The British and Irish Lions play their first test against the Wallabies in Brisbane this weekend. Photo: Photosport
Tom Curry has been named at openside flanker in the British & Irish Lions team for the first test against Australia in Brisbane this weekend, ensuring the tourists would field a test team without a Welshman for the first time since the late 19th century.
Welsh hopes of a presence in the side had rested on flanker Jac Morgan but coach Andy Farrell preferred the proven quality of England's Curry in the starting side with Ben Earl and Ollie Chessum covering the loose forwards on the bench.
"(Jac) was as close as you can imagine," Farrell told a news conference.
"Look, you're actually gutted for players like that who... could well easily be in this side on Saturday. But I suppose that shows the good place that we're at as a group."
Farrell has gone for a conventional number eight in Jack Conan at the back of the scrum with his Ireland teammate Tadhg Beirne completing the back row at blindside flanker.
"We feel that that's the right balance for the first test," Farrell said.
"The combination of Tadhg's quality in the set piece and his all-around ability, either on the floor as a jackal or a ball playing six. That complements Jack also in a similar regard, with Tom being the engine that we all know."
Halfback Jamison Gibson-Park, fullback Hugo Keenan, winger James Lowe, lock Joe McCarthy, prop Tadhg Furlong and hooker Dan Sheehan complete an eight-strong Irish contingent in the starting side.
There was no place for Ireland's Bundee Aki in the starting centre partnership, however, with Scotland's duo of Australian-born Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones lining up outside their test teammate Finn Russell at first five.
Former Chiefs player Bundee Aki has missed out on a starting spot in the first test for the British and Irish Lions. Photo: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland, PHOTOSPORT
"There's absolutely no doubt that Bundee can play with Huw, and he's obviously played with Sione as well, but it's just making sure that we get the right balance of the impact that we need at any given time," Farrell said.
"And I suppose those three starting, they do know each other, but they also know the way that this team wants to play."
Captain Maro Itoje, right winger Tommy Freeman and prop Ellis Genge make up a four-strong English contingent with Curry but there was no place in the matchday 23 for Farrell's son Owen, who joined the tour as an injury replacement.
Farrell said injured Australian-born Ireland winger Mack Hansen (foot) and Scottish fullback Blair Kinghorn (knee) were unlikely to be fit for next Tuesday's tour match against a First Nations-Pasifika XV in Melbourne.
-Reuters
