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Aki, Porter, and Chessum start for the Lions in second Test

Aki, Porter, and Chessum start for the Lions in second Test

The 42a day ago
ANDY FARRELL HAS brought Bundee Aki, Andrew Porter, and Ollie Chessum into his Lions starting XV for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports].
Despite Joe McCarthy missing out due to injury, Ireland head coach Farrell is calling on nine Irish starters in his Lions team as he looks to clinch the series at the MCG.
Porter comes in at loosehead prop as Ellis Genge drops to the bench, meaning it's an all-Irish starting front row of Porter, Dan Sheehan, and Tadhg Furlong.
Chessum starts in the second row in place of McCarthy, who has a foot injury. Maro Itoje captains the side again, while the back row of Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, and Jack Conan is unchanged.
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Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell continue as the halfbacks, but there's a change at inside centre as Aki comes in for Sione Tuipulotu, who is left out of the matchday 23 altogether. Garry Ringrose misses out as Huw Jones continues at number 13.
The back three of James Lowe, Tommy Freeman, and Hugo Keenan is unchanged.
There are a few fresh faces on the Lions bench, with Ireland's James Ryan, Wales' Jac Morgan, England's Owen Farrell, and Scotland's Blair Kinghorn included.
Lions (v Australia):
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Huw Jones
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Finn Russell
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje (captain)
5. Ollie Chessum
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Tom Curry
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Ellis Genge
18. Will Stuart
19. James Ryan
20. Jac Morgan
21. Alex Mitchell
22. Owen Farrell
23. Blair Kinghorn
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
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