British and Irish Lions vs Argentina Preview: Andy Farrell – ‘It’s a full blown Test Match for us’

The British & Irish Lions kick off their campaign this summer with a much-anticipated show starter against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium this Friday, and Head Coach Andy Farrell thinks that the opening game for the Lions is nothing short of a “Full-blown Test match.”

Argentina, who pushed Ireland all the way in the November Internationals and fell short by three points, will be looking to lay down a marker and achieve their first ever win on Irish soil.

However, with many Argentinian players unavailable due to commitments with the Top 14 knockout stages or being rested, Head Coach Felipe Contepomi’s Pumas has 11 players borrowed from the Super Rugby Americas competition, and a third of Contepomi’s squad are uncapped.

Argentina, however, are the only team to have beaten Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in a calendar year.

Farrell himself is down players with 8 of his 12 Leinster stars, of whom make up the largest club contributors for the British & Irish Lions campaign this summer, played and achieved victory in the URC Grand Final last weekend and Premiership winners Finn Russell and Will Stuart will remain rested this game after helping to achieve Bath‘s first trophy in 29 years.

Leinster Hooker Ronan Kelleher is the only Lion to be involved in the British & Irish Lion’s first test after being involved in a Final the week before.  

Injured Jamison Gibson-Park missed the URC Grand Final last week with a last minute pull out however Farrell is confident the scrum-half will be back in action come the first test against Australia and Irish prop Tadhg Furlong makes his return to rugby on the bench after calf problems and not playing since Leinster’s dramatic Sem-final loss to Northampton back in May.

Andy Farrell

Captain Maro Itoje leads out a team that boasts skill and experience from the four international teams, and with selections such as Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu at Centre, Andy Farrell says this is a team that will show the world what the British & Irish Lions mean business.

“This is a full-blown Test match for us. There’s no doubt about that; everyone’s gung-ho to get going.

“Everyone wants to play. I’m sure there will be some lads twitching in the stand dying to get out there and a little bit of jealousy as well.”

“That’s what we want. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what my Test side could be, but you can’t even go there because the competition is that good.”

“There is such competition in this squad. The exciting thing about Friday night is that the guys get to show their teammates sitting in the stands what they are all about.

“All these guys want to do is gain the respect of each other and impress one another, and if we can get that competitive nature throughout and combine that with the bonding we’ve already seen so far, then that’s not a bad recipe. It’s all about the performance on Friday night.”

By Chris Collyer

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