Tom English
BBC Sport at Allianz Stadium

The Lions need a proper 60-minute and ideally 80-minute test of their mettle. I doubt they're going to get it tonight. The Waratahs, even with their biggest names, are a very average team, finishing eighth in Super Rugby. They've lost five of their last six games.

There's no Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii tonight, No Dave Porecki, no Angus Bell, no Langi Gleeson, no Max Jorgensen. They're all with Joe Schmidt's Wallabies. If this isn't a whopping Lions win then something will have gone very badly wrong.

The Waratahs have Jack Barrett on the bench, a 21-year-old loosehead with precisely one game of senior rugby to his name. He's likely to spend some time later in the evening scrummaging against Tadhg Furlong. Daunting for the young man.

Watch out for NSW Waratahs prop forward Taniela Tupou, kicknamed the 'Tongan Thor' because of his size, power and Tongan background.

He has been capped 58 times by Australia and started for Joe Schmidt's side in November against England and Ireland.

"He's very disruptive, to say the least, and good at what he does," said Lions head coach Andy Farrell.

"Ireland played against him last year and we saw the pace that he had. He went straight up the middle of the field. He's not just a disruptive scrummager, he's certainly got power and pace on both sides of the ball."

He'll be eyeing up a Test spot against the Lions.

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Wallabies Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway have been included in the NSW Waratahs starting team to face the Lions.

In the back row, Hugh Sinclair captains the side in what will be the last game of his professional career.

However, here is a list of key stars missing because of their involvement with Australia, who play Fiji on Sunday.

All four are in with a good chance of playing the Lions:

• Centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
• Scrum-half Jake Gordon (injured but Joe Schmidt is hopeful of a return soon)
• Prop Angus Bell
• Hooker David Porecki

NSW Waratahs finished eighth in Super Rugby Pacific, winning six of their 14 games.

Western Force were the only Australia side to finish below the Waratahs in the league last season, but Dan McKellar's team did beat the Brumbies, who reached the semi-finals, 28-23 at home in March.

McKellar's side have won only one of their past six games, ending the season with a disappointing 46-6 defeat by New Zealand side Blues.

However, this year was a big improvement after finishing bottom of Super Rugby Pacific in 2024 with only two wins.

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Lions: Leigh Halfpenny; Sean Maitland, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Simon Zebo; Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones; Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell; Tom Croft, Sam Warburton (capt), Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard , Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell,, Rob Kearney.

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The Leigh Halfpenny show.

That is what happened when the teams met during the 2013 tour.

Halfpenny racked up a 30-point haul, which included two tries, with Jonny Sexton, Tom Croft and Jonathan Davies also dotting down.

Halfpenny wasn't bad on that tour….

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Who needs a big game? Who is already in the Test team?

Anything Lions then get involved using the usual methods above.

Thumbs up if you agree with Owen Farrell’s call-up, down if you disagree.

Justin Harrison
Former Australia lock speaking to BBC Sport

When you introduce someone like Owen Farrell, you don't need to wait to see what he does on the training field, he's already arrived in this squad before he's got here.

Yes he may have sent a ripple of energy and shock and surprise but he'll also bring a calmness and reassurance that the right person has come in.

Owen Farrell has shared experiences with some of the senior members of this group in winning Lions environments and winning national campaigns. That's gold dust.

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Dan Biggar
Two-time Lion speaking on Sky Sports

I am struggling to get to grips with the sense of it.

No-one is doubting that Owen Farrell is an amazing character and he has had an amazing career.

But he hasn't played Test rugby for nearly two years or any rugby for nine weeks. He is replacing someone and he doesn't play any of those positions.

Is Andy Farrell missing some leadership? And strong characters?

There is a lot of risk and not much reward in this for me.

Danny Care
Former England scrum-half on BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast

Why would you not pick Owen Farrell?

Whatever position he is going to play, whatever role he's going to play in that squad, they are only a better squad for having him there.

Care has seen first hand how Farrell sets standards both on and off the pitch.

If Owen turns up and delivers standards and delivers a better performance from the Lions, and overall and you see a more connected team, then you have to go 'what a masterclass and a masterstroke from the coaches'.

Whatever team Owen is in he makes them better. I have no doubt in whatever shape he is, he will slot in absolutely fine.

I hope he hits the ground running, and everyone just gets on with it.

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Before we get into previewing the game, a huge Lions story broke on Thursday.

No, it was not the announcement I am backing up my Wednesday live text against Queensland Reds.

Owen Farrell has been called up by his father and Lions head coach Andy to replace Elliot Daly, who was ruled out of the tour after fracturing his arm against the Reds.

Farrell's inclusion comes after a difficult season at Racing 92, where he struggled for form and fitness.

With no international rugby in nearly two years, will the returning Saracens fly-half thrive in Australia?

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Not risking Henry Pollock because he is in Andy Farrell's Test 23? Hard to say due to the quality in the back row.

They know what the 20-year-old can do at this stage.

British and Irish Lions

Lions head coach Andy Farrell, speaking to Sky Sports: "Yes, he's got a slight problem with his calf - nothing too serious.

"Knowing what we know, we thought it wasn't right to risk him so we reshuffle."

New Zealand's Paul Williams is in charge for this one.

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Two new Lions start in Hugo Keenan and Blair Kinghorn.

However we said that on Wednesday about Keenan and he withdrew through illness, so I don't want to jinx him....

Ireland's Tadhg Beirne will captain the side, with James Ryan making his first start on tour.

Watch out for the Scotland centre pairing of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, when on form those two are on fire together.

Another new Lion is waiting on the bench in Scotland scrum-half Ben White.

Replacements: Sheehan, Genge, Furlong, McCarthy, Morgan, White, M Smith, Van der Merwe.

Some early news, Lions flanker Henry Pollock has withdrawn from the game because of a tight calf.

Don't panic as the Lions have said it is 'precautionary'.

Tadhg Beirne moves to six, Scott Cummings now starts in the second row and Duhan van der Merwe comes onto the bench.

A shame as Pollock has been box office.

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The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour is heating up nicely as the Lions play their third game on Australian soil.

Andy Farrell’s side are in Sydney to face New South Wales Waratahs.

Two convincing wins over Western Force and Queensland Reds saw plenty of players push for Test spots.

More of the same in Sydney?

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