Owen Farrell to lead Lions against First Nations & Pasifika XV

Owen Farrell has been named captain of the British and Irish Lions for their midweek match against the First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne, scheduled for Tuesday.

The veteran fly-half, who was called up as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly, will lead a new-look side featuring several fresh faces ahead of the second Test against Australia.

Farrell, 33, came off the bench in the Lions' warm-up match against the AUNZ Invitational side, contributing to their dominant 48-0 win. However, he did not feature in the Lions’ 27-19 victory over the Wallabies in the opening Test last Saturday.

The lineup for the Melbourne clash is completely changed from the Test squad, giving other players a chance to impress. Farrell will start at inside centre, partnering with Ireland’s Jamie Osborne at outside centre.

Fin Smith will slot in at fly-half, while the rest of the backline is composed entirely of Scottish internationals. Ben White starts at scrum-half, with Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, and Blair Kinghorn forming a dynamic back three.

The forwards include a mix of experience and youth. Props Pierre Schoeman and Finlay Bealham will flank hooker Jamie George, who was also a late addition to the squad and brings significant Lions experience. In the second row, James Ryan pairs with Scott Cummings.

In the back row, Jac Morgan starts at blindside flanker, with Josh van der Flier—World Rugby’s 2022 Men's 15s Player of the Year—on the openside. England’s rising star Henry Pollock has been given the No. 8 jersey.

The bench features three players from the first Test against Australia—Ben Earl, Marcus Smith, and Alex Mitchell—who could provide impact if needed.

Nine Scottish players are included in the matchday squad, reflecting their strong recent performances in international fixtures.

The second Test against Australia is scheduled for Saturday, July 26 with the third and final Test on August 2.

British & Irish Lions XV: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Owen Farrell (c), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Ben White, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Jac Morgan, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 James Ryan, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Jamie George, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Reserves: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Tom Clarkson, 19 Gregor Brown, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Garry Ringrose