Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Joe McCarthy starts in the Lions second row today.Billy Stickland/INPHO 'Big Joe' and the Lions look to lock in Test spots against Brumbies Andy Farrell is hoping his side go up a few gears in Canberra. 1.01am, 9 Jul 2025 Share options Murray Kinsella Reports from Canberra AS MARO ITOJE was listing out the big Lions ball-carriers he hopes to see punching at the Brumbies defence today [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports], he named “Big Joe McCarthy” among them. It seems the prefix applied to McCarthy within the Ireland squad has caught on in Andy Farrell’s Lions group too. The Irish lock is a big fella, to be fair. He’s the bulkiest second row in the Lions squad, weighing in at around 124kg and standing 6ft 6ins tall. McCarthy is explosive too, as everyone was reminded by his big performance against the Western Force. McCarthy has only had one other appearance off the bench against the Reds before returning to the starting XV for today’s clash with the Brumbies, but he has been pencilled into most people’s predicted Test match 23s. We know Farrell is a big fan of McCarthy’s all-action physicality, so this must feel like a huge opportunity for the Leinster man to lock down a Test spot as he plays alongside captain Maro Itoje. “He’s obviously a great player,” said Itoje of McCarthy. “He’s been on fine form and I’m looking forward to playing with him.” Farrell has plenty of other options alongside Itoje for the Tests, of course, including McCarthy’s Irish team-mates Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan. But being in this strong Lions team to take on the Brumbies feels like the ideal place to be. Deliver a big performance alongside Itoje 10 days out from the opening Wallabies clash and it will surely mean being in pole position. Advertisement Andy Farrell is expecting to see a big performance.Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO “I think they will complement each other really well, both showing good form in their last game,” said Farrell of what he wants to see from McCarthy and Itoje. “Continuity is pretty important to be able to add to that, I suppose there’s no doubt that they would have listened to what everyone’s been saying around as far as the performances, etc. It’s up to them to make sure that they take a step forward.” The same applies to this entire 23, even if the rest of the Lions will have one final audition on Saturday against the AUNZ Invitational team in Adelaide. Following last weekend’s scrappy performance against the Waratahs, Farrell and his assistants are keen to see this Lions 23 move closer to a Test match mentality. “You want to see them stay in every single moment of the game and I know that sounds harsh and almost impossible to do but they understand 100% now, and have done for a week or so, what is expected of them to be the best teammate that they can possibly be,” said Farrell. “So, that’s what we’re judging them on, the expectation of that and what it takes to be the best version of themselves but also what it takes to be part of this team and they understand that because ultimately that’s what is going to make us successful or not.” The Brumbies are missing their key Wallabies, but Stephen Larkham’s side are determined to make the Lions uncomfortable. They famously beat the Lions back in 2013 in a final midweek games before the first Test but that was a very strong Brumbies side including Scott Fardy, Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight, Jesse Mogg, Matt Toomua, Scott Sio, Sam Carter, and Colby Faingaa. Brumbies boss Stephen Larkham.Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO There is talent in this Brumbies selection and there will be a big crowd of well over 20,000 people roaring them on, but they know it’s an onerous task to try and take down a Lions team that means business. Fullback Andy Muirhead is always a threat, lightning-quick wing Corey Toole should have some big moments, blindside Tom Hooper played for the Wallabies off the bench last weekend, and brothers Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan are popular local figures. After the lovely mild winter weather in Sydney and Newcastle, it has been chillier here in Canberra this week, but the Lions are expecting to turn up the heat as that first Wallabies Test looms. BRUMBIES: Andy Muirhead; Ben O’Donnell, Ollie Sapsford, David Feliuai, Corey Toole; Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan (captain); Lington Ieli, Lachlan Lonergan, Rhys van Nek; Lachie Shaw, Cadeyrn Neville; Tom Hooper, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima. Replacements: Liam Bowron, Cameron Orr, Feao Fotuaika, Lachie Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton. LIONS: Blair Kinghorn; Tommy Freeman, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje (captain), Joe McCarthy; Ollie Chessum, Tom Curry, Jack Conan. Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Josh van der Flier, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Mack Hansen. Referee: Pierre Brousset [France]. 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