Waratahs vs British and Irish Lions: Fin Smith’s fly-half bid and a Scotland one-two at centre | Rugby Union News

From the end of the end of the end Smith to the rear battle and a potential in Scotland one to two in the center, the keys examined before the Lions match against the Waratah in Sydney …

Is half-tiptail of half-time is still open when Smith ends?

The call to the head of Owen Farrell may have dominated the announcement of the team on Thursday, but it was also an important day for the end Smith.

The Northampton Holyston semi-fly-flys was rewarded for its pointed cameo from the bench against the Reds with a starting role in Sydney-a golden opportunity to consolidate its place as a sub-study of Finn Russell in the order of the test of the test.

The performance made up of Smith in Brisbane praised the former Lions n ° 10, Dan Biggar and Ronan O’Gara, who both highlighted his management of the game and the attack on instincts.

While Russell remains the precursor of the test jersey, Smith now has a chance to strengthen his case before Farrell even laces his boots. The debate on half of the fly is far from settled – and Saturday could be essential.

Jones centers, Tuipulotu in test hearing

One of the last agreements to be used by Andy Farrell in Australia is that of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu.

The centers have excelled side by side for the club and the country, forging a telepathic understanding which combines incisive racing lines from Jones with the power and distribution of Tuipulotu.

In the blue of Scotland, Jones and Tuipulotu have extracted all the quality ounces of their respective games. Their task in Sydney on Saturday is to reproduce this in the red lions.

With Farrell insisting that the test points are still to be won, it is not a meeting for Jones and Tuipulotu, but a hearing to settle the debate on the partnership of the test center.

The lions have completed to win

While the promising door of the Lions of Elliot Daly was closed, another – the race in the rear place of the Lions test – has been widely opened.

All eyes will be on Blair Kinghorn and Hugo Keenan when they start their lions on the left and back respectively to see if they can strengthen their test allegations.

Kinghorn joined the Lions for the first time on Monday after helping Toulouse win the Top 14 final on Saturday, while Keenan was forced to withdraw from the team to face the Reds because of the disease.

There is another impact role for Marcus Smith, who has not yet started a game, but the selection of Andy Farrell benches offers a possible overview of his reflection for the first test on July 19.

Farrell opted for a split of six two for the first time on tour and if he took a similar route against the Wallabies, the versatility of Marcus Smith could see it as a favorite bench option as the tour progresses.

Captain Beirne in Lock and a blind row

A rehabilitated pack returns to Tadhg Beirne in the second row and moving while the captain with Maro Itoje was resting.

The selection of three opensids in the rear row is an interesting decision, with Henry Pollock given his second departure below, this time at Blindside Flanker, with Josh Van Der Flier in Openside and Ben Earl at n ° 8.

Provided that the first five play, the trio could prosper in the open game, although a lack of alignment options can hinder the search for lions safety.

White to force his way in Farrell’s thought?

If a week is long in politics, it must be an eternity during a lions tour.

Less than seven days have passed since the news than the tour of Scrum Tomos Williams of Wales had been finished by an injury to the hamstrings in the first Lions match on Australian soil against the Western force.

Since then, this particular story has been replaced by the injury at the end of Daly and the shock call of Owen Farrell.

But after being appointed replacement for Williams, Oppaite Strong for Ben White of Scotland in the third game of tourists under Waratahs.

Originally when the initial team of 38 men was named, White launched his candidacy formerly improbable to make his way in Farrell’s thought before the test series.

The British and Irish Lions team will face Nsw Waratahs

Start XV: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 end Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Luke Cowan-Dick, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Tadhg Beirne (C), 5 James Ryan, 6 Henry Pollock, 7 Josh Van der Flier, 8 Ben Earl.

Substitutes: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Scott Cummings, 21 Jac Morgan, 22 Ben White, 23 Marcus Smith.

Waratah team to face the lions

Start XV: 15 Lawson Creighton, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson; 1 Tom Lambert, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Miles Amatosero, 6 Rob Leota, 7 Charlie Gamble, 8 Hugh Sinclair (C).

Substitutes: 16 Mahe Vialanu, 17 Jack Barrett, 18 Daniel Botha, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Jack Grant, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Henry O’Donnell.

Sky Sports will exclusively show the tour of the British and Irish lions in 2025 in Australia, with the three tests against the Wallabies and six warm -up matches to show exclusively live.

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