𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

1 min: Finn Russell slots it from 30 metres out – straight and clean. Lions strike first.

We’re underway in Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

Finn Russell kicks and the 2025 Test series is underway.

The lights are flashing and the atmosphere looks electric. Lions fans are roaring amongst a sea of red.

Captains Harry Wilson and Maro Itoje share final words with their teams – one last boost before the battle begins.

For the players, this is a moment to remember. They’ve fought hard to get here. Win tonight and it’s all worth it.

No Lions anthem but ‘Advance Australia Fair’ will be sang.

Here’s today’s officiating team:

First Test match officials

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)

ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Andrea Piardi (Italy)

TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)

FPRO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Across the Tasman today, replacement hooker Brodie McAlister scored a late try in a memorable test debut for New Zealand to seal a 29-19 win over France in Hamilton and complete a 3-0 series sweep.

Jordie Barrett set up the winner with a line-break in front of the posts, before passing back inside to McAlister who slid over the line in front of delighted home fans at Waikato Stadium.

“To debut here, it’s pretty awesome and I’m pretty proud to put the black jersey on and get to work with the brothers,” said the Waikato Chiefs hooker.

“It’s been quite a journey (for me), a lot of setbacks, a lot of resilience.”

Kick-off is nearly upon us and the stadium is filling up. Here’s a reminder of the two XVs..

Lions XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 Joe McCarthy; 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan; 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Finn Russell; 11 James Lowe, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 13 Huw Jones, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Hugo Keenan.

Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Ben Earl; 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Bundee Aki.

Australia XV: 1 James Slipper, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Allan Alaalatoa; 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams; 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (capt.); 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Tom Lynagh; 11 Harry Potter, 12 Len Ikitau, 13 Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii, 14 Max Jorgensen; 15 Tom Wright.

Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Carlo Tizzano; 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway.

While it’s undoubtedly a massive night in Finn Russell’s career, his opposite number is facing another level of pressure entirely. For Tom Lynagh, a first international start arrives in the opening encounter of a British and Irish Lions series – the son of Wallabies legend Michael has the pedigree and poise to thrive on this sort of stage, but blimey is this a gamble from Joe Schmidt.

He’s a little bit more about Lynagh, who in a different world could have been an England or Italy international:

It’s fair to say that Johnny Sexton and Finn Russell haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but the Lions assistant coach – a first Test starter here in 2013 – has been mightily impressed by the Scot’s work on this trip – even if he’s still a bit “flash”…

It’s a big night for Finn Russell, who has the chance to write a new Lions narrative after two tough tour experiences in the past. He is part of an all-Scottish midfield tonight for the first time in Lions history:

Yes, there was heaps to dig into in Andy Farrell’s selection – even if, a few injuries aside, it looked rather like a side he might have sketched out before the tour. Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne have been backed largely based on past performances rather than current form, but it is a flanker combination that makes sense: