Australia vs. Lions: Selection keys for the 2nd Test

Australia Plays its Future against the Lions: Analysis of the Selection for the Second Test

Joe Schmidt’s selection for the second British and Irish Lions test could define his tenure as Australia’s coach, while Andy Farrell, his counterpart, is not expected to make many changes. Australia must respond to the physical supremacy of the tourists in the first hour of the defeat in the first test in Brisbane, or risk becoming the first Wallabies team not to take a Lions series to a deciding match. Rob Valetini, Australia’s best player in the last two years, has recovered from a calf injury and will take his place in the back row, replacing rookie Nick Champion de Crespigny. Second-row Will Skelton has also recovered from an injury and, although his inclusion would undoubtedly strengthen the pack, his limitations in the lineout could require an adjustment in the back row to add another jumper.

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Schmidt has received many useful suggestions from media experts this week, and most agree that prop Angus Bell should be promoted to start at loosehead prop instead of 36-year-old James Slipper. Dave Porecki should be available after suffering a concussion against Fiji two weeks ago and his throwing at the lineout would help shore up an area of the game where the Wallabies struggled in the first test. Behind the scrum, Tom Lynagh showed enough in his first start to get another chance, although many would like him to do it in tandem with his Queensland Reds teammate, Tate McDermott, who had a good game off the bench in Brisbane.

There have also been calls to move Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from center to the back line after it cost him to make an impact in Brisbane until it was too late. That would also allow Len Ikitau to move to his preferred outside center position with Hunter Paisami, another Queensland Red, slotting into the midfield outside Lynagh. The Lions coach, Farrell’s, job is a little easier after the initial dominance shown by the tourists in Brisbane, although he is likely to be forced to make a change in his second row. The second-row Irish player Joe McCarthy limped off with a foot injury early in the second half at Suncorp Stadium and hasn’t trained this week, leaving the door open for Ollie Chessum to come up from the bench. Marcus Smith was sent for a concussion assessment in the Lions’ victory over the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, but Farrell has confirmed that he passed it and is available for selection on Saturday. Irish center Garry Ringrose returned from a concussion against FNP and is also in contention, although the midfield of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones held up more than well in the first test. The main speculation will revolve around Owen Farrell, who made his first start of the tour on Tuesday and can play at fly-half or inside centre.