England's Maro Itoje set for first captaincy as he leads Lions against Argentina
Here's a more engaging rewrite of the article:
Rugby Showdown in Dublin: Lions Face Off Against Argentina
The British & Irish Lions are ready to rumble, leading with England international Marcus Smith at full-back! This electrifying team also features a dynamic pairing of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith as the half-backs.
Ireland's Tadhg Furlong, who's been battling a calf injury, is raring to go as he's included on the bench along with fellow Irish hooker Ronan Kelleher. Are you hyped yet? The Lions' coach, Andy Farrell, is thrilled to see Maro Itoje step up as captain for the first time, calling it a "truly special moment."
Over on the Argentine side, the powerhouse hooker, Julian Montoya, will be leading the charge. This comes just six days after Montoya's loss with Leicester in the English Premiership final against Bath. Santiago Carreras is at full-back, with Tomas Albornoz at fly-half, while the experienced Pablo Matera and Saracens flanker Juan Martin Gonzalezjoin forces in the back row.
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi shared, "We know all their players and we expect them to be playing hard." Despite their ranking as the fifth-best team in the world, Contepomi believes they can still snag a win, stating, "They miss some cohesion or maybe not because they are such top players they can click in one moment."
Ready to see if the Lions can stand tall against Argentina? Keep an eye on these two squads as they clash in Dublin for a preliminary warm-up before the Lions embark on their main tour Down Under!
(Enrichment data: The starting lineups for the British & Irish Lions and Argentina are as follows. British & Irish Lions Starting XV: Marcus Smith (Full-back), Tommy Freeman (Right wing), Sione Tuipulotu (Outside centre), Bundee Aki (Inside centre), Duhan van der Merwe (Left wing), Fin Smith (Fly-half), Alex Mitchell (Scrum-half), Ellis Genge (Loosehead prop), Luke Cowan Dickie (Hooker), Finlay Bealham (Tighthead prop), Maro Itoje (Lock, Captain), Tadhg Beirne (Lock), Tom Curry (Flanker), Jac Morgan (Flanker), Ben Earl (Number 8). Argentina Starting XV: While the exact lineup isn't given, it is noted that Julian Montoya captains the Pumas and that nine of their starters have been retained from recent matches, including Montoya, J Sclavi, P Rubiolo, P Matera, JM González, J Oviedo, G Garcia, T Albornoz, L Cinti, and R Isgró. This match was the first Lions game held in Ireland, with Maro Itoje captaining the Lions for the first time, and it served as a warm-up before the Lions headed to Australia for the main part of their 2025 tour.)
Football lovers, don't forget to catch the European leagues action this weekend, with the Premier League making a thrilling comeback. Be sure to tune in to see how the British & Irish Lions, fresh from their rugby success in Dublin, will fare in football, led by their newly-appointed Premier League player, Marcus Smith.
