James Ryan and Blair Kinghorn to start final Lions Test in Australia as Farrell makes two changes to team

Irish Independent

3 days ago

The Ireland second-row had an influential cameo off the bench in last Saturday's come from behind win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with Kinghorn also performing well in the dramatic end-game.
Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen miss out despite returning to training this week, while Josh van der Flier misses out once again despite Farrell's decision to go with a 6/2 bench split of forwards and backs with Ben Earl preferred.
Otherwise, it's as you were as Tadhg Furlong makes his ninth successive Lions Test start as part of an unchanged front-row along with Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan.
Ryan is partnered by captain Maro Itoje in the second row, with Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan retained in the back-row.
Jamison Gibson-Park partners Finn Russell once again at half-back, Bundee Aki and Huw Jones continue in midfield and the hero of Melbourne, Hugo Keenan, joins Tommy Freeman and Kinghorn in the back three.
On the bench, Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge and Will Stuart cover the front-row, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan and Earl cover the back five of the scrum and Alex Mitchell and Owen Farrell are the reserve half-backs.
Coach Farrell said his side are determined to make history by winning a Test Series 3-0 for the first time in the modern era.
'We have put ourselves in a great position to finish the Tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history,' he said.
'Last weekend's Test in Melbourne was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions tours are and what they mean to both players and sporters. We are expecting another epic battle.'
Australia, meanwhile, have made four changes to their starting XV from last week's heart-breaking defeat.
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Racing 92 bound tighthead prop Taniela Tupou returns to the team for his first Wallabies game of the season, replacing the injured Allan Ala'alatoa. Blindside flanker Tom Hooper comes in for Rob Valetini who is also injured.
Behind the scrum, 35-year-old Nic White makes his final appearance in the gold jersey as he replaces Jake Gordon, with winger Dylan Pietsch replacing Harry Potter on the left wing.
On the bench, there's no place for Carlo Tizzano who was injured in that fateful final clear out by Jac Morgan. Tizzano trained today, but Schmidt took him out of the firing line after he missed training with a neck issue, while he also copped online abuse after the incident.
With the Western Force flanker out, Joe Schmidt reverts to a 5/3 bench split with Andrew Kellaway returning as prop Zane Nonggorr replaces Tom Robertson.
AUSTRALIA – Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'I, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
LIONS – Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Blair Kinghorn; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje (capt), James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan. Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Bem Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell.