Gatland makes 6 changes to his Lions XV for the third Test finale
Warren Gatland has made six changes to his starting team as the Lions look to clinch their Test series versus the Springboks in next Saturday’s deciding third Test in Cape Town. The Kiwi’s charges came unstuck in last weekend’s second Test, surrendering a 9-6 interval lead to lose 9-27 after they were held scoreless in the second half.
This has now resulted in Gatland taking remedial action similar to what happened in 2013 when he made six changes to his starting Lions team to face the Wallabies in that series decider after the opportunity to clinch the series with a game to spare wasn’t taken in Melbourne.
Half the starting pack was changed for that decider eight years ago, along with the infamous decision to axe veteran Lions midfielder Brian O’Driscoll and also make a change at scrum-half. This time around, though, Gatland has made four changes to his backline, with just two alterations in his pack.
Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Bundee Aki and Ali Price are all included at the expense of Stuart Hogg, Anthony Watson, Chris Harris and Conor Murray, with Robbie Henshaw repositioned to No13 from inside centre, while in the pack Wyn Jones and Ken Owens take over from Mako Vunipola and Luke Cowan-Dickie.
It means that Wales, the 2021 Guinness Six Nations champions, now provide the biggest Test team representation with six players compared to Ireland’s four, England’s three and Scotland’s two. The contrasting second Test breakdown was England six, Ireland four, Scotland three and Wales two.
Big selection calls this week – does Warren gamble from the start or bring on the game changers? @RugbyPass https://t.co/T7UX7t0wQX
— Ben Kay (@BenKay5) August 3, 2021
On the bench, Adam Beard, Finn Russell and Sam Simmonds feature for the first time in the Test series and will all win their first Lions cap should they take the field. Kyle Sinckler is also included having had his biting allegation dismissed at a disciplinary hearing. Rory Sutherland, Tadhg Beirne, Taulupe Faletau and Owen Farrell, used as replacements in last Saturday’s defeat, drop out of the matchday 23.
“The matchday 23 have an incredibly special opportunity in front of them, to seal a Lions series victory in South Africa,” said Gatland. “It doesn’t get much bigger than this and we are excited by the challenge that faces us on Saturday. We have no excuses from last week, the Springboks put us under pressure in the second half and deserved the win. We have to be much better than that second-half performance and I believe we will be.”
LIONS (vs South Africa, third Test, Saturday)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales) #836
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland) #837
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5. Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) #787
18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19. Adam Beard (Ospreys, Wales) #852
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England) #849
21. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22. Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland) #835
23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
ICYMI – Interesting take on second test events from a 1997 series winning Lion…https://t.co/J4rNDal81p
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 3, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Fellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
5 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
1 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
5 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
5 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to commentsLove it when we overlap! Promise it was not forethought.
19 Go to commentsjfc can this guy plz stay out of the news for one week
3 Go to commentsIf stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game.
2 Go to comments