Ringrose and Kinghorn return from injury as Farrell captains Lions for First Nations and Pasifika clash

TEAM NEWS: Garry Ringrose and Blair Kinghorn return from injury while Owen Farrell will captain the side when they take on First Nations and Pasifika.

Garry Ringrose and Blair Kinghorn will return from injury for the British & Irish Lions against the First Nations and Pasifika at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday in a side to be captained by Owen Farrell.

There will be Lions debuts for recent squad additions including Ireland centre Jamie Osborne and replacement tighthead prop Thomas Clarkson, as well as four Scotland internationals drafted in from their nation’s New Zealand-based tour and former England skipper Jamie George.

Yet seen through the eyes of head coach Andy Farrell’s selection for the Lions’ second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, the returns of Kinghorn at full-back and Ringrose as the outside backs replacement seem to be opportunities for them to prove their fitness and stake a claim to places in the matchday 23 of a potential series decider.

There are also chances for back-rowers Jac Morgan of Wales, Ireland’s Josh van der Flier and No.8 Henry Pollock, who were seen as unfortunate omissions from last Saturday’s first Test in Brisbane, though Farrell senior’s selections of Tadhg Beirne at blindside and Tom Curry at openside were vindicated by outstanding performances in a 27-19 at Suncorp Stadium. First Test back-row replacement Ben Earl is named on the bench for Marvel Stadium.

Toulouse star Kinghorn will start at full-back 13 days after injuring his knee against the Brumbies and in an all-Scottish back three with wings Darcy Graham, one of the four recent arrivals, and Duhan van der Merwe.

The Osborne-Owen Farrell midfield will sit outside Fin Smith at fly-half with Ben White getting his second start at scrum-half since replacing the injured Tomos Williams earlier in the tour.

Geroge, like Owen Farrell an England Test centurion, packs down between loosehead Pierre Schoeman and Finlay Bealham at tighthead with a James Ryan and Scott Cummings second row scrummaging behind them.

Ringrose, cleared to play following a concussion against the AUSNZ Invitational in Adelaide 12 days ago, is one of three backline replacements alongside England half-backs Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith, who served those duties last Saturday against the Australians. Yet there is still no return for Ireland wing Mack Hansen, whose foot injury against the AUSNZ side kept him out of the first Test.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS (v First Nations & Pasifika): B Kinghorn (Scotland); D Graham (Scotland), J Osborne (Ireland), O Farrell (England) – captain, D van der Merwe (Scotland); F Smith (England), B White (Scotland); P Schoeman (Scotland), J George (England), F Bealham (Ireland); J Ryan (Ireland), S Cummings (Scotland); J Morgan (Wales), J van der Flier (Ireland), H Pollock (England).

Replacements: E Ashman (Scotland), R Sutherland (Scotland), T Clarkson (Ireland), G Brown (Scotland), B Earl (England), A Mitchell (England), M Smith (England), G Ringrose (Ireland).