Those outside the tour party will find out on early on Thursday morning Irish time as the head coach reveals his hand with particular interest on the decisions made at loosehead prop, inside centre and the make-up of the entire back five of the forward pack. Elsewhere in the team there are clear favourites for selection with Maro Itoje inked into the second row as tour captain and Dan Sheehan seemingly nailed on as starting hooker. So to the Lions Test half-backs with scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and fly-half Finn Russell having meshed instantly at nine and 10 in just two starts together, against the Queensland Reds and Brumbies. Others may have had their tickets punched sooner than expected by injury to a selection rival, such as Hugo Keenan at full-back in the likely absence of Blair Kinghorn due to a knee injury, and Tommy Freeman on the right wing now Mack Hansen has been kept out of training for a couple of days due to foot problem sustained in Adelaide last Saturday. So too Huw Jones, whose path to the outside centre pick has been hastened by Garry Ringrose’s concussion in Canberra last Wednesday. All three may well have earned their stripes in direct competition with their less fortunate colleagues, it should be said, but the process became more straightforward in light of those injuries. The loosehead prop position seems to be a straight decision between Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter, with both set to feature in the matchday 23, while at inside centre, there is the possibility that Bundee Aki, denied an all-Irish midfield pairing by Ringrose’s head knock, may disrupt the all-Scottish “Huwipulotu” combination of Jones and Sione Tuipulotu by stealing in to take the number 12 jersey. And then there is that back-row selection and the decision to be made about the approach Farrell and his coaches take around their lineout resources. Do they pick an extra lock at blindside flanker to complement the probable second-row selections of Itoje and Joe McCarthy, which means the number six jersey goes to Tadhg Beirne or Ollie Chessum, both of whom have had solid game time there on tour to date. Or will the Lions select a natural number six in the shape of Henry Pollock or Tom Curry and then rely on likely No.8 Jack Conan to augment the lineout jumping options. Then, from the outside looking in at least, the openside flanker selection looks like a minefield with a trio of top-end number sevens competing for the start, Jac Morgan of Wales, England’s Curry and Farrell’s first-choice Irish openside Josh van der Flier. No-one would be convinced any of those players were enjoying a restful Tuesday night’s sleep in Brisbane. Conan. Looking to start his fourth successive Lions Test at No.8 having been Warren Gatland’s first choice in South Africa four years ago, suggested as much on Tuesday after training at the superbly appointed facilities of the Anglican Church Grammar School, known in these parts as “Churchie”. "I think everyone will be a bit nervous but everyone has gone incredibly well, especially in the back row,” Conan said. “It's tough for the coaches, I'm sure, and hopefully we've given them plenty of headaches over the last while. “No matter who's been out there, they've taken their opportunity really well. It's about those lads who get to run out at the weekend to do right by the lads who aren't playing. It's going to be unbelievably special to play the first Test here so hopefully everyone can make the most of it. "There's huge amounts of class and talent in the back row. Even Chess and Beirney dropping into the back row as well, who are more traditional second rows but they've been fantastic as well. “It's been great to get to know the lads, to learn off them, to see how they do things, and to push each other on as well. Because that level of talent pushes everyone on to be your best and I think everyone has been. I don't think anyone can say they've been poor over the last few weeks. Especially in the back row, the standard has been unbelievably high so it's been a joy to play with the lads and get to know with them." As a veteran of the 2021 tour, Conan was able to give advice to those whose names are not called out for action. “We have another four huge games left and what are the chances that the team named for Saturday is the team for the next two Test matches? “Obviously there will be changes for that Pasifika game (next Tuesday in Melbourne), but rugby is unbelievably attritional these days and I am sure a lot of lads will get the opportunity. “So, don’t dip the head, keep your chin up and make sure you are training well and if someone goes down you are ready to slot in there and perform. Lads have done that unbelievably well the last few weeks with some lads dropping out lad and having to fill in having played on the Saturday and play again on the Wednesday. “A lot of lads will get a chance over the next few weeks. It’s not as if they won’t play. Things will change.”