All change for wounded Lions
on 02/07/2009 12:50:50
British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa.
A wrist injury has sidelined Wales star Jamie Roberts, so England's Riki Flutey forges a new midfield combination with Tommy Bowe, who switches from the wing.
Ugo Monye, dropped after the first Test defeat, returns in the number 14 shirt, with world player of the year Shane Williams starting instead of Luke Fitzgerald on the other wing.
England props Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery take over from injured pair Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, while back-row changes see starts for Wasps flanker Joe Worsley and Wales openside Martyn Williams.
The seven changes and one positional alteration mean just four players will have started all three Tests - fly-half Stephen Jones, scrum-half Mike Phillips, skipper Paul O'Connell and number eight Jamie Heaslip.
British and Irish Lions team to play South Africa in Saturday's third Test at Ellis Park in Johannesburg: R Kearney (Leinster and Ireland); U Monye (Harlequins and England), T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), R Flutey (Wasps and England), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales); S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), P Vickery (Wasps and England), S Shaw (Wasps and England), P O'Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt), J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), J Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland).
Replacements: R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), J Hayes (Munster and Ireland), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), D Wallace (Munster and Ireland), T Croft (Leicester and England), H Ellis (Leicester and England), J Hook (Ospreys and Wales).