Farrell's Test team starting to take shape

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Maro Itoje will captain a vastly changed British and Irish Lions for their second Australian match against the Reds.

Coach Andy Farrell said he is expecting the clash to be “a big step up”.

Tour skipper Itoje takes the armband from hooker Dan Sheehan, who is rested for the match in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Only flyhalf Finn Russell has been retained from the starting XV that crushed Western Force 54-7 last weekend, a game that proved costly for veteran scrumhalf Tomos Williams.

The Welshman hobbled off with a hamstring injury which has ruled him out of the rest of the nine-game tour.

Scotland’s Ben White has been called up in his place with Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park making his Lions debut at scrumhalf against the Reds.

Farrell said injuries and team changes were inevitable on such a tight schedule.

“This is proper touring, isn’t it? Games are coming thick and fast, three games in eight days, and it keeps on rolling after that,” Farrell said.

“Being adaptable is the key.”

While the Lions were dominant winners against Western Force, Farrell is expecting a tougher assignment from a Reds team coached by Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies boss from Joe Schmidt next year.

“They’re a great side. I mean, that’s obvious if you’ve watched the games, not just this year, but last year as well,” he said.

“Les has done a fantastic job with them to play a great brand of rugby and are able to play in many different ways.

“So this will be 100 percent a big step up for us on Wednesday night. Any side that Les coaches, he’s always going to be very well prepared.”

Itoje will start in the second-row alongside fellow Englishman Ollie Chessum.

They will pack down behind a front row of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and tight-head Will Stuart.

Jack Conan gets his first start of the tour at No.8 and is joined in the back row by Tom Curry and Jac Morgan.

Hugo Keenan gets the nod at full-back, supported by wings Tommy Freeman and Duhan van der Merwe, while Bundee Aki and Huw Jones form a new centre partnership.

When the two sides met in 2013, the Lions won 22-12.

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* Meanwhile, the Reds named a team that includes nine Wallabies and two All Blacks.

Experienced fullback Jock Campbell has been named captain of the Reds side to reprise the role he filled against Wales and Tonga last year.

The pack has been stiffened by the inclusion of prop Aidan Ross, the Reds signing who played for the Chiefs in the recent Super Rugby Pacific Final.

Ross, who played a Test for the All Blacks in 2022, will form a front row with Wallabies hooker Matt Faessler and All Blacks prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen.

Both Ross and Toomaga-Allen have previous experience packing against the B&I Lions for their then-New Zealand Super Rugby teams in 2017.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto returns at lock. The 41-Test forward will partner Josh Canham in the second row.

In a remodeled back row, Seru Uru returns at flank after sharpening his match fitness with two outings for his team side Souths. John Bryant will start at openside flank with Joe Brial at No.8.

Kalani Thomas, after his best season in Super Rugby, will wear the No.9 jersey in the halves beside flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.

Wallabies Hunter Paisami and Josh Flook are together in the centres as the Reds’ top-choice pairing.

Forming a settled back three are wing Lachie Anderson, who scored a Reds record four tries against the Fijian Drua in his last appearance at Lang Park, Tim Ryan and Campbell.

“Excitement is high that’s for sure,” Kiss said.

“If you look at history, it’s a unique and special group as Queensland players and coaches who get the chance against a Lions team.

“It’s a one-off match but we’ve had a line of sight with their games against Argentina and the Western Force.

“They are an incredibly good and talented team.

“They have taken on some of the DNA of the Irish team and I’d like to welcome [coach] Andy Farrell, [assistant coach] Simon Easterby and their other coaches.

“In this match, we have to be very good at the breakdown and aerially. They’ve shown their attacking side too.

“We have to meet those challenges but we’ll put our brand of rugby out there as well. We’ll keep backing ourselves.

“Why can’t we put our best foot forward, rip in and see what happens?”

Teams:

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell (captain), 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Joe Brial, 7 John Bryant, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 George Blake, 18 Sef Fa’agase, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Angus Blyth, 21 Connor Vest, 22 Louis Werchon, 23 Isaac Henry.\

British and Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Will Stuart, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 James Ryan, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Garry Ringrose.

Date: Wednesday, July 2
Venue: Lang Park, Brisbane
Kick-off: 19.45 (10.45 UK time; 09.45 GMT)
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)