Owen Farrell to captain Lions for first time in historic First Nations & Pasifika conflict | Lions tour 2025
Andy Farrell has named his son Owen as captain of the British & Irish Lions for the squad’s last midweek fixture towards a First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday. Farrell will lead a aspect containing eight gamers who weren’t initially chosen for the tour because the administration search to maintain most of their first-choice 23 contemporary for Saturday’s second Take a look at towards the Wallabies.
Will probably be Farrell’s twentieth look in a Lions jersey and the expertise he has accrued over 4 Lions excursions has earned him the nod as skipper forward of his fellow Englishman and up to date Lions substitute Jamie George. Farrell will put on 12 in a crew which additionally options the fit-again Blair Kinghorn at full-back and two new arrivals in Jamie Osborne and Darcy Graham at centre and wing respectively.
The bench additionally accommodates a variety of gamers bussed in as cowl for a fixture that has reignited the controversy over whether or not it dilutes the honour of Lions’ illustration to name up replacements gamers totally on geographical grounds. The Scottish trio of Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland and Gregor Brown have been all been named on the bench after being summoned from New Zealand the place Scotland have been taking part in.
The Leinster and Eire prop Thomas Clarkson is one other new face whereas there’s a bench return for Garry Ringrose, dominated out of first Take a look at rivalry with delayed concussion signs. “This fixture offers gamers one other alternative to place their hand up for choice for the ultimate two Exams,” mentioned Andy Farrell, whose aspect gained the primary Take a look at 27-19 in Brisbane on Saturday.
“The coaches’ minds are open with regards to choice. They must be with so many gamers performing and pushing for locations, and we would like that to proceed for the remaining two Exams. This group know the extent of efficiency that we’ll require towards a First Nations [and] Pasifika crew that’s filled with expertise and energy.”
The 36-year-old Kurtley Beale will captain a First Nations & Pasifika XV which additionally accommodates Taniela Tupou and Filipo Daugunu, each launched from the Wallabies squad for the fixture by head coach Joe Schmidt.
The ex-Wallaby ahead Pete Samu is not going to function, nonetheless, as a result of he didn’t fulfil the strict standards within the tour settlement that each one gamers concerned ought to have been concerned on this season’s Tremendous Rugby competitors. Samu helped Bordeaux win this 12 months’s Champions Cup and has returned residence to affix the Waratahs however the Lions administration declined to make an exception for him.
Toutai Kefu, the First Nations & Pasifika head coach, is however hopeful that his aspect shall be aggressive. “The crew has a very nice really feel to it, with a mix of not solely youth and expertise, but in addition cultures,” he mentioned. “The Lions have proven how robust they’re on this tour … however we’re not right here to make up the numbers. We need to win this sport and make historical past.”
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First Nations and Pasifika XV: Muirhead; Reilly, Foketi, Feliuai, Daugunu; Beale (capt), Thomas; Ieli, Paenga-Amosa, Tupou, Swain, Salakaia-Loto, Uru, Gamble, Taii Tualima. Replacements: Asiata, Pearce, Doge, Vocevoce, Leota, Goddard, Debreczeni, McLeod.
British & Irish Lions: Kinghorn; Graham, Osborne, Farrell, Van der Merwe; F Smith, White; Schoeman, George, Bealham, Ryan, Cummings, Morgan, Van der Flier, Pollock. Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Clarkson, Brown, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Ringrose.