British and Irish Lions

British and Irish Lions Watch: Blair Kinghorn returns from injury ahead of second Test

by
Charlie Elliott
21 July 2025

After a 12-year wait, the British and Irish Lions faced the Wallabies in a Test match and got the win they desired.

Andy Farrell’s side won with ease, although the 27-19 scoreline slightly flattered the hosts.

Joe Schmidt was without some of his key players, but it was a largely dominant victory from a team who were nowhere near their best.

Australia will know what they need to improve, and Farrell may need to bring in the changes if they are to seal the series on Saturday.

The Lions have a midweek game against a First Nations and Pasifika XV tomorrow, providing one last chance for players to stake their claim for the final two matches.

Here is a look at some of the key selection choices that the head coach may make, and an update on the general status of the squad.

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James Lowe

Lowe could well have played himself out of a shirt after what was an incredibly wasteful and overall poor performance in the first Test.

The Ireland star put plenty of effort in and tried to get involved around the park, but had absolutely no end product to show for it.

His trademark kicking was nowhere near its best, and he overhit a couple of early punts, which slowed the Lions’ momentum at times.

If Duhan van der Merwe puts in a good performance midweek, a change could be made.

It seemed like Joe Schmidt knew how to contain Lowe, so it could be valuable for Farrell to make a change here.

Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne

Curry and Beirne delivered outstanding performances on the flanks during the first Lions Test, injecting relentless energy across the field and backing it up with impressive stats.

Beirne registered over 20 tackles, while Curry’s physicality stood out, showcasing both hard-hitting defence and refined technical skills. Notably, he delivered two crunching tackles on Tom Lynagh, making it clear the youngster was in for a tough day.

Curry played a key role in Dan Sheehan’s try, initiating the move by pouncing on a loose lineout and later delivering the final pass to set up the score.

Despite widespread criticism over Andy Farrell’s decision to start the pair given their underwhelming tour form, the selection proved to be a tactical masterstroke and one that looks set to continue into the second Test.

Jac Morgan

The performances of Curry and Beirne means that there is still no room for the only Welshman left in the squad, with Jac Morgan looking to be a midweek player instead of the initially expected Test starter that many had him as.

It is unfortunate for Morgan, given that he was one of the better players in the warmup games; however, Farrell’s choice to play a couple of more experienced players on the flanks seems to be the correct one.

He will start in the final non-Test fixture tomorrow at six, so he could force his way into the 23 for Saturday.

The bench was a bit of an issue in the last game, meaning that there is a chance that he could get in on the bench.

Gregor Brown and Joe McCarthy

Gregor Brown has been called into the British and Irish Lions squad ahead of their final midweek clash against the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Scotland international, who plays back row and can also slot into the second row, impressed recently starting at lock in Scotland’s win over Samoa in Auckland.

Brown becomes the 45th player to join the 2025 Lions tour, which originally featured a 38-man squad. He will now reunite with his cousin, Blair Kinghorn, in Melbourne.

Brown joins fellow Scots Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman, who were called up earlier in the week. Lions head coach Andy Farrell has continued to add depth to the squad after an injury to Joe McCarthy, who suffered from plantar fasciitis.

Blair Kinghorn

Brown’s cousin Kinghorn was forced to miss the first Wallabies Test with a knee injury sustained against the Brumbies, but now starts against the First Nations and Pasifika XV, so his injury issues seem to be behind him.

Hugo Keenan was poor in the first game and looks to have played his way out of a shirt, and many consider Kinghorn to be the better player when both are at full fitness.

Kinghorn was late to the tour and was the only Top 14 player originally in the squad until Ben White joined up after Tomos Williams’ injury. He won the French title with Toulouse and could mark a big upgrade in the 15 shirt.

As long as he makes it through tomorrow’s game injury-free and with a strong performance, there is every chance that he could start.

By Charlie Elliott