Farrell named on bench for final Lions game before Australia Tests

Owen Farrell has been named among the replacements for the British and Irish Lions against an Australian and New Zealand Invitational XV, their final match before the Australia Tests.

Farrell was brought into the squad last week as a replacement for Elliot Daly, who had to withdraw with an arm injury, and could play in his first game in over two months.

He suffered a concussion in early May while playing for Racing 92 in a European Challenge Cup semi-final, with that game marking his final appearance in France before he returned to Saracens.

Should Farrell come off the bench, he would make his 19th Lions appearance on his fourth tour, while it would mark his first international match since the 2023 World Cup third-place play-off against Argentina with England.

"He's the same as everyone else who had to get up to speed pretty quickly," said Andy Farrell of Owen.

"The art of this stage of the tour is being mentally switched on as much as you possibly can - for all the players, not just the lads who are new to the group."

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Tadhg Beirne will captain the side against the AUNZ Invitational side, wearing the armband for the second time on the tour as Maro Itoje is rested.

Ben White will start at scrum-half, while Jac Morgan is given another chance to impress at open-side flanker. Henry Pollock, who withdrew from Saturday's win over the NSW Waratahs as a precaution, and Ben Earl complete the back row.

The Scotland centre partnership of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are also starting.

Andy Farrell also confirmed Blair Kinghorn's injury does not appear to be as bad as it seems after he limped off against ACT Brumbies on Wednesday.

He is still being assessed and will have a scan on his knee in Adelaide on Thursday.

The Australia/New Zealand XV, which is a revival of a combined side that last played when the Lions toured in 1989, includes eight All Blacks and eight Wallabies.

British and Irish Lions starting XV: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Fin Smith, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Stuart, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Henry Pollock, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl. Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Finlay Bealham, Scott Cummings, Josh van der Flier, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell.