Lions chance for key Scotland pairing but Owen Farrell call is tough on Tom Jordan

Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones have been given the chance to reprise their club and country partnership with the British and Irish Lions after being selected to play against the New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday.

It’s the first time the two Scotland centres have been picked to start together on this tour and it affords them the opportunity to show head coach Andy Farrell they should be the pairing for the first Test against Australia which takes place in Brisbane on July 19.

Jones made his first Lions start in Wednesday’s win over the Queensland Reds and scored a fine try in the 52-12 victory. Tuipulotu, meanwhile, started the matches against Argentina and Western Force. Now the Glasgow Warriors duo, nicknamed Huwipulotu, have been named together in a Lions XV for the first time.

Glasgow Warriors' Huw Jones (L) and Sione Tuipulotu will start for the Lions on Saturday. | SNS Group

Meanwhile, the big news coming out of the Lions camp on Thursday is that Owen Farrell has been called into the squad. The Saracens-bound fly-half is being brought in to replace Elliot Daly who has been ruled out for the remainder of the tour with a fractured arm, sustained against the Reds.

Fourth Lions tour for Farrell

It will be Farrell’s fourth Lions tour and he has been given the call despite a mixed season with Racing 92. Tom Jordan, the versatile Scotland back, can consider himself unlucky not to be drafted in.

There are two other Scots in the starting XV to face the Waratahs. Most notably, there is a first outing for Blair Kinghorn who has been selected on the left wing. The Toulouse player joined up with the Lions this week after playing the full 100 minutes for his club in Saturday’s night’s pulsating extra-time win over Bordeaux Begles in the Top 14 final in Paris.

Huw Jones of the British & Irish Lions breaks away to score against the Queensland Reds. | Getty Images

Pierre Schoeman, the Edinburgh prop, will also start for the Lions against the Waratahs in Sydney and there are two more Scots on the bench, including Ben White who was called up this week following the injury to Tomos Williams.

White left the Scotland tour in New Zealand on Monday to link up with the Lions. He is joined on the bench by Scott Cummings, the Glasgow Warriors lock forward.

Munster and Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne will captain the side as Maro Itoje is given the evening off after leading the tourists to victory against the Reds.

Coach Farrell said: “Congratulations to Tadhg who will lead the side on Saturday night - and also to Blair, Hugo and Ben who will all make their Lions debuts.

Blair Kinghorn has been picked on the wing for the Lions. | Getty Images

“The games are coming thick and fast now as we face a Waratahs side who will want to make their mark.”

Regarding the decision to call up his son, Owen, to replace Daly, Andy Farrell added: “It is heartbreaking for the group that Elliot’s tour is over. He is a Lions legend who has added so much to the group on and off the field over the past few weeks and over the course of three tours.

“Owen will now come in and add to our options and bring his own Lions experience to the group.”

Owen Farrell, 33, has made 18 appearances for the Lions across the tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

British and Irish Lions team

Lions (v Waratahs, Sydney, Saturday, 11am BST): H Keenan; M Hansen, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, B Kinghorn; F Smith, A Mitchell; P Schoeman, L Cowan-Dickie, F Bealham, T Beirne, J Ryan, H Pollock, J Van der Flier, B Earl. Replacements: D Sheehan, E Genge, T Furlong, J McCarthy, S Cummings. J Morgan, B White, M Smith.