There will be a first Lions tour start not just for the two Irishmen but also for Huw Jones, who forms a midfield partnership with Bundee Aki. It is the third different centre combination in three games.
Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Will Stuart will also start for the first time in the front-row as will Ollie Chessum at lock and Jack Conan at number eight.
Ireland’s James Ryan is set to make his Lions debut off the bench against the Reds.
“Here we go now,” said Farrell in rainy Brisbane. “This is proper touring. Games are coming thick and fast.
“Three games in eight days and it keeps on rolling after that, so this is the exciting part of the tour for us. We’ve just been outlining to the lads this morning, actually, what the weeks are going to look like.
“Not much training out there on the field, but plenty of mental preparation. We see it as a great opportunity for ourselves to be fast-tracking our ambition, our potential as a team.”