White gets fairytale sendoff for 'deflated' Wallabies, Lions make two changes

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt insisted on Thursday that picking retiring scrum-half Nic White for the third British and Irish Lions test was not a sentimental decision and he was banking on the veteran to help rally his "deflated" team.

White replaces Jake Gordon for his 73rd and last test after announcing his retirement from the international game following the clash in Sydney on Saturday.

He is one of two changes among the backs with Dylan Pietsch in for left wing Harry Potter, who pulled a hamstring in their epic 29-26 second test defeat in Melbourne last weekend, where they blew an 18-point lead.

Flanker Rob Valetini was injured in the match, failing to return for the second half after a calf niggle that kept him out of the 27-19 first test defeat in Brisbane flared up again.

He is absent in another setback for Australia, with first-choice tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa already ruled out with a shoulder problem.

Schmidt admitted it had been hard to lift the team this week.

"Incredibly deflated group," he said.

"Tuesday was tough, actually, to get them up off the canvas, and today there was a little bit of an upswing and we've just got to keep that momentum.

"Hopefully they can be sharp at captain's run tomorrow and then springboard their way into the test match."

With the series already lost, Australia are playing for pride, desperate to prevent a whitewash by Andy Farrell's dominant side.

Schmidt told reporters all three of his scrum-halves were available for selection, but White had fought hard to earn back his jersey after being overlooked in the first two tests.

"White's got such massive respect inside the squad that it seemed a fitting way for him to finish," he said.

"I'm not a sentimentalist. It's a test match and you pick people who are capable of playing that test match and we believe that Nic is.

"The forecast (for Saturday) is poor, so Nic's kicking game is another element of it, and his experience."

Tom Hooper comes in for Valetini, linking up with Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson in the back row, while Taniela Tupou replaces Alaalatoa to pack down with fellow prop James Slipper and hooker David Porecki.

Nick Frost and Will Skelton retain their spots as the locks.

The starting XV is otherwise unchanged for the final game of the Lions' nine-match tour.

White will link up with Tom Lynagh in the halves, with the 22-year-old given another chance to grow in the No.10 jersey.

Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are the midfield pairing for a sixth straight test, with Max Jorgensen on the other wing and Tom Wright at fullback.

AUSTRALIA (15-1): Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper; Will Skelton, Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, David Porecki, James Slipper. REPLACEMENTS: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.

LIONS MAKE TWO CHANGES FOR FINAL TEST

The British and Irish Lions made two changes on Thursday for the final test against the Wallabies, with James Ryan in at lock and Blair Kinghorn on the wing as they look to finish their Australia tour on a high.

Andy Farrell's side sealed the series last weekend in Melbourne with a stunning comeback, overturning an 18-point deficit to claw home 29-26, courtesy of a controversial last-gasp Hugo Keenan try.

They clinched the first test in Brisbane 27-19 and have won all eight games on tour so far.

But Farrell resisted resting any of his big guns for the showdown in Sydney as they go in search of a rare whitewash.

The last time the Lions went through a series unbeaten was in 1974 when they won the first three tests against South Africa and drew the last.

England's Maro Itoje again leads the side and is partnered in the second row this time by Ireland's Ryan, with Ollie Chessum dropping to the bench.

In the front row, the Irish trio of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong keep their places with Furlong set to start his ninth consecutive Lions test.

The backrow remains England's Tom Curry at openside flanker, Jack Conan at No.8 and fellow Irishman Tadhg Beirne at blindside.

The potent combination of Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park and Scotland's Finn Russell are again the half-back pairing with Ireland's Bundee Aki and Scotland's Huw Jones in midfield.

Scotland's Kinghorn is introduced into the back three at the expense of Ireland's James Lowe, alongside England's Tommy Freeman and Ireland's second test hero Keenan.

"Last weekend's test match in Melbourne was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions tours are and what it means to both the players and the supporters," said Farrell.

"We are expecting another epic battle this weekend against a Wallaby side that showed their quality last week."

BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS (15-1): Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Blair Kinghorn; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne; James Ryan, Maro Itoje (capt); Tadgh Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter. REPLACEMENTS: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell.