British & Irish Lions

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Melbourne

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Like everyone else, Andrew Porter was shocked to hear the news that Garry Ringrose had unselfishly withdrawn himself from the Lions team for Saturday’s second Test against Australia.

The Leinster centre told head coach Andy Farrell at the end of Thursday’s training session that he was experiencing concussion symptoms.

Ringrose first suffered the symptoms in the game against the Brumbies in Canberra two weeks ago and they caused him to miss the first Test.

He returned against the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, but has now been replaced in the team by Huw Jones.

"I actually only heard that before coming here (to speak to the media) that he actually withdrawn himself and that he wasn't pulled aside by a coach," said Porter.

"It's incredibly disappointing for Garry but it just goes to show the character and the player that he is to pull himself aside.

"I think that's an incredibly hard thing to do - and given the magnitude of the game - but it's testament to the player and person he is to be able to put the team first.

"In that sense if he's not right, he's not right and he's looking to let someone who's fit and able to come into the squad and do the job."

Porter has replaced England‘s Ellis Genge and is one of nine Irish internationals in the starting line-up, a new record for a Lions Test match. He will pack down in the front row with fellow Irish and Leinster team-mates Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong.

"Obviously there's that comfort level to be able to pack down with two of your club and countrymen," said Porter.

"They've obviously had an incredible tour individually and it's great being able to come and start alongside them in this huge game in the MCG, so it’s incredibly exciting."

Porter can’t wait to step out in front of what is expected to be a crowd in excess of 90,000 but knows with the return of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, the Australians could be a different animal to the one the Lions beat a week ago in Brisbane.

"It was an incredibly physical game last week but I think it's going to be another step up again in terms of physicality," he added.

"They’re going with a 6-2 split on the bench as well and with Skelton and Valetini, who are great ball carriers and incredibly experienced players, we're obviously gearing up for an incredibly physical game and as forwards you're always looking forward to those close quarter confrontations.

"We’re looking to continue on from the work we did last week. We obviously had a great first half and just a few errors maybe in the second half let them build a bit of pressure that let them into the game.

"We're just looking for that complete performance as a team and I think we've been building on that for the last few weeks. That performance is overdue and I think it's due to come on Saturday."

Chris Jones
Rugby union Correspondent in Melbourne

It's Thursday morning here in Melbourne and news of the Lions second Test team is starting to trickle out.

The team will train this morning before the squad is confirmed at lunchtime in Australia (overnight UK) but I'm hearing Andy Farrell is pondering a sensational selection call at centre.

With Garry Ringrose back fit, Farrell is considering dropping the Scotland pair of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones for the Irish duo of Bundee Aki and Ringrose.

It has felt throughout this tour that the centres came as a pair, and Ringrose was always a strong contender to come into the 23 once recovered from concussion.

But it would be brutally harsh on Jones and especially Tuipulotu. Both played well in Brisbane, especially Tuipulotu, while Aki's cameo off the bench was a bit scruffy. The team will be confirmed after this morning's training session in the Melbourne suburbs.

Elsewhere the makeup of the bench is very interesting, with Owen Farrell and Blair Kinghorn both expected to be involved, while James Ryan is also pushing for a place in the squad.

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Four nations, one very wild crew with dream stitched deep in red, gold, white, green and dark blue.

We fight for fans, for mums and mates, for childhood fields and heavy, heavy plates. No fancy flair, just grit and grind. A killer edge with heart behind.

So raise a glass, the Lions are here, with boots and laughs and no damn fear.

They came as men from different shores to go into Test week, let's hear the Red Sea roar.

A corking episode of The Ultimate Test – the British and Irish Lions' in-house documentary – has been released., external

As well as prop Pierre Schoeman composing the verse above to inspire his team-mates, there is Tom Curry showing off a framed photo of his dog, Duhan van der Merwe regretting not taking a wetsuit to the Great Barrier Reef, Ellis Genge revving up hearts and Sione Tuipulotu rolling the dice.

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The British and Irish Lions' team for Saturday's second Test against Australia will be named on Thursday.

