British and Irish Lions: Line-out ability is my edge – Chessum

The win over the Brumbies marked Chessum’s first back-row start for the Lions. He came off the bench and into the second row against the Western Force and started at lock against Queensland Reds.

He also finished the match in Canberra in the second row, swapping in after Henry Pollock replaced Joe McCarthy just before the hour.

Head coach Andy Farrell has emphasised the importance of players’ versatility to ensure his side can adapt tactically and cover injuries during the game.

The Lions have also prioritised having a line-out jumper in the back row on recent tours with Courtney Lawes starting all three Tests in South Africa in 2021 and Peter O’Mahony captaining the side in the first Test against New Zealand four years earlier.

Some observers have pegged the fixtures against the Brumbies – the strongest Australian province in this year’s Super Rugby competition – as a dry run for Farrell’s Test line-up.

However, Chessum says that with another warm-up game to come against an invitational Australia and New Zealand XV in Adelaide on Saturday – and the hectic schedule leading into the first Test on 19 July – he is taking every day as it comes.

“I don’t know what to expect!” he said of the series opener in Brisbane.

“These past two weeks has been an absolute blur. You play a game, you are on a flight, we land in the next city, we have a captains’ run and then we are playing again.

“It has been really enjoyable but, as far as what is to come next weekend, as a squad we will see where we want to take the game.

“That is one thing that has been really good – it has been player led and hopefully we can have our input on what we are going to do next week.”