BRITISH AND IRISH Lions coach Andy Farrell insists they are yet to decide their starting line-up for their first Test against Australia.
With three of six warm-up games already completed before the Lions take on Australia at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in the first Test on June 22, the tourists’ coaching staff have seen every member of their squad in action. But despite having less than a fortnight until the opening contest of the three-Test series versus the Wallabies, Farrell maintains the Lions have yet to “pencil in” any names for the starting XV in Brisbane.
“There’s still a few more combinations we’d like to look at in the next few games,” Farrell said today. “I think even though the majority have had a start now, we’ve still got combinations to put together and we’ll see how they go.
“There’s still quite a way off, there’s still three games to go. So we’d be foolish to pencil anything in at this stage.”
The Lions defeated the Queensland Reds 22-12 on Saturday, claiming their smallest winning margin of their opening three tour games. But Farrell argued “the game, in general, was very good” for his team, feeling it proved a valuable learning experience.
Ian Evans. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
“At the start of a tour, when you’ve got a new side, there’s only so much you can put in place and then you learn as you go and you keep adding stuff as you go,” Farrell said. “There’s no better training run than what we had on Saturday, that’s for sure.”
The next hurdle for the Lions will be a combined NSW and Queensland Country side tomorrow. The tourists are overwhelming favourites to win the game in Newcastle but Farrell has warned his players about what to expect.
“The 23 guys that are going to come against us, it’s going to be the biggest game of their lives,” Farrell said. “I think you could play against anyone and the first 20 to 25 minutes is going to be a battle.”
