Bundee Aki will become a British and Irish Lion for the second time while Sione Tuipulotu is making his debut for the side British and Irish Lions v Argentina Venue:Aviva Stadium, DublinDate:Friday, 20 JuneKick-off:20:00 BST Coverage:Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app, and updates on BBC Radio 5 Live Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu and Ireland's Bundee Aki will form the centre partnership for the British and Irish Lions against Argentina in Dublin on Friday night. Glasgow's Tuipulotu, who missed the Six Nations through injury, will be playing his first international rugby since Scotland's win over Australia in November and will pair up with Aki - despite both players appearing to be more natural inside centres. Head coach Andy Farrell is still without the majority of those who featured in domestic finals - with Leinster hooker Ronan Kelleher, who is named on the bench, the only player to feature for their club side last week who will be on show at the Aviva Stadium. Tour captain Maro Itoje will lead the side for the first time. There is a welcome return for Tadhg Furlong, who has played just nine times this season because of various injuries and has not featured for Leinster since their defeat by Northampton in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals last month. The tight-head will start on the bench, with his Ireland colleague Finlay Bealham to wear the three jersey after he replaced Scotland's Zander Fagerson in the squad when the Scotland prop was ruled out of the trip through injury. Two Northampton Saints club-mates, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith, will team up at nine and 10. That pair are two of 14 in the 23 who will be representing the Lions for the first time. The tour party's two Welshmen are also first-timers. Wales captain Jac Morgan starts in the back row while Gallagher Premiership player of the season Tomos Williams is on the bench as scrum-half cover. Backs Aki, Marcus Smith and Duhan van der Merwe, as well as forwards Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry were all also part of the tour to South Africa four years ago. Skipper Itoje, as well as replacements Furlong and Elliot Daly, were on that trip as well as the visit to New Zealand four years prior. The touring party will depart for the southern hemisphere after the fixture, with their first game in Australia against the Western Force in Perth on 28 June. British and Irish Lions:Smith; Freeman, Tuipulotu, Aki, Van der Merwe; Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Bealham, Itoje, Beirne, Curry, Morgan, Earl. Replacements:Kelleher, Schoeman, Furlong, Cummings, Pollock, Williams, Daly, Hansen. The first Lions selection of a tour is always highly anticipated, and this is certainly no different, although Andy Farrell has had his hands tied somewhat by the fact 15 of his squad only arrived in camp on Monday. It means he has picked almost exclusively from players who were training in Portugal last week. The centre pairing catches the eye, with Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu considered rivals for the Test number 12 jersey but playing together here, while Marcus Smith is at full-back with Hugo Keenan not in the 23 and Blair Kinghorn unavailable. There is familiarity in the form of the Northampton half-backs, two of nine Englishmen in the starting XV, but arguably the most significant selection comes on the bench, with Tadgh Furlong named as a replacement. Furlong was a rock of the Test team on the past two Lions tours, but has been dogged by injury of late. His return to fitness is a huge boost, especially with Zander Fagerson already ruled out.
Lions pair Tuipulotu and Aki together to face Pumas
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"Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu Selected as Centre Pairing for Lions Against Argentina"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
In an exciting matchup set for Friday night at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu will form a new centre partnership for the British and Irish Lions as they prepare to face Argentina. Aki, who has previously represented the Lions, will be joined by Tuipulotu, who is making his debut in this prestigious series. The pairing is noteworthy as both players are primarily regarded as inside centres, adding an intriguing dynamic to the Lions' strategy. Head coach Andy Farrell faces the challenge of fielding a team largely composed of players who have just returned to camp, with many key players missing due to commitments in domestic finals. This situation has necessitated a selection that leans heavily on those who participated in training last week in Portugal, resulting in a squad that includes 14 players set to make their Lions debut. Among them, Scotland's Tuipulotu is returning to international rugby after an injury layoff that kept him out of the Six Nations, making this match particularly significant for his career.
The Lions' lineup also features England's Marcus Smith at full-back, while the half-back pairing of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith from Northampton Saints adds familiarity to the squad. Tour captain Maro Itoje will lead the team for the first time, and his leadership will be crucial as the Lions aim for a strong performance ahead of their upcoming tour in Australia. Notably, Tadhg Furlong makes a return to the squad after struggling with injuries this season, providing a much-needed boost to the front row. As the team prepares to depart for the southern hemisphere after this fixture, the anticipation surrounding the first selection of the tour is palpable, especially with the unique circumstances surrounding the squad's formation. This match against Argentina not only marks the beginning of the tour but also serves as an opportunity for new players to establish their presence on the international stage, setting the tone for the challenges that lie ahead in Australia.
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