The time has finally come for the 2nd Test of the British & Irish Lions 20205 tour of Australia. After losing to Argentina in Dublin before heading down under, the Lions have slowly been growing together as a force to be reckoned with.
Here is how the Test at the massive MCG in Melbourne will play out.
Australia VS British & Irish Lions 2nd Test Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia VS British & Irish Lions 2nd Test Date: Saturday, July 26
BetXchange Australia VS British & Irish Lions 2nd Test Odds:
History
The Lions were expected to win the first Test as they were 9.5-point favorites to keep their tour down under unbeaten. That is how the game played out, with the Lions winning by 8 points with a 27-19 victory at the final whistle.
Tries for Sione Tuipolotu, Tom Curry, and Dan Sheehan were all converted by pivot Finn Russell, with Russell and his replacement Marcus Smith each adding a penalty to the total.
The Australians made plenty of impact off their bench as they crossed for three tries. Their scorers were wing Max Jorgensen and a couple of replacements, back-rower Carlo Tizzano and scrum-half Tate McDermott.
Australia
The Wallabies have made three changes, which should bring much-needed physicality to the pack. While Australaia coped better than expected at scrum time and were excellent lineout disrupters in the second half, their lack of big ball carriers meant they barely dented the gain line. This is vital when playing a Joe Schmidt style, where damaging runners are vital.
The two big names are lock Will Skelton and flanker Rob Valentini, both big carriers if they are fit. Both missed the first Test with calf injuries, a type of injury that has to be a concern when rushing them back because of their size. The other change sees Dave Porecki start at hooker.
This leaves the backline unchanged, which is a surprise given the play of the halves in Brisbane. It probably says more about the lack of alternative options than anything else, but fly-half Tom Lynagh gets the starting nod again here.
British & Irish Lions
The Lions also make three changes to their starting XV with injuries forcing head coach Andy Farrell’s hand. Joe McCarthy has a foot injury and is replaced at lock by the equally burly Ollie Chessum, while try scorer Tuipolotu misses out with a tight hamstring.
Garry Ringrose was poised to make his Lions debut at centre, but ruled himself out with lingering concussion effects. The only two natural midfielders in the squad are selected to start, with Bundee Aki coming in to pair with Huw Jones. This trickle-down sees Owen Farrell, a player not originally selected for the tour, come onto the bench to help provide cover.
The other change is that Andrew Porter starts over Ellis Genge at prop, with backrower Jac Morgan, the only Welshman on tour, on the bench.
Best Bets
This was much closer to being a 20+ point blowout than it looks at full time. The Lions were utterly dominant in the first half, with Jorgensen’s try coming completely against the run of play. The Lions fell off a cliff in the second half, giving them fuel in Melbourne.
I like the Lions to play a full 80 this week. They will nullify the Aussie changes and will win by 14+ points.