The Lions won the first Test 27-19 in Brisbane on 19 July and will take an unassailable lead in the three-match series if they are victorious at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Will Andy Farrell elect to make changes or go with the same again? Here are four things to keep an eye on:

• Will Joe McCarthy be fit? The Ireland lock is the Lions' main fitness concern, having not trained this week since limping off in Brisbane with a foot problem. England's Ollie Chessum could be a straight swap if McCarthy is unable to feature, while Tadhg Beirne - who started in the back row in the first Test - could be moved into the second row.

• Hugo Keenan or Blair Kinghorn at full-back? Ireland's Keenan started in Brisbane, but did Scotland's Kinghorn do enough against First Nations and Pasifika to dislodge Keenan in the starting Test XV?

• Who starts at centre? Scotland duo Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu got the nod in Brisbane, but Ireland's Garry Ringrose - who missed the first Test with concussion - came off the bench against First Nations and Pasifika and is available for selection.

• Could Owen Farrell be included on the bench? The former England captain led the Lions on Tuesday, playing the full 80 minutes of a game for the first time since April.

Read more from Tom English on the Lions' selection options

In the latest episode of the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Chris Jones, Tom English and Lauren Jenkins look ahead to the second Test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne on Saturday.

Will Andy Farrell make big changes? Will the fitness of Joe McCarthy force his hand? Has Wales' Jac Morgan done enough to force his way into the 23?

• Listen now on BBC Sounds

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"Gutted" Darcy Graham has confirmed his British and Irish Lions involvement has been brought to an abrupt end by the ankle injury he sustained just 17 minutes into his debut against the First Nations and Pasifika XV.

The Scotland winger was a late call-up to Andy Farrell's squad and stated on Monday his plans to "stay until the end" and work for a Test cap after being named as a starter on Tuesday.

His case was strengthened with an early try on his debut in Melbourne, where he showcased his burst of speed, but just minutes after crossing the white line, the Edinburgh wing exited the field in tears.

By full-time, he was sporting a medical boot.

Graham has now taken to social media to confirm his - and many fans' - fears that the ligament damage has ruled him out of the remainder of the tour.

The 28-year-old said it was "16 minutes he'll never forget" and that he will "try again in four years time".

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The British and Irish Lions came through a stern physical test to defeat a First Nations and Pasifika XV 24-19 in Melbourne on Tuesday.

First Nations and Pasifika's aggressive approach made things tough for a much-changed Lions team.

Might Australia have learned some lessons from that as they look to level the Test series against the Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday?

"You need to take it to them, head on," said veteran fly-half Kurtley Beale, who captained the hosts at Marvel Stadium.

"There were patches there where we had the momentum and the Lions were kind of taking a backward step. It created opportunities for us.

"Playing rugby, you need the physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off."

Asked if his side may have inspired the Wallabies watching on before Saturday's second Test, Beale - who played for Australia against the Lions in 2013 - said: "Hopefully. We're very proud of what we did.

"We had a gameplan and some things to hang our hats on after the game, and I thought, regardless of the result, we did that."

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Former British and Irish Lion Alex Cuthbert says he could see England using the 10-12 combination of Fin Smith and Owen Farrell.

Farrell played outside fly-half Fin Smith at inside centre in the Lions' 24-19 win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV.

Smith was England's starting fly-half by the end of this year's Six Nations after displacing Marcus Smith, with Farrell out of the Test picture at Racing 92.

Farrell is now eligible for England selection following his move back to Saracens - should Steve Borthwick want to select him and Farrell be keen to return.

"It is Owen Farrell. He has got his standards and doesn't ever really go below it," Cuthbert told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"He took some big shots against that Pasifika team, as did Fin Smith. I liked that Fin Smith and Owen Farrell combination. It is an option for Steve Borthwick."

The Lions won the first Test against Australia in Brisbane and face the Wallabies in the second on Saturday at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Full-back Blair Kinghorn overcame a knee injury sustained against the Brumbies o play his first game on tour since 9 July.

Cuthbert believes Kinghorn has played his way into the Test team over Ireland's Hugo Keenan, who started the first Test.

