BRISBANE, June 20 (Reuters) – Factbox on the three-test series between Australia and the touring British and Irish Lions ahead of Saturday’s first test in Brisbane:
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AUSTRALIA
Coach: Robbie Deans
Captain: James Horwill
Recent form:
Dec. 24 v Wales (Cardiff) – won 14-12
Nov. 24 v Italy (Florence) – won 22-19
Nov. 17 v England (Twickenham) – won 20-14
Nov. 10 v France (Paris) – lost 33-6
Oct. 20 v New Zealand (Brisbane) drew 18-18
Australia team named for first test v Lions at Lang Park:
15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Israel Folau, 13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Christian Leali’ifano, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-James O’Connor, 9-Will Genia; 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Ben Mowen, 5-James Horwill, 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-Benn Robinson
Replacements – 16-Saia Fainga’a, 17-James Slipper, 18-Sekope Kepu, 19-Rob Simmons, 20-Liam Gill, 21-Nick Phipps, 22-Pat McCabe, 23-Kurtley Beale
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British and Irish Lions
Coach: Warren Gatland
Captain: Sam Warburton
Recent form:
June 18 v ACT Brumbies (Canberra) – lost 14-12
June 15 v New South Wales Waratahs (Sydney) – won 47-17
June 11 v Combined Country (Newcastle) – won 64-0
June 8 v Queensland Reds (Brisbane) – won 22-12
June 5 v Western Force (Perth) – won 69-17
June 1 v Barbarians (Hong Kong) – won 59-8
Lions team named for first test:
15-Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14-Alex Cuthbert (Wales), 13-Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland), 12-Jonathan Davies (Wales), 11-George North (Wales), 10-Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9-Mike Phillips (Wales), 8-Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), 7-Sam Warburton (Wales, captain), 6-Tom Croft (England), 5-Paul O’Connell (Ireland), 4-Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 3-Adam Jones (Wales), 2-Tom Youngs (England), 1-Alex Corbisiero (England)
Replacements – 16-Richard Hibbard (Wales), 17-Mako Vunipola (England), 18-Dan Cole (England), 19-Geoff Parling (England), 20-Dan Lydiate (Wales), 21-Ben Youngs (England), 22-Owen Farrell (England), 23-Sean Maitland (Scotland)
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FIXTURES
First test June 22 Brisbane
Second test June 29 Melbourne
Third test July 6 Sydney
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HISTORY
Test meetings (since 1899): 20
Australia wins: 5
Lions wins: 15
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LAST SERIES:
Australia won 2001 series 2-1
First test (Brisbane) – Lions won 29-13
Second test (Melbourne) – Australia won 35-14
Third test (Sydney) – Australia won 29-23
(Compiled by Ian Ransom; Peter Rutherford)
