As predicted, Scotland’s SA-born flyer Duhan van der Merwe has once again been overlooked for Andy Farrell’s British & Irish Lions team to face Australia in the third and final Test in Sydney.

Farrell has instead opted to go for fellow Scot Blair Kinghorn – who’s best position is fullback – on the left wing. He’ll form a back-three with Tommy Freeman and Hugo Keenan.

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Maro Itoje will lead the team, partnering James Ryan in the second row, with the all-Irish Leinster front row of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong retained. Furlong will start his ninth consecutive Lions Test.

The tried and tested loose trio of Tom Curry, Jack Conan and Tadhg Beirne is also unchanged, as is the halfback pairing of Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell.

Our team for Saturday’s third Test in Sydney! 🦁#Lions2025

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 31, 2025

In midfield, Bundee Aki continues his combination with Huw Jones.

Lions head coach Andy Farrell said: “We’ve put ourselves in a great position to finish this Tour with our best performance yet and create our own piece of history. Last weekend showed how special Lions Tours are – we’re expecting another epic battle against a quality Wallabies side.”

The Lions last sealed a series win in Sydney in 2013 with a 41–16 victory over the Wallabies at the same venue.

LIONS — 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Bench: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Jac Morgan, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Owen Farrell

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images