BRISBANE -- Sione Tuipulotu will start at inside centre for the British and Irish Lions in the first Test against the Wallabies on Saturday, with the Australian-born Scot having beaten out Irish veteran Bundee Aki for the chance to start in Brisbane.
Tuipulotu will partner Scotland teammate Huw Jones in the midfield, alongside another Scot in fly-half Finn Russell, while Irishman Hugo Keenan has got the nod at fullback following injuries to Elliot Daly and Blair Kinghorn.
"I think it isn't just the combinations, it's what's happening off the bench as well and the impact that they can have at any given time," Lions coach Andy Farrell said of the Lions' Scottish midfield combination.
"There's absolutely no doubt that Bundee can play with Huw, he's obviously played with Sione as well, but it's just making sure that we get the balance of the impact that we need at any given time as well.
"So I suppose those three starting, they do know each other, but they also know the way that this team wants to play."
Tommy Freeman has meanwhile claimed the right wing spot, with Mack Hansen ruled out of the game earlier in the week through injury.
Up front, Joe McCarthy partners skipper Maro Itoje in the second-row while Tadhg Furlong joins Dan Sheehan and Ellis Genge in the front-row.
Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry are the blind and openside flankers, respectively, while Jack Conan will start at No. 8, bringing the Irish contingent in the run-on side to eight players.
Curry was preferred over Jac Morgan, the only Welshman left in the touring party, in the No. 7 jersey, but Farrell said that decision was incredibly tough.
"As close as you could imagine," Farrell said when asked about that call. "You're obviously gutted for players like that and Josh [van der Flier] as well, and Henry [Pollock] because playing good rugby they could easily be in this side on Saturday.
"But I suppose that shows the good place that we're at as a group."
The Lions are unbeaten through five games in Australia, but coach Andy Farrell acknowledged the need for his team to go up a gear now the Test series had finally arrived.
With three further Irishman on the bench, Farrell has leaned heavily on his national side to do the business and take a vital 1-0 lead in the series.
"Well you 100% throw everything into the mix, it's a big responsibility representing this group," Farrell said when asked how heavily he had valued experience in his selection. "First up, this is what we came for, Test football, it's a big responsibility to show each other how we're going to attack this game, so you obviously take into consideration a lot of things, form obviously.
"But a big part of that as well is big-match temperament, and I think we've got a good few of those in the starting lineup."
There was no place for Farrell's son, former England captain Owen, as expected, with another Englishman Marcus Smith to provide fly-half and fullback cover off the bench.
British & Irish Lions team for first Test: Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje [c], Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki.
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