British & Irish Lions first Test news, reaction & odds: handicap pushed to ten as Farrell goes strong

Where to watch Australia vs British & Irish Lions

You can watch Australia vs British & Irish Lions on Sky Sports Action at 11am on Saturday, July 19

Australia vs British & Irish Lions teams named

The British & Irish Lions have been backed for victory in Saturday's first Test against Australia as head coach Andy Farrell has put the emphasis on power in his selection while the Wallabies are missing some key men.

At the start of the Tour the Lions were around the 1-3 mark for the opening showdown in Brisbane and asked to cover a general seven-point handicap, but the line has been pushed to around ten points and the tourists are 1-4 for victory with some firms.

Whispers about Farrell's chosen line-up had started to emerge and injuries have played a part so there were no huge shocks. The back row was one key area up for grabs and the Lions have gone for Jack Conan at number eight, To Curry at seven and Tadhg Beirne ahead of Ollie Chessum at six. Centre was the other battleground that produced some debate but Ireland's Garry Ringrose is injured and Scotland pair  Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones start.

Tommy Freeman, James Lowe and Hugo Keenan are the starting back three but none of those are favourite with bet365 to score the first try. That honour goes to Lions hooker Dan Sheehan, who bagged five tries in this year's Six Nations and crossed in the first minute of the Lions' first match on Australian soil against the Western Force last month.

Australia coach Joe Schmidt knows his team will face an onslaught from a physical Lions pack and has been hit hard by injuries to back-row forward Rob Valentini and giant lock Will Skelton, while his first-choice fly-half Noah Lolesio so Tom Lynagh earns just his fourth cap, and makes his first start, in the number ten shirt.

The Lions have won six of 18 Tests played this century and only two by a double-figure margin, but both of those came against Australia - in the first Test of 2001 and the series decider in 2013.

Australia vs British & Irish Lions odds

Here are the latest odds ahead of Australia vs British & Irish Lions

Odds correct at time of publishing

Australia vs British & Irish Lions team line-ups

Australia: 15 Tom Wright; 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter; 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon; 1 James Slipper, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson.

Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway. 

British & Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan; 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Ellis Genge,  2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Joe McCarthy, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan.

Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Bundee Aki 

Read more rugby tips:

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New Zealand vs France: All Blacks ring changes for final clash 

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