'Obvious choice' Farrell to captain Lions against Pasifika / Photo: WILLIAM WEST - AFP
'Obvious choice' Farrell to captain Lions against Pasifika
Owen Farrell was the "clear and obvious" choice to captain the British and Irish Lions against a First Nations and Pasifika XV, assistant coach Simon Easterby said Monday, hailing his impact on the squad since being called up.
The tourists have won all six games in Australia so far, including a polished 27-19 victory over the Wallabies in the first Test at Brisbane on Saturday.
But with the second Test at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, head coach Andy Farrell is not risking any injuries to his first-choice players.
None of the Brisbane starting side are in the matchday 23 for the clash at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium on Tuesday against a team spearheaded by Wallabies great Kurtley Beale.
That has opened the door to others looking to make a late case to play a part in the second Test, including former England skipper Farrell.
He came off the bench for a solid cameo against a combined Australia-New Zealand side after his surprise call-up by his father Andy to replace the injured Elliot Daly.
The 33-year-old now gets another chance to press his case to be involved in the second Test, in what will be his 20th Lions appearance on his fourth tour.
"You look at the team and the experience that he has and I think it's pretty clear and obvious why he's the skipper," said Easterby.
"What he's brought already to the group, since he's arrived, has been brilliant.
"The younger guys are feeding off him, his wealth of experience, but also his knowledge and his ability to pass that onto others has shone through the last couple of weeks, and certainly no better man to lead this team tomorrow."
Farrell will partner Ireland's Jamie Osborne in the centre, with Scotland's Ben White at scrum-half and England's Fin Smith the playmaker at 10.
Fullback Blair Kinghorn returns from injury and forms an all-Scotland back three alongside Darcy Graham and Duhan van Der Merwe.
Up front, 102-Test England hooker Jamie George, who was called up last week as cover for the concussed Luke Cowan-Dickie, will pack down with Scotland's Pierre Schoeman and Irishman Finlay Bealham.
Ireland's James Ryan is partnered in the second row by Scot Scott Cummings while in the back, Wales captain Jac Morgan lines up alongside Ireland's Josh van der Flier and England's Henry Pollock.
"This fixture gives players another opportunity to put their hand up for selection for the final two Tests," said Andy Farrell.
"The coaches' minds are open when it comes to selection, they have to be with so many players performing and pushing for places and we want that to continue for the remaining two Tests."
British Lions XV (15-1):
Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Jamie Osborne, Owen Farrell (capt), Duhan van Der Merwe; Fin Smith, Ben White; Henry Pollock, Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan; Scott Cummins, James Ryan; Finlay Bealham, Jamie George, Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Tom Clarkson, Gregor Brown, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Garry Ringrose
W.Wouters--JdB
