Five Lions v Australia talking points as major questions surround Irish stars
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 Wallabies.In 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 bench.Something 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 2024.That 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 qualities.Chessum, 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 spots.McCarthy's persistent foot injury saw him ruled for Saturday and Farrell, who doesn't use Beirme as a no6 for Ireland anymore, had a choice.He could put Chessum at no6 and Beirne at no5 or Beirne at no6 and Chessum at no5 which was slightly contra Tour logic to here.It's 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 preparation.This has focussed on three specific selection areas; out-half, scrum-half (not least as Schmidt was a scrum-half when he played) and front-row.Picking 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 off.The 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 bench.Indeed, 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 included.Meanwhile 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 area.Those 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 here.Nerves were hardly settled either when Tuesday's starting front-row Schoeman-George-Bealham were given a hard time, their replacements Ashman-Sutherland-Clarkson also.As 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 Australia.It 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 Test.The 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 side.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 Rochelle.Skelton 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 forwards.Skelton 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 injury.The 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 Fiji.Joe Schmidt has opted to roll over the half-back partnership of Tom Lynagah and Jake Gordon despite their being overwhelmed last Saturday.Wallabies: 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 Lions.So 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)
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