Reds v British and Irish Lions - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: A Queensland Reds side brimming with Wallaby hopefuls has a “point to prove” against a British & Irish Lions team that represents the next generation of Northern Hemisphere rugby.

The up-tempo Lions ran over the top of the Western Force in a one-sided 54-7 opening to their Australian tour on Saturday.

Coach Andy Farrell, with an eye to the first Test on July 19, has made 14 changes ahead of Wednesday’s clash with the Reds in front of an expected 50,000 at Lang Park.

Scottish flyhalf Finn Russell has retained his No.10 jersey and will partner Irish scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park for the first time in a potentially devastating combination.

Twelve years ago, the Reds scored two tries to the Lions’ one but lost 22-12 as Owen Farrell kicked five penalty goals.

“The game’s changing up there,” Red’s assistant and former English Premiership loose forward Jonathon Fisher said.

“The days of kicking and chasing and hoping for good outcomes at the set piece, from a northern hemisphere [perspective], are very much a thing of the past.”

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Fisher was playing at Northampton when rising English star Henry Pollock, who starred against the Force, was in their junior development program.

“There’s a generation of players and coaches who are forward-thinking, progressive in the way they attack and use the ball,” Fisher said.

“The quality of player, particularly these halves; the width and speed of pass, vision, appreciation of space. It’s an exciting prospect.”

Ironically, 12 years after Quade Cooper pulled the strings for the free-wheeling Reds, it could be the hosts leaning on their scrum and rolling maul.

But under Les Kiss, who coached with Fisher at London Irish before moving to Ballymore, the Reds have balanced that set-piece strength with bold counter-attack and opportunistic support play.

“We want to make it very clear to the world watching … what Queensland rugby is,” Fisher said.

“Our set-piece is strong, our scrum, our maul.

“But in terms of slowing the game down, I don’t think that’s in our control. We won’t be changing what we do.”

The Reds beat the Lions in 1899 (11-3) and 1971 (15-11), with the Brumbies in 2013 the next Australian provincial side – and first worldwide in 16 years – to taste victory against the tourists.

Captain Jock Campbell, who skippered the Reds in a 35-36 loss to Wales a year ago, will lead a long list of Test hopefuls with “a point to prove”.

Hooker Matt Faessler and centre Hunter Paisami have been pulled from the Wallabies squad to play for the Reds while Seru Uru and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto are returning from injury and in the mix for the first Lions Test.

Campbell, Josh Flook, Josh Canham and Aidan Ross, the former All Blacks prop who will become eligible to play for Australia next week, also have a platform.

“It’s a big opportunity to show on a world stage what they’ve got,” Campbell, who has played four Tests, said.

“I’d hope all the boys are looking to do that.”

Meanwhile, Gibson-Park believes his halfback alliance with Finn Russell will develop quickly for the British and Irish Lions.

“We know each other pretty well – we have played against each other enough,” Gibson-Park said ahead of his first outing with the Scotland flyhalf.

“Myself and Finn have already had conversations, and hopefully we don’t have to change too much, just play footy like we normally do.

“For all the stuff you see of Finn and his ability to break a game open, he’s pretty calculated in the way he manages the game as well, so it will make my job easier, hopefully.

“There is a gelling period with any nine and 10 combination.

“When you are largely in charge of driving the game, there’s going to be a bit of a feeling-out period, but it has been good and hopefully we can see it out there on Wednesday.”

Players to watch

For Reds: Hunter Paisami is an abrasive midfielder, and if he gets some momentum, he could give the Lions a few problems. In the pack, Seru Uru is a big presence, but he also has that soft skills with ball in hand. The set-piece battle will be an intriguing one, and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Josh Canham will have a tough job on their hands in the line-outs.

For British and Irish Lions: Finn Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park will form a halfback partnership for the first time, and their attacking flair is worth the ticket alone. If they can get quality ball to the outside backs, it will be a long evening for the home side. In the back row, No.7 Jac Morgan is a feisty character, and he will surely make life difficult for the Reds at the breakdown.

Prediction

@rugby365com: British and Irish Lions by 34 points.

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: 20.00 (11.00 UK & Ireland time; 10.00 GMT)
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Sources: AAP & PA