Saints trio to line up for Lions against Waratahs in Sydney

Scrum-half Mitchell and fly-half Smith both featured for the Lions in their midweek victory over Queenland Reds, in which the tourists scored eight tries to run out 52-12 winners.

The duo will form an all-Northampton half-back pairing for Lions for the second time, having started together in the clash with Argentina in Dublin last month.

Back row forward Pollock will start at No.6 for the first time in his professional career on Saturday, with the 20-year-old coming into Andy Farrell’s much-changed side in Sydney.

Twelve years ago the Lions beat the Waratahs 47-17, with Leigh Halfpenny contributing 30 of the Lions’ points.

Lions head coach Farrell said: “Congratulations to Tadhg (Beirne) who will lead the side on Saturday night – and also to Blair (Kinghorn), Hugo (Keenan) and Ben (White) who will all make their Lions debuts.

“The games are coming thick and fast now as we face a Waratahs side who will want to make their mark.”

The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

British & Irish Lions team to face NSW Waratahs: 15 Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland); 14 Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/ Ireland) #867, 13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #878, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #863, 11 Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/ Scotland); 10 Fin Smith (Saints/ England) #862, 9 Alex Mitchell (Saints/ England) #860; 1 Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/ Scotland) #868, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/ England) #851, 3 Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/ Ireland) #856; 4 Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/ Ireland) #838 (c), 5 James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #880; 6 Henry Pollock (Saints/ England) #865, 7 Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #874, 8 Ben Earl (Saracens/ England) #857.

Replacements: 16 Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #873, 17 Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/ England) #859, 18 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #818, 19 Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland) #871, 20 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #869, 21 Jac Morgan (Ospreys/ Wales) #861, 22 Ben White (Toulon/ Scotland), 23 Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855.