Saints wing Tommy Freeman gets first Test call for British & Irish Lions against Australia

Club-mate Alex Mitchell is also in line for his Lions Test bow as he is named on the replacements’ bench, but there is no place in the 23 for either Henry Pollock or Fin Smith.

Marcus Smith has got the call as back up instead of the Saints no.10, while Ben Earl has edged out Pollock for the back row spot on the bench.

Head coach Andy Farrell named his team on Thursday morning, and Saints and England star Freeman got the nod.

Farrell has chosen to field an all-Scottish fly-half and centre trio for the first time in history as Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones all start, with Ireland and England players making up the rest of the starting line-up.

There is no representative from Wales in a Lions touring Test team for the first time since 1896.

Farrell admitted that Saints sensation Pollock had been close to selection, but said somebody had to miss out.

"You're actually gutted for players like Jac (Morgan), Josh (van der Flier) and Henry because playing good rugby they could easily have been in this side on Saturday," said Farrell.

"I suppose it just shows the good place we're at as a group."

Lions team to face Australia at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday, July 19 (ko 11am): Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje ©, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan. Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki