No MCG fairytale for homegrown Lion as visitors brace for ‘talisman’ Skelton

He had gone some way to filling the MCG by himself, with a small army of family and friends lined up to attend. But Melbourne-raised Lions centre Sione Tuipulotu has been denied a homecoming “fairytale” against the Wallabies after being left out of the team for the second Test.

After starting and scoring in the first Test, Tuipulotu was omitted from the Lions’ 23-man squad for the MCG showdown on Saturday, in front of 90,000-plus, after coach Andy Farrell opted for Ireland centre Bundee Aki at No.12 and his son, Owen Farrell, on the bench.

Farrell said Tuipulotu had a tight hamstring after the first Test, which had been factored into the selection call, but the coach stopped short of saying the former Melbourne Rebel and Junior Wallaby had been ruled out with injury.

“When you’ve got a little bit of a tight hamstring, it influences how you’re possibly going to go, so we made the call to go with Bundee in that regard,” Farrell said.

“He [Tuipulotu] will be absolutely gutted, but he also knows that that’s rugby - the fairytale is not always written.

“Sione’s a team man. The same for anyone who’s missed out on the squad through injury or not selected, to a man, every single one of them has been rowing forward by putting the team first. That’s been evident in how we’ve trained today.“

Sione Tuipulotu of the British and Irish Lions celebrates after scoring a try during game one of the series between Australia Wallabies and British & Irish LionsCredit: Getty Images

Aki replacing Tuipulotu was one of six changes to the Lions’ 23-man squad from Brisbane, with Andrew Porter replacing Ellis Genge at prop, and lock Ollie Chessum called in for an injured Joe McCarthy. On the bench, Wales’ only player on tour – flanker Jac Morgan – replaces Ben Earl, with Owen Farrell and Blair Kinghorn also added.

In his fourth tour as a Lion, Owen Farrell can make his seventh Test appearance, and 22nd overall Lions appearance.

Andy Farrell revealed he had selected Garry Ringrose to start at outside centre but the Ireland centre had selflessly withdrawn from the Test debut after admitting following training on Thursday he was still experiencing symptoms from a concussion suffered against the Brumbies.

Ringrose missed the first Test but played 70 minutes against the First Nations and Pasifika side on Tuesday, and had had no further knocks in the game or at training.

“But with these type of things, players are getting very good at telling the truth of how they feel, so it was a no-brainer to make the change straight away,” Farrell said.

Huw Jones was recalled to the No.13 jersey. When asked to comment on the selflessness of Ringrose’s admission, Farrell said: “I thought exactly the same the minute that he mentioned it because it’s tough to do that.

“It’s very easy to keep it to yourself and lie and not be honest and open. It was very big of him and the right thing to do, 100 per cent. For the team as well, not just for Garry.”

The Lions are bracing for a dramatic upgrade in physicality from the Wallabies at the MCG, after Joe Schmidt rubber-stamped the returns of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, and with Langi Gleeson added to a bench with a split of six forwards and only two backs.

Garry Ringrose (c) during the British & Irish Lions training session. He later withdrew from the team.Credit: Getty Images

“It is what it says on the tin – it’s obvious what they’re going to bring and why they’re selected,” Farrell said. “I suppose they’re delighted with [the returns of Valetini and Skelton], and the 6-2 bench just backs that up a little bit, doesn’t it? So it’s not unexpected.”

Lions captain Maro Itoje played with Skelton at Saracens, and has played against him often after the Australian moved to La Rochell in France.

“I played a few good years with Will. Played against him a few times as well. He’s a fantastic player. He’s a talisman for La Rochelle and any side he plays in, he adds a sense of dynamism, size and power to the team. I’m delighted for him that he’s able to play.”

The Lions can secure the series with victory at the MCG, and the 2025 squad are aiming to become the first Lions touring group to win back-to-back series in the same country, after winning in 2013.

The turnout of MCG members will play a role, but attendance forecasts for the second Test at the MCG are tracking towards 90,000, which could see the game break two records for Lions’ fixtures. The biggest Wallabies-Lions crowd is 84,188, set in Sydney in the third Test in 2001, and the biggest Lions crowd ever is 90,000, set in Johannesburg in 1955.

“When you spend time in Melbourne and speak to the locals, they hold the MCG in a really special regard,” Itoje said. “If it reaches full capacity, it’ll definitely be the biggest stadium I’ve played in. It’s something we’re looking to relish.”

All nine matches of The British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia are live & on demand on Stan Sport, with Wallabies Tests in 4K. All Test matches live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.

Follow all the action of the British and Irish Lions tour with news and analysis from Australia’s best rugby writers. Sign up here to receive special Rolling Maul editions of our Sport newsletter.