B&I Lions 23 | Predicted test team
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B&I Lions 23 | Predicted test team
With all the games complete ahead of the first test against the Wallabies next week, we put together out match day 23 for the first test. We have not included Blair Kinghorn (15) as he is in doubt for the first test and Garry Ringrose (13) who will miss it after a head knock meaning he has a 12 day stand down. Luke Cowan-Dickie will be replaced after suffering a tour ending injury making a tackle. We have also gone for a 5/3 bench.
- Ellis Genge:
Genge has been in fine form this tour and shown his value both in the tight facets of the game as well as open play. - Dan Sheehan:
No hooker comes close to him on tour so far - Tadhg Furlong:
Furlong had a shaky start coming back from injury but we feel he has the edge over Stuart - Maro Itoje (C):
A superb leader and backs it up on the field - Joe McCarthy:
A player that has played himself into a test start this tour. - Tadhg Beirne:
A conventional blindside flanker is the likely option to start the first test, Ollie Chessum has been excellent and it is a coin toss between the two if Farrell goes this route - Josh vd Flier:
A hotly contested position with Morgan, Curry and Pollock pushing for game time but with his high tackle count and low error rate vd Flier edges his team mates - Jack Conan:
Losing Caelan Doris was big for Farrell but Conan has stepped up and made the vacant 8 jumper his own - Jamison Gibson-Park:
Not in his best form but in good form none the less and links well with Russell - Finn Russell:
Clearly the best 10 in camp and deserves to start after showing the wide range of skills and vision - James Lowe:
While vd Merwe put in a great few shifts Lowe offers more with defensive clearing kicks and link play - Bundee Aki:
A direct runner that sets a great platform - Sione Tuipulotu:
Farrell showed against Argentina this combination interested him, with Ringrose likely to miss out the pressure is off. - Tommy Freeman:
Tough with Hansen's current form but Freeman is in some form, comfortable at 13 and covers 15 too - Hugo Keenan:
He will be happy to get the AUNZ game under his belt after a shaky previous outing. - Ronan Kelleher:
Cowan-Dickie will likely miss the first test making this call an easy one - Andrew Porter:
A solid option and would have fancied a start had Genge not been in such good form - Will Stuart:
Pre tour you felt Stuart would have started after the Fagerson injury but he will settle for a bench spot in our team. - Jac Morgan:
Unlucky to miss out on a starting berth but makes his way to the bench - Ben Earl:
This is a tough call with both Pollock and Curry available - Alex Mitchell:
Continuity call this with Ben White seriously in the running - Owen Farrell:
Cover at 10 and 12 and if the game is tight he provides a different arrow in the quiver if he comes on to play 10. - Marcus Smith:
Unlucky not to start at 15 but offers great options
