Andy Farrell 'gutted' for Henry Pollock and Jac Morgan as he says son Owen Farrell was 'in contention' for Lions first Test v Australia
Updated 17/07/2025 at 10:15 GMT+1
Andy Farrell has discussed his selections for this weekend's first Lions Test, as he prepares his side to take on the Wallabies in Brisbane. Key among Farrell's decisions were the balance in the back row and the centres, and he expanded on his reasoning behind omitting Jac Morgan and Henry Pollock from the 23. The head coach also gave an injury update on Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn.
Can Pollock 'do a Rooney' on Lions tour down under?
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Andy Farrell said he felt "gutted" making the selection decisions that saw the likes of Jac Morgan and Henry Pollock left out of the British & Irish Lions matchday 23 for Saturday's first Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Morgan's absence means Wales are without a representative in a Lions squad for a Test against Australia, New Zealand or South Africa for the first time since 1896.
Pollock, meanwhile, has shown moments of inspiration so far on the tour, but the pair have suffered from the back row being the most "hotly-contested" area of the touring party, as Farrell called it, with Saturday's chosen three being Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan.
Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl provide cover from the bench.
Speaking at a press conference to expand on his line-up, Farrell was asked how close Morgan had been to making the team.
"As close as you could imagine," the Englishman began.
"You're actually gutted for players like that, and Josh [van der Flier] and Henry [Pollock] as well, because playing good rugby could well easily be in this side on Saturday.
"But I suppose that shows the good place we're at as a group."
Farrell added: "That [the back row] is the hotly-contested part of the side that's been talked about for quite some time and rightly so because of the quality that we've got there.
"Obviously we feel that that's the right balance for the first Test, the combination of Tadhg being the type of player that he is, as far as his quality in the set-piece, but yet his all-round ability either on the floor as a tackler or a ball-playing six, I think complements Jack also in a similar regard, Tom being the engine that we all know that you need in regards to Test-match football."
Farrell also had some decisions to make around the composition of his backline.
In the end, he plumped for an all-Scottish affair at fly-half and in the centres, with his son Owen left out of the 23.
"[He was] in contention, in regards to 'should he or shouldn't he', like the rest of them," Andy said of Owen.
"We feel like Tuesday [the fixture against a First Nations & Pasifika XV] will be good for someone like Owen."
However, Farrell cast doubt on whether the injury-troubled pair of Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn will be fit to feature in that game.
"Mack could be fit for Tuesday, but probably unlikely, same for Blair."
The Wallabies also named their 23 for Saturday's clash, featuring Tom Lynagh, son of the legendary Michael.
Lions 2025 schedule
| Date | Fixture | Location | Time (UK) |
| Sat 19 July | Wallabies v Lions | Brisbane | 11am |
| Tue 22 July | First Nations & Pasifika XV v The Lions | Melbourne | 11am |
| Sat 26 July | Wallabies v Lions | Melbourne | 11am |
| Sat 2 Aug | Wallabies v Lions | Sydney | 11am |
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