Tadhg Beirne to captain Lions again as Owen Farrell named among replacements

Blair Kinghorn will not feature, with Andy Farrell revealing the Scotland full-back had gone for a scan on the knee he injured in the first half against the Brumbies. 

British and Irish Lions’ Tadhg Beirne looks on during a team run at the AIS Athletics Track in Canberra, Australia. Pic: Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire.

Tadhg Beirne will captain the British & Irish Lions for the second time in Australia when the tourists play their final tour match on Saturday before the first Test against the Wallabies seven days later.

The Lions are set to play a strong AUSNZ Invitational side at the Adelaide Oval with head coach Andy Farrell having fielded what looked to be his strongest side in Wednesday’s 36-24 victory over the Brumbies in Canberra. 

A day later, Farrell unveiled a starting line-up that gives Test hopefuls one final chance to prove their worth for the Lions.

Blair Kinghorn will not be among them, though, with the head coach revealing the Scotland full-back had gone for a scan on the knee he injured in the first half against the Brumbies. 

Ireland’s Hugo Keenan gets the start to face the combined Australia/New Zealand side on Saturday with the Test number 15 jersey now up for grabs, and the Leinster man has been named in a back three with Connacht’s Mack Hansen on the right wing and Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe on the left.

It is an all-Scottish centre partnership of Sione Tuitupuotu and Huw Jones outside a half-back pairing of Fin Smith and Ben White, the fourth Scot in the Lions backline.

Beirne forms an all-Irish second row combination with James Ryan behind a front row of Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart while the back row comprises Henry Pollock at blindside flanker, Jac Morgan at openside and Ben Earl at No.8.

The bench sees late arrival Owen Farrell given his first opportunity of the tour, as the outside back replacement with Marcus Smith nominally acting as fly-half cover and scrum-half Alex Mitchell maintaining his ever-present record in Australia. 

There is an all-Irish front row in reserve with Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham named, while Scott Cummings covers the locks and Josh van der Flier is asked to cover the back row once again.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: H Keenan; M Hansen, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, D van der Merwe; F Smith, B White; P Schoeman, L Cowan-Dickie, W Stuart; T Beirne – captain, J Ryan; H Pollock, J Morgan, B Earl.

Replacements: R Kelleher, A Porter, F Belaham, S Cummings, J van der Flier, A Mitchell, M Smith, O Farrell.