Wales captain Jac Morgan has been named on the bench for the British and Irish Lions' second Test against Australia.
The selection for the game at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground follows his historic omission from the first Test in Brisbane.
The back-rower was left out entirely last weekend, a decision that drew widespread attention as it marked the first time in 128 years that a Welsh player hadn’t featured in a Lions Test against one of the southern hemisphere giants.
Now, after a strong 50-minute showing in the midweek win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV, Morgan returns to the squad, replacing England’s Ben Earl among the replacements.
“It's hard to put into words," Morgan said ahead of his selection, when asked about the backing he was receiving from Welsh fans following the tour.
"I'm obviously chuffed and I'm trying to make everyone proud in a way. I've heard a couple of the cheers. It's great to have the support. There's a lot of Welsh out here."
Morgan, who became the sole Welshman in the squad following scrum-half Tomos Williams’ hamstring injury, is fully aware of the symbolic weight his selection carries.
His presence on the bench provides a timely boost for Welsh fans, many of whom have travelled to Australia in numbers, creating a strong "Sea of Red" across both Brisbane and Melbourne.
The Test will also see Morgan potentially go head-to-head with a Wallabies side desperate to level the series.
READ MORE: Jac Morgan Hails 'Unbelievable' Tom Curry Amid Wales Skipper’s Fierce Lions Rivalry
The Lions have a 1-0 advantage after their 27–19 victory in the opening Test, but history warns against complacency — they lost the second game in Melbourne in both 2001 and 2013 after taking initial leads in the series.
Head coach Andy Farrell made a total of three changes to the starting XV, with Morgan’s selection one of several notable moves.
England’s Owen Farrell returns to the Test arena from the bench, while Ireland’s Andrew Porter starts at loosehead and Ollie Chessum replaces the injured Joe McCarthy in the second row.
There was drama before the selection when Garry Ringrose voluntarily ruled himself out of contention after reporting symptoms related to a previous concussion.
“He didn’t feel right,” Andy Farrell said, describing the Leinster centre’s decision to step aside.
“It’s a recurrence of a concussion-related injury that had ruled him out of the first Test.”
READ MORE: Tom Curry’s Red Hot Lions Display Likely To Leave Jac Morgan Still Out In The Cold
With Ringrose stepping down and Sione Tuipulotu missing out due to a hamstring concern, Ireland’s Bundee Aki will now partner Scotland’s Huw Jones in midfield.
Morgan, meanwhile, has been using his time in camp to gather insights about his new Wales head coach, Steve Tandy — the former Scotland defence guru and Lions assistant in 2021.
"I've spoken to a lot of the Scottish boys and they've all said he's a great coach, but more than that he's a good bloke as well," Morgan said.
"They're all pretty gutted and said we're lucky so that speaks volumes in a way so we're looking forward to it."
READ MORE: Jac Morgan Blow Reveals The Pitiful Depth Welsh Rugby Has Fallen To
