Lions make two changes as Morgan stays on the bench
Andy Farrell has made just two changes for the British and Irish Lions third test match against Australia in Sydney on Saturday, with James Ryan and Blair Kinghorn coming into the starting XV.
Ryan and Kinghorn coming into the team for Ollie Chessum and James Lowe respectively, with the former moving onto the bench and the latter dropping out of the squad.
Wales’ only Lion, Jac Morgan, is on the bench again, having impressed in the final stages of the second test in which Farrell’s team wrapped up the series with a game to spare.
Despite the match being a dead rubber, Farrell has rotated very little. Ryan is one of nine Irish players in the starting line-up and becomes Maro Itoje’s third different starting Test partner in the second-row, Chessum and Joe McCarthy being the others.
The bench is the only major change, as Ben Earl returns to form a 6-2 split, with Alex Mitchell and Owen Farrell covering the backs.
Mitchell is the only player on the 2025 tour to appear in every game.
Farrell has opted against giving test caps to the likes of Pierre Schoeman, Josh van der Flier, Mack Hansen, or Henry Pollock, aiming instead for a 3-0 sweep of the series.
The Lions are bidding to become the first of their kind to win three Tests in a row since Willie John McBride’s side of 1974 in South Africa. If they manage to win Saturday’s Test they will become the first Lions outfit to complete a clean sweep since they won 4-0 in Argentina in 1927.
For the Wallabies, Joe Schmidt is without his talisman from the second test, Rob Valetini. The powerful flanker was at the heart of all Australia’s good play, but was taken off at halftime at the MCG as he was not fully fit.
Australia are also without Allan Alaalatoa who is nursing a shoulder issue. Taniela Tupou returns at tighthead prop in his place.
Nic White will don the green and gold for the final time in Syndey, and comes straight into the starting XV, replacing Jake Gordon.
Teams
Australia
Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph Akuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt).
Replacements
Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway
British and Irish 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, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell.
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