Lions name strong side for Brumbies game but Farrell leaves ‘wriggle room’ for first Test

It is midwinter in Australia’s capital but things are hotting up in terms of British & Irish Lions’ Test selection. Andy Farrell has picked his strongest combination to date for his squad’s penultimate fixture before the Test series against the Wallabies and is clearly seeking a morale-boosting dress rehearsal in preparation for the first Test on Saturday week.

The majority of the Lions’ leading names have been selected to start against the ACT Brumbies, with the first-choice pairing of Finn Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park reunited at half-back inside an all-Ireland centre combination of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose. While Farrell has also named both Ollie Chessum and Tom Curry in the back row, he insists nothing is entirely guaranteed.

From a long way out, however, it seemed likely this fixture would buck the traditional trend of midweek games being reserved for the self-titled “bin juice”. Instead the luxury kitchen sink is being thrown at the Brumbies on the grounds they were Australia’s best-performing Super Rugby side and potentially a more reliable marker than the AU/NZ Invitational XV on Saturday.

The other plus, to use Farrell’s own phrase, is that it still leaves some “wriggle room” if, for example, the midfield does not collectively fire. The Scottish duo of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu will still have the game this weekend in Adelaide in which to make their case and, if chosen for the first Test, will need no introduction to either Russell or the full-back Blair Kinghorn.

Farrell, accordingly, has not committed himself wholly to anyone as yet, preferring to plump for certain combinations and leaving the rest up to them. “I will tell you what I said to the team: it is up to people to put their best foot forward for a Test spot from now on,” the head coach said. “Players can play themselves in and players can play themselves out.

“The nature of the format of these two games allows for us to be open-minded. A closed book is not good for anyone. I wouldn’t say there is a blank slate – you have always got ideas – but you need to leave wriggle room for things to unfold and make a judgment on what you see over the next couple of games.”

Nowhere is competition more fierce then in the back row, perhaps the area the Lions need to get spot-on to counter Australia’s strengths in and around the ruck. The big winner as things stand is Leicester’s Ollie Chessum, who has impressed Farrell from the outset and is now auditioning for a role as an extra lineout forward which many had anticipated would go to Tadhg Beirne.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with him,” Farrell said of Chessum. “He’s a big man who is obviously a fantastic lineout option but he moves really well. He’s good with the ball in hand and he understands the holistic game. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes at six on the weekend.”

Curry, likewise, has a great chance to cement a place at openside ahead of Josh van der Flier and Jac Morgan. In terms of physical commitment there are few to match the Sale and England flanker and Farrell, once again, is a big fan. “He’s a machine … the stuff he does off the ball makes teams tick. He’s so fit and so determined to have an impact on the game, especially as far as physicality is concerned.”

There is also a spot on the bench for Henry Pollock, ruled out of the win against the Waratahs on Saturday with a tight calf, and Mack Hansen, who grew up in Canberra and will now reappear in the Australia’s capital as one of the Lions’ replacements. “I’ve got about 30 friends and family going apparently,” the Connacht wing said. “I’ve had people coming out of the woodwork for tickets for a while now.”

Among the opposition will also be the Lonergan brothers, Ryan and Lachlan, whom Hansen has known since he was young. “I grew up playing against them my whole life, so it’ll be nice,” Hansen said. “They’re two of my best mates … playing against them is going to be cool.”

As flagged previously, the Lions’ most recent addition, Owen Farrell, will not be involved but he is expected to be available for the first time this weekend. The Brumbies, meanwhile, will be without eight Wallabies squad members but will be welcoming back the Exeter-bound flanker Tom Hooper, whose own brother Lachlan is also in the matchday 23.

Last the Brumbies played against the Lions in Canberra in 2013 they secured a 14-12 win against Warren Gatland’s touring team and Farrell is anticipating another full-on challenge. “One hundred per cent that is what we expect,” he said. “It is another game on the road for us but there’s a realisation that it’s a pretty special one for the Brumbies.”

It will be a cold night and the ball will almost certainly be slippery but for several Lions a Test jersey is now tantalisingly within reach.