WARREN Gatland has handed starts to eight Welshmen for the first Test against Australia on Saturday — but there are no places for Richard Hibbard and Toby Faletau.
Hibbard has to be content with a spot on the bench, while Faletau doesn't even merit a berth in the matchday squad.
But Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, George North, Mike Phillips, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and tour captain Sam Warburton are selected for the date in Brisbane.
Alex Corbisiero gets the nod at loose-head prop, Tom Youngs wins the vote at hooker and Jamie Heaslip is picked at No. 8.
Both Hibbard and Faletau can count themselves as unlucky, with Hibbard's big effort late on against the Brumbies failing to secure him the No. 2 shirt ahead of Youngs.
Evidently, the Englishman has been rewarded for his display against the Waratahs, when he found the target with nine line-out throws, albeit that seven of them were sent to the front.
In omitting Hibbard, the Lions have forfeited the Osprey's scrummaging power but that is counter-balanced by the selection of Corbisiero at loose-head prop ahead of Mako Vunipola.
"Technically Alex is probably a little bit sounder (than Vunipola) and potentially we feel we might have a little bit of an edge at scrum time, although it will be tough contest," said Gatland.
"Alex might also prove to be a better combination with Tom Youngs and Adam Jones, but there's no doubt Mako will have an impact for us coming off the bench."
A man-of-the-match display against the Brumbies wasn't enough to swing a place Faletau's way, with Gatland choosing Heaslip despite his unconvincing show against the Waratahs.
Faletau has cause for feeling aggrieved, and so does Sean O'Brien, with the back-row bench spot going to Dan Lydiate, a blindside specialist whereas O'Brien can cover all three spots.
But Lydiate will provide Gatland with defensive insurance in the event of Australia causing problems with their ball-carrying and at the breakdown.
Gatland admitted the selection had been challenging, but used the Lions' impressive 47-17 victory over the Waratahs last Saturday as his template for the Test team by retaining 11 of that starting XV.
"We went through due process and there was a good discussion about the team," he said.
"Obviously the make-up of the loose forwards was one, the make-up of the front row was a big discussion and the make-up of the midfield too,
"A lot of the players were rewarded for their performance last Saturday against the Waratahs. That was an extremely positive performance and a lot of those selected for Saturday played against the Waratahs.
"But given the attrition rate of the series it's important the rest of the squad stay focused. We're a really close-knit group and there's a positive feeling in the team."
British and Irish Lions team to face Australia at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, on Saturday June 22:
British & Irish Lions: L. Halfpenny (Wales); A. Cuthbert (Wales), B. O'Driscoll (Ireland), J. Davies (Wales), G. North (Wales); J. Sexton (Ireland), M. Phillips (Wales); A. Corbisiero (England), T. Youngs (England), A. Jones (Wales), A-W. Jones (Wales), P. O'Connell (Ireland), T. Croft (England), J Heaslip (Ireland), S. Warburton (Wales, capt). Reps: R. Hibbard (Wales), M. Vunipola (England), D. Cole (England), G. Parling (England), D. Lydiate (Wales), B. Youngs (England), O. Farrell (England), S. Maitland (Scotland).
