The British and Irish Lions face Australia in Brisbane on Saturday in the opening match of a three-Test series.
The tourists are unbeaten on Australian soil this summer following victories over Western Force, Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, Brumbies and an Invitational AU & NZ side.
Andy Farrell’s side will be looking to emulate the series win on the last Lions visit Down Under in 2013.
Meanwhile, for the hosts, Tom Lynagh is the headline selection as he makes his first international start at fly-half, following in the footsteps of his father Michael, who faced the Lions in 1989.
Here, former Wales captain Dan Biggar assesses where the game will be won and lost.
The British and Irish Lions face Australia in Brisbane on Saturday in the opening match of a three-Test series
Andy Farrell’s side will seek to emulate the series win on their last Lions visit to Australia in 2013
HALF-BACKS
Tom Lynagh is making his debut at No 10 for the Wallabies and it’s a big ask to throw him in against the Lions.
He’ll be playing behind an underpowered pack and that could be dangerous. Lynagh will need his scrum-halves — Jake Gordon and Tate McDermott — to guide him through the game.
In the Lions’ warm-up matches, opponents have fallen into the trap of overplaying and allowing their line-speed to eat them up. That ends up with errors and turnovers.
Ellis Genge and Tom Curry will be putting the kind of pressure on Lynagh that he hasn’t felt before. He won’t have much time.
In that situation, your first instinct is to play a bit deeper but that’s what the Lions want. He has to be brave. The Wallabies will kick a lot and that responsibility will fall on Gordon and McDermott.
Tom Lynagh is making his debut at No 10 for the Wallabies and it’s a big ask to throw him in against the Lions
NULLIFY SUAALII
Joseph Suaalii is a beast. He can beat you for speed, step you or offload. He’s like Finn Russell in the way he wants the defence to come on to him because then he can use his skills.
He’s a superstar but the Lions will be looking at stopping the supply to him as much as stopping him. Give Suaalii 20 touches in the opposition half and he’ll make you pay two or three times. You want to bring that down to 10 touches.
Joe Schmidt will be smart in how he uses the outside centre as an ‘in’ to the game because nobody on the field comes close to his aerial ability. The Wallabies will need to use their kicking game to his advantage.
Joseph Suaalii is a beast. He can beat you for speed, step you or offload.
BREAKDOWN
The Wallabies have lost some size and power due to injuries so they need to turn the breakdown into a scrap.
They have good jacklers in guys such as Fraser McReight, so they will attack the Lions on the floor. The Brumbies and Waratahs provided a good template by flying off the line and being aggressive.
It was a blueprint of how to make the breakdown difficult. A lot of the Lions’ problems at the breakdown have come from little half breaks.
The Wallabies must take chances and have to contest every breakdown, because that’s their best chance of winning. They have to make it difficult for Jamison Gibson-Park at the ruck because he has so many weapons outside him.
Australia will have to make it difficult for Jamison Gibson-Park at the ruck
HANDLING ERRORS
Where the Lions have fallen short so far is with their handling errors and breakdown penalties. Handling errors give Australia an ‘in’.
The Wallabies want the game to be broken up, so they want transitions. Tom Wright and Max Jorgensen come alive in those situations.
If the Lions keep the handling errors and penalties below 10, I don’t see them having too many problems. They’ve been forcing passes a bit and it’s easy to get caught up in that when you’re dominating.
They’ve been playing close to the gain-line, which is high risk, so they can afford to step off a little bit and keep it tight.
REPLACEMENTS
With Garry Ringrose ruled out, Andy Farrell has gone for the Scottish centre partnership of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.
Those two have played so much with Russell. Jones is a real link centre and Russell knows what lines he will run. Bundee Aki will bring energy in the second half.
Farrell has gone for the Scottish centre partnership of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones
If you look at the two benches, the Lions could easily rotate their replacements and starters without losing too much.
Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl could easily be in the XV. You can’t say the same about the Wallabies.
Dan Biggar flew to Australia with Qatar Airways, the world’s best airline. For more information visit www.qatarairways.com
