Andy Farrell admitted to being "gutted" for Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock after leaving the trio out of his British and Irish Lions team to face Australia.

The Lions will face the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in the first of three Tests, with contests in Melbourne and Sydney to come in the two weeks that follow.

Farrell named his starting XV for the first Test on Thursday, with most of those selected having been expected to win a shirt from the start of the tour. 

Those to miss out included Farrell's son Owen, who was brought into the touring party to replace the injured Elliot Daly, as well as Morgan, Van der Flier and Pollock.

Morgan's exclusion means Saturday's match will be the Lions' first since 1896 without a Wales player in the lineup, while Pollock was omitted despite impressing in the team's warm-up games. 

Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan will form the Lions' back row, which Farrell says was the area that caused him the biggest headache.

"That is the area of the squad that has been hotly contested and talked about for quite some time, rightly so because of the quality we have there," Farrell told reporters.

"We feel this is the right balance for the first Test. Tadhg has quality in the set-piece but also in his all-round game, as a jackler and a ball-playing six. 

"Tadhg has played in many big games when it really matters. He compliments Jack and Tom. That's the engine you need in Test match rugby. 

"Jac was as close as you could imagine to getting into the team. You are actually gutted for players like that, Josh and Henry as well. That shows the good place we are at as a group."

Our line up for Saturday's first Test! #Lions2025

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Asked if he prioritised experience when selecting his team, Farrell said: "You 100% throw everything into the mix. It is a big responsibility, representing this group. Test match rugby is what we came for. 

"It is a big responsibility to show each other how we are going to attack this game.

"You take into consideration a lot of things, like form, but a big part is also big-match temperament. I think we have a good few of those in the starting lineup."

Asked about the decision to omit his son Owen from the 23-man squad, Farrell said the former England captain will play against a First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"Owen was in contention like the rest of the players," Farrell said. "We feel Tuesday will be good for someone like Owen."

There are few surprises in Farrell's team overall, outside of Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter being named as replacements after being considered likely starters.

But Farrell insists the XV is very different to the one he would have named when the Lions first touched down in Australia in June.

"It would have been different, but that is a great thing. You have to stay open-minded and optimistic enough to do so," he said. 

"It has been a very thorough and rigorous process to get to this point. That is exactly what you want for selection for the first Test of a Lions series."