Bernard Jackman reckons the British & Irish Lions team for tomorrow's clash with the ACT Brumbies will closely resemble the side for the first test against Australia on Saturday week.
Lions coach Andy Farrell has selected no fewer than eight Irish starters for Wednesday's game in Canberra against an outfit who have been comfortably the strongest performing of the Australian teams in Super Rugby in recent years.
Tadhg Furlong, a test starter in both 2017 and 2021, has been given the nod at prop despite an injury-hit season, with Dan Sheehan named again at hooker. Joe McCarthy, after strong performances earlier on tour, retains his spot in the second row, while Jack Conan is in the back row alongside the English duo of Tom Curry and Ollie Chessum.
In the back-line, Farrell has gone with the Irish centre partnership of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose, with Jamison Gibson Park at scrum-half, while James Lowe is on the wing.
"I think these players are in a pole position," Jackman said on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1.
"There's been a rumour for the last couple of weeks that Andy Farrell would go against the tradition on Lions tours where the probable test team plays the Saturday before the first test.
"The Brumbies are the best Super Rugby side and he's (Farrell) gone incredibly strong. I wouldn't say everyone's locked in but they're certainly in pole position.
"And Tadhg Furlong in particular. I think Andy Farrell was full of praise for him yesterday because his form hasn't been where we know it can get to.
"But Tadhg Furlong is someone that responds really well to consistent game time and I think another 50-60 minutes tomorrow should put him in pole position to be a test starter for the third Lions tour in a row, which is an incredible achievement."
Longstanding fears that this could prove a lop-sided test series were reignited again by Australia's narrow win over Fiji in Brisbane at the weekend.
Captain Harry Wilson's 79th minute try spared the Wallabies a first home loss against Fiji in 70 years, with first choice out-half Noah Lolesio stretchered off and this morning ruled out for all three test matches.
The Lions have won two of the three previous test series against Australia (in which they didn't also play New Zealand) - winning in 1989 and 2013 and losing in 2001 - though all three have been competitive, being decided in the final test.
Since the Wallabies appalling showing in the 2023 World Cup, in which Eddie Jones' side were beaten by Fiji and Wales in the pool stage, there had been fears this could produce a whitewash.
Their improved form under Joe Schmidt in 2024 had sparked hope and Jackman feels they have the capacity to improve for the test series.
"That was a very poor performance from them. They were probably lucky to win it and again you would feel that they would improve.
"But that certainly would be a worry for Australian rugby. I think we've put massive faith in Joe Schmidt's ability to get the best out of them.
"But certainly as a curtain raiser for them, they'd have to improve a lot or this tour would be a whitewash. And no one wants that.
"So I do think there's a scope for improvement in Australia. But there'd need to be."
