Owen Farrell Expected To Be Left Out Of Lions Squad For First Wallabies Test

Owen Farrell is expected to beryllium omitted from nan British & Irish Lions squad to look nan Wallabies connected Saturday successful Brisbane.

Farrell impressed successful his first quality of nan circuit past week but it is believed Andy Farrell is fresh to place his boy pinch Marcus Smith nan apt beneficiary.

Farrell appeared for 30 minutes disconnected nan chair against nan AUNZ Invitational XV past Saturday and had a manus successful 3 of nan Lions’ tries. Offering screen astatine inside-centre and fly-half he was tipped to make nan Test squad but he is now apt to person to hold for a seventh Lions cap.

With Blair Kinghorn and Mack Hansen nursing knee and ft injuries respectively, and Farrell missing out, Smith is group to profit and beryllium asked to screen fly-half and fullback against nan Wallabies successful Brisbane.

Elsewhere, Tom Curry is expected to characteristic successful nan back-row wherever title for places is fierce. Curry has not had nan astir eye-catching circuit truthful acold but has cardinal acquisition having started each 3 Tests 4 years agone against South Africa, on pinch Jack Conan, who is expected to beryllium named astatine No 8.

Smith’s action connected nan chair comes aft a rollercoaster play successful which he was England’s astir imaginative spark from fly-half during nan autumn run earlier losing his spot to Fin Smith, moving to fullback and past uncovering himself connected nan bench. He has ne'er looked wholly comfortable astatine fullback but his versatility earned him a spot successful nan first Lions squad and truthful acold he has appeared successful 5 of nan six matches.

Barring a precocious alteration of heart, Smith is group to beryllium preferred to Farrell. It whitethorn beryllium important that Smith assumed goal-kicking duties erstwhile he and Farrell came connected past Saturday.

Finn Russell, who will commencement astatine fly-half, will statesman arsenic nan nominated kicker but without Kinghorn, nan Lions request a backup and Farrell has endured problems each play arsenic a consequence of his groin injury.

Meanwhile, Maro Itoje will triumph his 100th Test headdress and his seventh for nan Lions arsenic skipper pinch Farrell expected to trust connected a halfway of his Ireland players including Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan.