Andy Farrell has defended his decision to name a British and Irish Lions Test side without a Welsh player for the first time since 1896, saying Jac Morgan was “as close you could imagine” in terms of making the first Test XV vs Australia.

Not since the 1896 tour to South Africa have the Lions named a side which did not include a Welshman: a 21-player squad for that tour split as 12 from Ireland, seven from England and two from Scotland.

Back-row flanker Morgan is the last remaining Welshman on the current tour after scrum-half Tomos Williams’ serious hamstring injury last month, but the Wales captain was overlooked for Tom Curry in Saturday’s starting side and for Ben Earl on the replacements bench.

Morgan, named man of the match in the Lions’ 52-12 victory over Queensland Reds two weeks ago, had appeared in strong contention to start, with many predicting he would do so.

“Jac Morgan was as close as you could imagine,” Farrell told media on Thursday. “You’re actually gutted for players like that.

“Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock as well, because they are playing good rugby and could well easily be in this side on Saturday. That shows the good place that we’re at as a group.

“I suppose that’s [the back-row] the hotly-contested part of the side that has been talked about for quite some time, and rightly so because of the quality that we’ve got there.

“Obviously we feel that’s the right balance for the first Test [a back-row of Curry, Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan].

“The combination of Tadhg being the type of player that he is as far as his quality in the set-piece and his all-round ability either on the floor as a [breakdown] jackaller or a ball-playing No 6, which complements Jack Conan also.

“Tom Curry being the engine we all know you need in regards to Test match rugby.”

Asked if there was particular consideration given to representing all four nations in the Lions Test side, Farrell said he and none of his coaching staff discussed that as a factor.

“Honestly, as far as selection goes, we can’t get involved in that [representing all four nations],” Farrell said.

“You take every individual as it is in terms of who deserves to be picked. It just so happens Jac [Morgan] was unbelievably close and in great form so there’s not much more he could have done really.”

Lions first Test team in full

British and Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 Joe McCarthy, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan.

Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Bundee Aki.

Watch the first Australia vs British and Irish Lions Test on Saturday on Sky Sports The Lions & Main Event from 10am (kick-off 11am).

British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports

Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and seven warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.

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