Gibson-Park relishes partnership with Finn Russell

Jamison Gibson-Park is confident his new half-back pairing with Finn Russell will blossom quickly as they prepare to start together for the first time in the British & Irish Lions jersey.

The duo will line up against the Queensland Reds on Wednesday, marking a potentially pivotal moment in the Lions’ attacking evolution ahead of the Australia Test series.

Having overcome a glute injury, Gibson-Park is ready to step in for the injured Tomos Williams and form what many hope will be the most dynamic creative axis of the tour.

“I’ve played against him plenty of times but never with him, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Gibson-Park said of Russell.

“He’s obviously a world-class player and I’m sure we’ll strike up a combination pretty quickly.”

With only a limited number of warm-up matches before the first Test against Australia on July 19, head coach Andy Farrell is fast-tracking the development of crucial partnerships.

The Russell–Gibson-Park duo is high on that list, especially as both players offer attacking flair and tactical precision.

The Irish scrum-half admitted that their build-up had been short but purposeful.

“It’s been great to get some reps in together this week. You don’t get loads of time but the communication’s been really clear, and we’re on the same page,” he noted.

Gibson-Park’s return also allows the Lions to settle into a structure that relies on tempo, speed of ball, and creative kicking—all qualities that Russell and the Leinster No.9 excel in.

“We want to play fast, we want to get into shape quickly and put teams under pressure,” Gibson-Park added. “That’s the plan, and Finn’s a great man to have driving that.”