GATLAND GAMBLES ON BACKS

WARREN GATLAND has gambled by picking Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell for the Lions in the win-or-bust second Test against New Zealand. The pair have never started together and have played only 75 minutes alongside each other on this tour. But they will now link up as fly-half and inside centre on Saturday in a game the Lions — 1-0 down — must win to keep the threematch series alive. The gamble means Lions boss Gatland has dropped the impressive centre Ben Te’o, who managed to keep Sonny Bill Williams quiet in the first Test. Gatland’s reputation is on the line — lose and it will be his 12th straight defeat to the All Blacks and the series will be gone. In another bold move, the New Zealander has left out Peter O’Mahony, who captained the side in Auckland last Saturday, bringing in tour skipper Sam

Warburton for the Wellington Test. Maro Itoje also comes into the starting line-up to add more dynamism to the ack, but Alun Wyn Jones retains his place despite a poor performance last week. The veteran Wales lock will play in his eighth consecutive Lions Test — experience counting in his favour. The rest of the forwards and back line are retained from the Auckland game. It is a show of faith in 31-year-old Welshman Jones. But by far the biggest call by Gatland (right) is selecting the green partnership of Farrell and Sexton. Sexton will line up at fly-half with Farrell outside him and the duo have been paired up in training this week. They played 51 minutes as the playmakers in victory against the Crusaders — after Jonathan Davies went off injured — and only 24 minutes at the end of the first Test after Sexton replaced Te’o. After the Crusaders win, Sexton extolled the virtues of having two playmakers. ‘At times Owen was at 10 and I was able to be his eyes and, at other times, he was able to be mine,’ he said. ‘It’s great when you’ve got somebody at 12 who can help you out that much. When he was at 10, I tried to help him as well. I thought we played well together.’ The All Blacks will be out to win their 48th consecutive Test at home. Coach Steve Hansen makes two changes — wing Waisake Naholo is in for the concussed Ben Smith and Anton Lienert-Brown moves to the No 13 shirt to replace Ryan Crotty. Israel Dagg shifts to full-back.