"Chessum vs Hooper" - 3 Key Battles: British & Irish Lions vs Brumbies

The British & Irish Lions’ 2025 tour of Australia rolls into Canberra, as Andy Farrell’s side take on Super Rugby’s best-performing Australian franchise, the ACT Brumbies. With just one more warm-up fixture after this before the Test series begins, the stakes are rising rapidly for those chasing a red jersey. This clash is no exhibition outing, it’s a final audition for the Test match side.

After a hard-foughy win over the Waratahs, Farrell has selected a squad brimming with cohesion and intent. Ireland stars Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose start together in midfield, while Ollie Chessum shifts to the back row amid questions over Henry Pollock’s fitness. In a headline selection at fly-half, Finn Russell gets the nod in the No.10 shirt, with Owen Farrell, despite being in camp, left out of the matchday squad entirely.

Here are three key battles to watch at GIO Stadium.

All eyes will be on the No.10 jerseys this Saturday, with Finn Russell looking to cement his grip on the Lions fly-half shirt, and Declan Meredith handed a rare shot at proving his Wallabies credentials. Russell, widely tipped to start the Test series, has Owen Farrell breathing down his neck after the England centurion arrived in camp as injury cover for Elliot Daly.

With Marcus Smith also waiting on the bench, the pressure is mounting, but the Scotsman thrives under such expectation. His dazzling quick-tap assist against the Reds was a glimpse of the magic he brings, and despite some injury concerns, the Bath man has been backed to run the show once again in Canberra.

For Meredith, it’s a golden opportunity. The Brumbies playmaker is in unfamiliar territory with just four Super Rugby starts this season, all of which came back in March. With Noah Lolesio sidelined following a worrying neck injury in the Wallabies’ win over Fiji this past weekend, Meredith now has the platform to throw his name into Test squad contention.

Stepping up against one of the best playmakers in the world, this could be Meredith's spotlight moment. Expect the Australian to test Russell with tactical kicking, while Russell will look to pick apart the Waratahs defence with vision and flair. It’s a classic battle of emerging promise versus established class, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for either man ahead of the Test series.

Andy Farrell is done experimenting, and cohesion is now king for the Lions head coach. After some defensive frailties were exposed in previous midfield pairings that included Sione Tuipuloutu, Farrell has reverted to the tried-and-tested Ireland duo of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose for the clash in Canberra.

This is a clear statement of intent, Aki and Ringrose have started countless Tests together and bring a telepathic understanding to the red jerseys. The selection also sends a warning shot to Scotland’s Huw Jones, who was arguably the Lions’ standout performer against the Waratahs with a brace of tries. Jones may have one foot in the Test XV, but Aki and Ringrose now have the perfect stage to respond.

On the opposite side, David Feliuai and Ollie Sapsford form a centre pairing brimming with potential but short on international experience. Feliuai has been a force for the Brumbies this year, with 12 starts from 12 at inside centre, he brings raw power and momentum through the midfield.

At 28, the Auckland-born centre is still uncapped but knocking loudly on the Wallabies' door after a strong first season in Canberra, following stints with the Rebels, Baia Mare in Romania, and Kagifa Samoa in the now-defunct Global Rapid Rugby competition.

Outside him, Sapsford, who is usually a winger, yet has shown flashes of quality at 13 akin to the Lions' own Tommy Freeman. With only five starts this Super Rugby season behind Wallabies regular Len Ikitau, Sapsford is still chasing his Test debut, but a strong showing here could turn heads. Capped at Australia A level last autumn against England A, this is a huge chance to show he belongs at the next level. A battle of proven synergy versus raw hunger, and a potential Test shirt hanging in the balance for every man in their respective midfields.

A battle between two towering forwards who are more accustomed to the second row, but whose versatility sees them deployed at blindside this Wednesday. This is a clash that highlights modern rugby's demand for adaptability and physicality, with squad depth no more apparent than upon a battle-tested British & Irish Lions tour.

Ollie Chessum has been a standout in the Lions pack during the early tour fixtures. He started in the second row alongside Maro Itoje in the bruising win over the Queensland Reds, and many saw that pairing as a potential Test match trial. But Chessum was left out of the match day 23 entirely for the Waratahs clash, which raised some questions after Henry Pollock withdrew with a calf concern on the morning of the game.

While no injury has been confirmed, there were whispers of a tight calf muscle. With Tadhg Beirne pushed to the back row and Scott Cummings promoted to the starting XV, the decision not to use Chessum sparked debate. Was it a fall down the pecking order, or a planned rest to keep him fresh for a final push toward Test selection as the Wallabies come ever closer?

On the other side is Tom Hooper, one of the most intriguing names in Australian rugby. The 24-year-old Brumbies forward was a bolt from the blue when Eddie Jones selected him for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Despite having just two caps at the time, Tom Hooper was selected to provide lock and back row coverage, with the decision then seeing Jones leave out Australian legend and namesake Michael Hooper.

Since then, Tom Hooper has racked up 11 caps and featured from the bench in last weekend’s Test win over Fiji. This season in Super Rugby, he’s been the Brumbies’ utility weapon, having started games at both lock and blindside, and even scoring a try from number eight. His ability to fill any jersey in the back five of the scrum makes him an invaluable asset for the Wallabies.

Both players are bruising, lineout-capable operators who pride themselves on work rate and versatility. Chessum is a set-piece technician with an eye on a Lions Test spot; Hooper is the Wallabies' Swiss army knife, trying to solidify his place in Joe Schmidt’s new-look squad. This battle is less about flash and more about grit, graft, and who can best adapt in unfamiliar territory.