While there are dozens of players currently away with Ireland and England and Scotland and Wales who would swim to Australia for the chance of playing with the British and Irish Lions, for those currently in camp, Saturday's final warm-up game against the Australian and New Zealand Invitational XV is probably the one game you didn't want to be starting.
It was always expected that Andy Farrell’s line-up to face the Brumbies earlier this week would be his trial-run at the Test squad. If someone is to change Farrell’s thinking this weekend, it will take something pretty special.
Reading the tea leaves, you could safely predict 10 of the starting team for next week’s first Test in Brisbane and make an educated guess at a couple more, with just one or two positions up for grabs in Saturday’s game at the Adelaide Oval.
One of the few players with an obvious audition on Saturday is Hugo Keenan.
The Ireland full-back has had a frustrating start to the Lions tour, coming into the campaign with a niggling injury, before having to endure a false-start when a stomach bug ruled him out of his debut against the Queensland Reds.
He finally got onto the pitch for last weekend’s game with the Waratahs in Sydney, although the 29-year-old looks slightly off the pace, and when Blair Kinghorn was named in the starting team to face the Brumbies on Wednesday, it looked like Keenan had missed his Test chance.
Kinghorn's knee injury has changed the picture though, and while the Scotland and Toulouse back hasn’t been ruled out of next week’s game in Brisbane, a return to form from Keenan this week would leave him in pole position to wear the 15 shirt against the Wallabies.
For many others this weekend, even an exceptional performance is unlikely to thrust them into contention for the first Test, although a strong showing can at least keep them in the conversation should injury befall those ahead of them.
Back row and centre appear to be the areas where there is the most to gain and lose this weekend.
The performances of Ollie Chessum and Garry Ringrose against the Brumbies have given them a clear lead in the race to the 6 and 13 shirts, although both players sat out training on Friday, owing to some bumps and bruises.
If those knocks persist, Tadhg Beirne and Huw Jones will be keen to impress on Saturday.
Beirne (below) came into the tour as the consensus pick to partner Maro Itoje in the second row, or even as the hybrid lock in the back row, but Joe McCarthy’s form has seen him jump to the head of the queue in the second row, while Chessum has been the standout blindside flanker.
Beirne is clearly valued by Farrell, and captains the side this week having also done so against the Waratahs last Saturday, while his ability over the ball at the breakdown could be a useful tool, particularly after the Brumbies caused the Lions real issues there on Wednesday.
Jones could find himself the unluckiest man in the squad. The Scotland centre has caught the eye every time he’s played on tour, matching Ringrose with three tries in three games, but the Ireland centre’s all-action work in defence has him leading the race for the 13 shirt.
Away from injuries, the 7 jersey looks most up for grabs.
Tom Curry started the win against the Brumbies and mixed a tireless game around the park with a couple of frustrating mistakes. Josh van der Flier supplemented him from the bench, and also features as a replacement this Saturday, but Wales captain Jac Morgan has plenty to gain if he can maintain his strong form this series.
Henry Pollock’s versatility and energy make him an ideal candidate for a place on the bench against the Wallabies, but a starting spot can’t be ruled out. Openside remains open.
From the bench, Owen Farrell's role on Saturday will be watched keenly. Andy Farrell's decision to call up his son last week was seen as a lack of faith in Marcus and Fin Smith as options behind Finn Russell at out-half.
Very few of the starting team for this game against the AUNZ side will feature in the opening Test, but after a couple of patchy performances in the last week, Farrell will be keen for his side to raise their floor and set a standard for the Test side to match this week.
The head coach has been honest in his assessment of the first half of this tour. After the opening defeat to Argentina he was scathing of their performance at the Aviva, and while he wasn’t as cutting in the wake of Wednesday’s win against the Brumbies, his frustration at their inconsistency was evident.
On paper, this AUNZ side is the toughest they have faced since landing on Australian soil, with Les Kiss including 16 internationally capped players in his matchday squad, including co-captains David Havilii and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto joined by some other high-profile stars such as Marika Koroibete, Pete Samu and Shannon Frizell.
Laying down a marker, and setting the tone for the first Test week is the main objective in Adelaide, before the squad heads back up to Queensland, where the tour really begins.
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