Ronan O’Gara selects his British & Irish Lions team for the 1st Test
Here we go.
It’s almost time! The British and Irish Lions and the Wallabies are set to lock horns this weekend in the first game of a three-Test series.
Andy Farrell’s side are unbeaten down under since arriving and the head coach will have some big calls to make this week as he assembles his Test team.
Three-time Lion, Ronan O’Gara was in studio with Sky Sports for the big win over the AU/NZ Invitational side on Saturday, and he’s gone and picked his team for the first Test, with some interesting calls.
“I suppose the first thing is, where’s Tadhg Furlong and where’s Dan Sheehan?” O’Gara said on Sky Sports.
“For me, they’re the two best in the world in their position so I’d like to finish the game with them just to have that security to know that a Test game is usually won in the last eight to 12 minutes, because a team is rarely two scores ahead.”
Elsewhere, he’s gone for Josh van der Flier over Curry and Morgan in that hotly-contested 7 jersey, with Bundee Aki partnering Huw Jones in midfield over Sione Tuipulotu.
"I'd like to finish the game with Sheehan and Furlong"
Ronan O'Gara picks his starting Lions XV for the first Test vs Australia pic.twitter.com/e3jbfpcbFV
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 12, 2025
Check out his Test team below.
Ronan O’Gara’s B&I Lions Team – 1st Test
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Huw Jones
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Finn Russell
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Ellis Genge
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joe McCarthy
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
REPLACEMENTS: Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Henry Pollock, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell.
