British and Irish Lions: Tadhg Furlong, Jac Morgan, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose backed for first Test against Australia by Sir Ian McGeechan
Four-time British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan reveals his Test team to face Australia; Tadhg Furlong, Jac Morgan, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose included; watch every game of 2025 Lions tour, including all three Tests against Australia, live on Sky Sports
Thursday 10 July 2025 06:16, UK
Legendary former British and Irish Lions head coach Sir Ian McGeechan has revealed his first Test XV to take on Australia, backing Tadhg Furlong, Jac Morgan and Irish centres Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose to start.
McGeechan, part of Sky Sports' exclusive coverage of this summer's Lions tour, was head coach of the famous touring side on four occasions - 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009.
Off the back of fellow Sky Sports analysts Will Greenwood and Sam Warburton picking their Lions Test side, McGeechan selected a similar forward pack but was firm in his selections of Furlong at tighthead prop, Morgan at openside flanker and Ollie Chessum at blindside flanker.
"You're back to putting pressure on Australia from minute one, Test one," McGeechan said when asked to explain his selections.
- Leaky Lions click to get past Brumbies but Blair Kinghorn limps off
- Lions tour of Australia: When and how to watch on Sky Sports
- Not got Sky? Stream Lions series with no contract
- Who is Howden, the Lions' front-of-shirt sponsor? Find out here
"Up front, there's a physicality and there's power. Joe McCarthy's been playing well. You've got good ball carriers here. We've talked about Dan Sheehan.
"But you're then looking at McCarthy, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Jack Conan, Ellis Genge - they'll all carry ball if it's right. If they can stay on their feet and they're taking contact and keeping the movement going forward, then it causes problems.
"We've talked about a big 6 [blindside flanker], just because it's extra pressure on the lineout for Australia. The Lions need to make life as difficult as possible at the set-piece for Australia in Test one."
'Furlong's Lions Test experience earns him the nod'
Two-time Lions tighthead Kyle Sinckler concurred with McGeechan's selection of Furlong over Will Stuart and Finlay Bealham in his old position, with the current Toulon prop saying: "There is big game experience, Test match experience and then there's Lions Test experience. That's on a whole other level.
"When Will Stuart got his start against Queensland Reds, I think he was trying a bit too hard, overran a few things and made a few mistakes. Whereas you've seen Tadhg Furlong, he has that big Test match experience. He's building nicely into the tour.
"He probably did come into the tour a bit undercooked - he hasn't played much this season - but he's had 21 minutes, 48 minutes, 30 minutes and another 50 minutes vs the Brumbies.
"I think he's in a good spot to start the Test against Australia and give you 50/55 minutes of a solid foundation to build on to win the Test match."
'Ringrose and Aki combination have done enough'
In McGeechan's backline selection, the main area for discussion came in midfield as he went with Irish duo Ringrose and Aki over his Scottish compatriots Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu.
McGeechan also selected Ireland's Hugo Keenan at full-back, but only due to the knee injury suffered by Blair Kinghorn against the Brumbies on Wednesday, which may rule him out. Full-back Elliot Daly has already departed the tour early due to a broken forearm.
"Going to the Invitational AU-NZ game on Saturday, Hugo Keenan needs a good game there," he said.
"But bringing him in, he's got the experience and he fits in with the Irish, that you've got continuity through the backline in decision-making, support lines, everything.
"I thought Ringrose played well today [Wednesday] and Bundee Aki is carrying ball over the game-line, particularly on first phase. That coordination of midfield with back-three will be favoured.
"When you look at Tommy Freeman, he's good under the high ball as well, which is another key element I think Australia will target.
"Early on, there'll be a kicking game where the Lions will be challenged under the high ball.
"I'd be positive that you go to next week now and the sessions, you'd be talking things through on the Monday, but then you go to an intense Tuesday where you really put pressure on.
"The squad is a good squad so the non-Test players is where your Lions come out. They make things happen for the Test players and put the pressure on and the intensity, so that even in training everything's up a level.
"Then all you're doing is progressing that through the week."
Sinckler: The best Lions often end up missing the Tests - like Rory Best
Of the spot this current Lions squad are in and the importance of all the players sticking together once the first Test team is known, Sinckler added to Sky Sports: "It's a tricky one because, like Jamison Gibson-Park said after the game, there's that 'strange feeling' and I think that comes from expectation.
"The expectation is so high and the bar is so high, we know how good and world-class these players are.
"We're expecting them to hit the heights now, but it's a positive thing that there's so much growth that can be made in 10 days before that first Test.
"It starts on Saturday for the guys who get the opportunity to wear the jersey, and then as 'Geech' has pointed out, that training week is going to be huge.
"The biggest difference to being a Lion is if you're not selected in the team, it's about being as selfless as you can to help the Test team push forward for the weekend.
"Some of the best Lions players I've been around, say for instance Rory Best, who had over 100 caps for Ireland, never played in a Lions Test match. He was obviously bitterly disappointed never to play but was so integral on that 2017 tour to New Zealand and how he prepared the team and how selfless he was for the team.
"That's going to be huge."
British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.