"I could see Kinghorn come in at full-back so where do you put Keenan? Andy Farrell has got a lot of scenarios [in terms of who he goes for on the bench]," added Cuthbert, a try-scorer against Australia in the first Test in 2013.

"I really like the way Kinghorn hits the line and he won nearly everything in the air, whereas Keenan, who is a great player, lost a few 50-50s in the first Test."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.

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The Lions are only two games away from taking a 100% winning record back home from Australia.

Flanker Henry Pollock said last week that he and his team-mates are targetting a Test series whitewash to stake their claim for being the "best Lions team ever".

No Lions team has ever won every game on a tour before. Even the legendary 'Invincibles' of 1974, drew their 22nd and final match on an epic trip around South Africa.

Of course, the 1974 Lions might argue that they didn't lose a pre-Tour warm-up. They might also argue that this year's Lions only have nine games to negotiate and have not had to face bruising Springbok teams twice a week for the best part of three months.

Lions tour of Australia: Fixtures, results and try-scorers

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A First Nations and Pasifika side – riled by the absence of ineligible flanker Peter Samu and inspired by the coming together of cultures – will have provided plenty for Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt to ponder before the second Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

Firstly, Schmidt will have been impressed by their physical edge and competitive spiciness.

The Wallabies started too slow in Brisbane and the game was out of their reach before they mustered a fightback.

The First Nations and Pasifika, led by 2013 Lions series veteran Kurtley Beale and offering the heft of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Seru Uru, gave the Lions arguably their most competitive match so far down under.

Charlie Gamble's continual menacing of the breakdown suggested that the Lions, even if this was essentially a second-string touring side, could still be got at on the floor.

Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry will know their superb performances from the first Test may need to be repeated.

Two of the First Nations and Pasifika tries came from front-door close-quarters shunts from the forwards. Could a beefed-up Wallabies pack get over the whitewash in similar fashion?

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Owen Farrell captained the British and Irish Lions to a 24-19 win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday.

It was Farrell's first full 80 minutes since the end of April and the former England captain produced a solid display at inside centre, setting up Jamie Osborne's first try with a deft chip.

However, both Andy and Owen Farrell never get too carried away when asked about each other by the media.

Journalist: "What did you think of your 12?"

Andy: "Owen, how do you think you did?"

Owen: "He asked you."

Andy: "Nice little chip off the left peg. Some good things from him. But there are always work-ons."

Owen added: "I enjoyed it. There is always things you can do better obviously. But I loved being out there. I loved that it was difficult, that it was hard. I feel like I've been in a tough match now. So I'm grateful for that."

Owen Farrell lost out to Marcus Smith for a place on the bench for the first Test against Australia.

Has he done enough to come in for the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday?

Darcy Graham's Lions debut was short but sweet.

The 28-year-old wing was called up to the British and Irish Lions last Monday.

Graham showed his worth by scoring the second Lions try against the First Nations and Pasifika XV.

But 17 minutes into his debut, Graham, in tears, was forced to leave the field with what looked to be an ankle injury.

He was later seen walking around the pitch in a medical boot and is set to have a scan.

"He's devastated," said British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell. "But to become a Lion and score a try, he should be proud of himself."

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BBC Sport's Nigel Ringland at Marvel Stadium: "If the Wallabies are to get back into the Test series then the First Nations and Pasifika XV are giving him a blueprint in how they might.

"From ferocious tackling and hitting the breakdown hard to great goal-line defence and getting off the line quickly to try and stop the Lions putting width on the game.

"Was Joe Schmidt watching and taking note?"

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2009 British and Irish Lion Ugo Monye at Marvel Stadium - "We haven't had many competitive games on this tour but I'm glad we've got this one tonight.

"It was definitely more entertaining and competitive than I was expecting."

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2013 British and Irish Lion Alex Cuthbert at Marvel Stadium - "Another solid performance from Jac Morgan with a few turnovers. He worked well at the breakdown with Josh van der Flier.

"Interesting he's off after 50 minutes. Like Ben Earl last week who made the bench for the first Test.

"Maybe that's my Welsh side just wanting him involved this weekend!"