Marcus Smith has forced his way into the British & Irish Lions matchday 23 for the first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday, 19 July 2025, edging out Owen Farrell among the replacements after a turbulent season that saw him oscillate between fly‑half, full‑back, and the bench. Injuries to Blair Kinghorn and Mack Hansen opened a door, but Smith’s capacity to cover multiple backline roles and his recent assumption of goal‑kicking duties when on the field alongside Farrell proved decisive as head coach Andy Farrell locked in his touring squad for the series opener.
Finn Russell starts at fly‑half and remains the primary kicker, yet the Lions need reliable cover with Kinghorn unavailable and Farrell nursing lingering groin issues that have hampered his place‑kicking all year. Smith, who shone creatively for England in the autumn before losing ground to Fin Smith in the Six Nations pecking order, has nonetheless featured in five of the six tour matches and now gets his chance to influence the Test series from the bench.
In the back row, Tom Curry wins the battle for the No 7 jersey and will pack down with Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan the trio reuniting elements of the combination that helped the Lions contest the 2021 series in South Africa. None has consistently hit top form on tour, but their collective experience has been valued for the Wallabies challenge. The selection also carries historical weight: with Jac Morgan omitted, the Lions will field a Test XV without a Welsh player for the first time since the 19th century.
Sione Tuipulotu partners Huw Jones in an all‑Scotland midfield (12‑13), while Tommy Freeman and James Lowe patrol the wings and Hugo Keenan starts at full‑back. Up front, Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong form the front row, Joe McCarthy joins Maro Itoje at lock, and Jamison Gibson‑Park links with Russell at half‑back. Itoje captains the side and earns his 100th Test cap — a milestone moment on one of rugby’s grandest touring stages.
Bench: Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Bundee Aki, and Smith. Counting national strands, the starting XV includes eight Ireland internationals, four from England, three from Scotland, and none from Wales; the bench adds three more Irishmen and five Englishmen.
Farrell called on his squad to deliver their “best performance to date” as the tour enters its decisive phase, warning that a motivated, well‑organised Wallabies side awaits under Brisbane’s lights. “It’s a proud moment for Maro, and for everyone who gets to represent this group on Saturday night,” he said.
