Andy Farrell has selected his squad for the first British and Irish Lions test against Australia in Brisbane this Saturday, with the only Welsh player on tour, Jac Morgan, not picked.

Farrell has opted for a physically dominant 23-man squad, with the likes of Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Joe McCarthy, and Tadhg Beirne prefered in the back row to Morgan, Josh van der Flier, and Henry Pollock.

In the front row, Tadhg Furlong will play his seventh straight Lions test, with Ellis Genge and Dan Sheehan getting the nod at loosehead and hooker respectively.

Tour captain Maro Itoje will skipper the Lions on the day, and partners Ireland’s Joe McCarthy in the second row. With the Lions’ lineout a source of concern, second row Tadhg Beirne gets the nod at blindside flanker, with Tom Curry in Morgan’s prefer seven shirt, and Jack Conan at number eight.

The halfbacks are as expected, with Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell lining up at scrumhalf and flyhalf respectively.

With Garry Ringrose missing out through concussion, the Lions have chosen not to break-up an all-international midfield, picking the Scottish duo of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.

Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn are also injury absences in the back three positions, where James Lowe, Tommy Freeman, and Hugo Keenan are the beneficiaries.

The bench includes only English and Irish players, with the front row cover of Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, and Will Stuart.

Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl offer cover for the second and back row, while Alex Mitchell is Gibson-Park’s back-up at scrumhalf. Marcus Smith gets the nod ahead of England teammates Owen Farrell and Fin Smith, while Bundee Aki takes the number 23 shirt.

The Wallabies have handed Tom Lynagh – son of legendary flyhalf Michael – the starting birth in the 10 shirt for the first test at the Suncorp Stadium.

With regular starter Noah Lolesio injured, Lynagh, 22, will make his first international start at the Suncorp Stadium, wearing number 10 as Michael did in the 1989 series against the Lions.

Key forwards Rob Valetini and Will Skelton are both unavailable because of calf problems, depriving Australia head coach Joe Schmidt of two of his most powerful ball carriers.

Nick Champion de Crespigny makes his debut on the flank in place of Valetini, with Harry Wilson captaining from number eight and Fraser McReight completing the back row.

Teams

Australia

Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Akuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt).

Replacements

Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.

British and Irish Lions

Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje (capt), Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.

Replacements

Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki.

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