Ringrose is tackled by Charlie Gamble of the First Nations & Pasifika XV (Image: ©INPHO/Tom Maher) RINGROSE - SURLY NO THIRD TEST, A LAY-OFF, A SABBATICAL, RETIREMENT? Garry Ringrose was on the verge of achieving the last of his schoolboy rugby dreams, Leinster, Ireland and, lastly, Test rugby for the despite being forced to withdraw from the First Test with concussion he was able to return last Tuesday to play and was inked in to start the Second Test..."Garry was actually selected and unfortunately in training today he's had to pull out," said Farrell. "It's head-related again."It was literally as I was walking off the field. He came to me and, once it's mentioned, that's that. There was no incident."He was feeling good, well in advance of Tuesday, and fit and ready to play (against the First Nations and Pasifika XV). No incident through the game at all, nothing yesterday and nothing this morning at all."But with these type of things, players are getting very good at telling the truth of how they feel, so it was a no-brainer to make the change straight away. It's very easy to keep it to yourself, lie and not be honest and open."Australia v British & Irish Lions, MCG, Melbourne, Saturday 26th July, 2025, KO: 11:00 BST/ IST15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/Ireland)14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland)11. James Lowe (Leinster/Ireland)10. Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland)9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster/Ireland)1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland)2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland)3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland)4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) captain5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England)6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland)7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England)8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland)Replacements:16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland)17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)18. Will Stuart (Bath/England)19. James Ryan (Leinster/Ireland)20. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England) 23. Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland)