British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell continues to experiment at fullback as he names his latest team with the first Test against the Wallabies drawing closer.
Scotland and Toulouse fullback Blair Kinghorn gets the No 15 jersey for Wednesday’s fourth tour match against the Brumbies in Canberra.
He was a late arrival to the tour due to his involvement in the French Top 14 final and replaces Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, who falls out of the match-day 23 altogether. Keenan missed the second tour match against the Reds through illness and was replaced by Elliot Daly, who’s Lions tour came to a premature end because he broke his arm in that game.
Farrell: Lions will learn from stuttering win
That leaves Keenan and Kinghorn as the only specialist fullbacks in the squad, with Marcus Smith as cover.
England’s Maro Itoje reclaims the captain’s armband.
Farrell expects a tough night at the Gio Stadium against the high-flying Brumbies.
“In 2013 the Brumbies beat The British & Irish Lions in Canberra and this year they were the leading Australian team in Super Rugby – so we are fully aware of the challenge in front of us.
“It will also be a special occasion for Mack Hansen as he returns to his hometown and gets the opportunity to play for and represent the Lions against some of his old teammates,” said Farrell at his team announcement media conference.
It only gets tougher from here for the Lions, as they take on an All Black & Wallaby-laden invitational side in Adelaide on Saturday.
LIONS: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Joe McCarthy, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Ellis Genge
Bench: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18, Will Stuart, 19 Josh van der Flier, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Mack Hansen
Our team to face the Brumbies in Canberra!
#Lions2025
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 7, 2025
Team is in for @lionsofficial
The Hooper brothers could play together for the first time in a professional capacity.
Prop Cameron Orr has also been drafted in for this game and could also make his Brumbies debut from the bench.
Read more: https://t.co/qPplU221kJ pic.twitter.com/t8KQSAwZvZ
— ACT Brumbies (@BrumbiesRugby) July 7, 2025
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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