The absence of Melbourne product Sione Tuipulotu and the return of veteran Owen Farrell are two of the changes to the British and Irish Lions squad to face the Wallabies in the second Test.
Tuipulotu, who started in the centres in Brisbane, has been left out of match-day 23 altogether, with Irishman Bundee Aki preferred at No.12, as the Lions try to wrap up the series in Melbourne on Saturday.
Tuipulotu, who grew up in Melbourne before shifting to Scotland where he captains the national side, reportedly has a hamstring injury.
British and Irish Lions’ Bundee Aki (L) and Sione Tuipulotu during a friendly match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina at the AVIVA Stadium, on June 20, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Seb Daly/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Four days after captaining the Lions in the midweek win over the First Nations and Pasifika, Farrell, the son of coach Andy Farrell, will make his first Test appearance since the 2023 World Cup after being named on the bench.
Farrell made three changes to the starting line-up that won the first Test 27-19, with lock Joe McCarthy unable to overcome a foot injury, with Ollie Chessum the new face.
Andrew Porter will start at loosehead ahead of Ellis Genge, forming an all-Irish front row.
Aki will partner Scotsman Huw Jones in midfield, while the back three of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Tommy Freeman is unchanged from the first Test.
Coach Farrell said they were expecting a “massive reaction” from the Wallabies after their disappointment at the 27-19 loss in the opening match in Brisbane.
“We have put ourselves in a good position after the first Test, but we know there will be a massive reaction from this Wallaby team,” Farrell said in a statement.
“Everyone saw the quality they have in Brisbane and we know we will have to be a lot better than we were last week.”
BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Huw Jones, Tommy Freeman, Hugo Keenan. Bench: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, James Ryan, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Blair Kinghorn
© AAP
