Lions team to play Australia: Pollock included for the second test

Despite the team's full potential not being realised in this first Test, there were some standout performances, and plenty of players justified their selections. Farrell will have a few selection headaches next week. Here is our predicted squad for the second Test against the Wallabies.

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Finn Russell was the heartbeat of the Lions' attack, delivering a performance full of creativity and composure. His superb long-range kicks caused havoc for the Wallabies, and his perfectly timed pass to send Sione Tuipulotu through for the opening try was a clear highlight. He finished with a flawless nine-point haul off the tee before leaving the pitch with the Lions in a commanding position. Jamison Gibson-Park played a key supporting role at scrum-half, calmly controlling territory and linking up well with Russell to keep the tempo high.

In the midfield, Sione Tuipulotu made a strong case for retaining his place, finishing his try with confidence and playing a key role in the build-up to Dan Sheehan’s score. His physical presence and calmness on the ball helped set the tone for the Lions’ early dominance. Huw Jones offered direct running and defensive awareness at outside centre, regularly making ground and disrupting Wallaby attacks.

Tom Curry was immense from start to finish, delivering a performance reminiscent of his 2019 World Cup heroics. He not only scored in the first half but was central to Sheehan’s try as well, showing soft hands and great awareness. He was relentless at the breakdown and tireless in defence, playing with a point to prove.

Tadhg Beirne matched that energy and impact—winning a crucial early penalty, disrupting rucks and lineouts, and putting in a huge defensive shift with over 20 tackles. In the engine room, Maro Itoje marked his 100th cap with typically strong defence and leadership.

Up front, Ellis Genge brought his usual aggression and physicality, laying the platform early before making way for Andrew Porter. Dan Sheehan was everywhere—racking up metres, scoring yet again, and showing defensive awareness to snuff out a Wallaby chance. Tadhg Furlong offered silky handling to go with his power, while Jack Conan quietly delivered a textbook performance full of hard carrying and clean work at the base.

As a result, we expect all of these players to keep their shirts—alongside Tommy Freeman. The Northampton Saint may not have been at his absolute best, but he still has the ability to turn a game around, so we think Farrell will opt to keep him in the fray.

On the other wing, James Lowe had a mixed outing—with some wayward kicks and decent work in the air, but overall he had little impact on proceedings. Bringing in Duhan van der Merwe to start instead of the Ireland winger could prove to be a wise decision from a Lions’ perspective.

Joe McCarthy brought plenty of physicality in the second row and put in a solid performance. However, we expect Ollie Chessum to take his shirt—either shifting to six and moving Beirne into the second row or in a like-for-like swap. Chessum offers more beyond just raw power, and the Lions dealt with the Australian forward pack reasonably well.

If Blair Kinghorn can prove his fitness, then he would be a no-brainer to replace Hugo Keenan at fullback. This depends entirely on his recovery, and perhaps some midweek minutes off the bench could boost his selection chances. However, the most recent update suggests this may be unlikely. Keenan had an average game and possibly didn’t do enough to retain his place.

The bench was the real issue, with the tempo dropping drastically once the replacements came on. That’s why we predict a few changes to Farrell’s subs.

Jamie George could bring more composure than Ronan Kelleher and seems like someone who can see out a game better than the Irishman did. They may opt for a 6–2 split to shake things up, and if so, Jac Morgan and Henry Pollock may be called upon to add more spark in the latter stages.

15. Blair Kinghorn
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Huw Jones
12. Sione Tuipulotu
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Finn Russell
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Ellis Genge
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Ollie Chessum
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Tom Curry
8. Jack Conan

16. Jamie George
17. Andrew Porter
18. Will Stuart
19. Joe McCarthy
20. Jac Morgan
21. Henry Pollock
22. Marcus Smith
23. Bundee Aki

Australia responded through Max Jorgensen but were largely second-best in all areas. The Lions extended their advantage early in the second half when Dan Sheehan crossed in the corner, with Russell adding his third conversion to make it 24-5.

However, the visitors lost momentum as the Wallabies surged back into the contest, gaining control of possession and territory. Carlo Tizzano powered over following sustained pressure, and Ben Donaldson’s conversion cut the deficit to 12 points with 12 minutes remaining.

Marcus Smith settled some nerves with a late penalty, but Tate McDermott’s try ensured a nervy finish. Despite the win, a few Lions players failed to make a convincing case with their performances.

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Express 5/10: "Been off colour on tour so far and same again here with defensive error"

Planet Sport 5/10: "Like his fellow back-three starters, Keenan’s shift was filled with errors and soft moments defensively. Grew into the game somewhat, but did not nail down the starting role for next week. Robbed of the ball, leading to Max Jorgensen’s try, one of two turnovers conceded."

Rugby pass 5/10: "The Leinsterman was plagued under the high ball. Got the rub of the green when the officials missed a touch on a corner flag punt; it would have been but one of a number of high-profile errors for the fullback. Had a few decent moments in attack, but not enough to account for a defensive shocker."

Replacement: Blair Kinghorn if he can brush off his knee problem

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Planet Sport 5/10: "Like his fellow winger, he endured an error-ridden performance, overcooking kicks, spilling the ball in the air and missing key tackles. Worked tirelessly to rectify his mistakes but ended the match with a game-high of four turnovers conceded."

Rugby Pass 5/10: "Part of a Lions back-three that had a sketchy day fielding the ball and he was a contributor on that front, albeit to a lesser extent than his comrades."

BALLS: "Really forceful carry, early on, skittled some Wallabies. Knocked forward on a high ball kick-chase. Chipped out on the full, up the right wing. Rashly repeated the error, under little pressure, minutes later. Knocked on when trying to offload, on 70 minutes."

Telegraph 4/10: "Strong as a ball carrier and aerial presence but some suspect decision making. Does not quite seem on the same wavelength as the other backs."

Replacement: Duhan van der Merwe

Planet Rugby 4/10: " Overcooked a kick in the first half and botched a try-scoring opportunity in an incredibly wasteful performance. While he did pop up all over the park in attack, the Wallabies largely marked him well, limiting his influence. Might have played himself out of the Test starting XV."

Rugby Pass 5/10: "A few loose moments in the air in the early exchanges and overcooked a corner punt to gift the Wallabies rare field position. Nearly set up a try with a superb fend on Jorgensen before finding Jones on his inside, only for the five-pointer to be rubbed off. Got stripped of the ball with the line beckoning on 34 minutes."

Express 5/10: "Has not been right all trip and was not on his A game here with errors"

Telegraph 3/10: "Not a form pick and it painfully showed. Made some terrible decisions from kicking dead, knocking on going for the tryline and kicked loosely."

Mail Online 4/10: "A loose early kick which went dead betrayed the fact that he is either off form or was overcome with nerves. Struggled to impose himself, as he has all tour."