SYDNEY (AP) — Taniela Tupou has been recalled at tighthead and Nic White will return for his final international appearance in a reworked Wallabies lineup trying to prevent the British and Irish Lions completing a 3-0 series sweep on Saturday night.
Australia coach Joe Schmidt on Thursday unveiled three injury-enforced and one tactical change to his starting XV and another two on the bench after the contentious, last-gasp 29-26 loss in the second test at Melbourne last weekend.
Lions coach Andy Farrell made two changes to his starting lineup for the third test, with Blair Kinghorn replacing James Lowe on the left wing and James Ryan replacing Ollie Chessum to join skipper Maro Itoje in the second row.
The Lions are 8-0 in Australia, including the victory in the first test in Brisbane, the second test in Melbourne, wins over Super Rugby franchises Western Force,Queensland Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies and two invitational teams.
They're aiming to be the first Lions squad to record an unbeaten tour since 1974, which finished with a 13-13 draw in the third test against the Springboks, and the first to sweep a three-test series since the lopsided victories in Argentina in 1927.
“We have put ourselves in position to finish this tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history,” Farrell said. “Last weekend's test match was an incredible spectacle. We are expecting another epic battle this weekend.”
Hooker Dan Sheehan is starting again alongside Irish teammate Tadhg Furlong, who is starting his ninth consecutive Lions test, and said before the squad was announced that there'd be no relenting from the tourists.
“We’ve always been pretty clear on our goals — to go unbeaten overseas and win the series 3-0,” he said. “So we just need to stick to what we said.”
For the Lions, the halves pairing of Finn Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park has been pivotal to their success in both tests so far, along with a consistent backrow featuring No. 8 Jack Conan and flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne.
For Australia, Tupou replaces the injured Allan Ala'alatoa and will combine with hooker David Porecki and 146-test veteran James Slipper in the front row.
Tom Hooper moved into the starting lineup on the side of the scrum to replace Rob Valetini and join a backrow containing No. 8 and captain Harry Wilson and openside flanker Fraser McReight.
The 35-year-old White missed selection in the first two tests against the Lions but has won a starting spot over Jake Gordon at No. 9 and will form another new partnership with flyhalf Tom Lynagh in one of two changes to the backline. It will be the 72-test veteran's last test before retirement. Dylan Pietsch replaced Harry Potter on the left wing.
“The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week’s test in Melbourne,” Schmidt said, “but they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on Saturday.”
Hugo Keenan's last-gasp try in Melbourne capped an extraordinary comeback win for the British and Irish Lions in the second test last, played in front of 90,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Lions rallied from 23-5 down in the first half to win the match and seal an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Wallabies captain Wilson remonstrated with the match officials, asserting that replacement flanker Carlo Tizzano had illegally been taken out of play as he stood over the ball. But Keenan’s try stood.
In 2001 and 2013 the Lions lost in Melbourne after winning the first match of a three-test series against the Wallabies and those series went to a decider in Sydney. A sweep is on the minds of both teams this time in what will be a sold-out former Olympic stadium in Sydney.
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Squads:
Australia: Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Lynagh, Nick White; Harry Wilson (captain), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Nick Frost, Taniela Tupou, David Porecki, James Slipper. Reserves: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Wiliams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Tommy Freeman (England), Huw Jones (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Finn Russell (Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland); Jack Conan (Ireland), Tom Curry (England), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), James Ryan (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England, captain), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Andrew Porter (Ireland). Reserves: Ronan Kelleher (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England). Will Stuart (England), Ollie Chessum (England), Jac Morgan (Wales), Ben Earl (England), Alex Mitchell (England), Owen Farrell (England).
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
The Associated Press
