The Scotland and Bath fly-half will be absent from Andy Farrell's team facing Argentina in Dublin
He is hoping to be the main man at fly-half through the tour but why is Finn Russell not playing for the British & Irish Lions against Argentina?
The mercurial Scottish stand-off was picked in Andy Farrell’s Lions squad and will battle England’s Fin Smith for the 10 jersey through the test series against Australia.
However, the 32-year-old will be absent from the Lions first game against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin thanks to recent club success.
This is because Russell was part of Bath’s historic English Premiership title win last Saturday where the west country team won its first title in 29 years against Leicester Tigers.
This saw Russell only join up with the Lions earlier this week so Farrell has opted to start players who have been in camp for the full two weeks so far.
Read more: How to watch the Lions v Argentina wherever you are in the world!
Who is else is missing with Finn Russell?
Andrew Porter is one of those absent from the British & Irish Lions against Argentina. (INPHO/Billy Stickland)
Russell is not the only player absent from today’s game due to playing only six days ago.
Club teammate Will Stuart and Leicester Tigers forward Ollie Chessum will also be absent having also played in the Premiership final.
Likewise, Farrell has tried his best to avoid picking the 12 Leinster players who joined the squad this week following their URC title success, also on Saturday.
Read more: Who is in the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad?
The only player to have been involved in a final last week to be in today’s match day squad is hooker Ronan Kelleher.
The 27-year-old only played 24 minutes last week, coming off the bench for fellow Lion Dan Sheehan.
Joining Kelleher on the bench will be Leinster prop Tadhg Furlong. The three-time tourist did not play last week due to injury but has been deemed fit enough to play Argentina for the Lions.
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British & Irish Lions team against Argentina
The British & Irish Lions team to face Argentina.
The headline for Farrell’s first Lions team of the 2025 tour is that nine Englishmen will start.
Northampton Saints duo Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell start at half-back while Marcus Smith is preferred at full-back.
Tom Curry, Jac Morgan and Ben Earl start in a mobile, powerful back-row with captain Maro Itoje joined by Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne.
- Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears & England)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks & England)
- Finlay Bealham (Connacht & Ireland)
- Maro Itoje (c) (Saracens & England)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster & Ireland)
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks & England)
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys & Wales)
- Ben Earl (Saracens & England)
- Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints & England)
- Fin Smith (Northampton Saints & England)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh & Scotland)
- Bundee Aki (Connacht & Ireland)
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland)
- Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints & England)
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins & England)
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster & Ireland), 17. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh & Scotland), 18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster & Ireland), 19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland), 20. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints & England), 21. Tomos Williams (Gloucester & Wales), 22. Elliot Daly (Saracens & England), 23. Mack Hansen (Connacht & Ireland)
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