The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Talking points
The British and Irish Lions must win today’s third Test in Auckland to claim a first series victory over world champions New Zealand since 1971.
New Zealand have not lost successive home Tests since 1998.
New Zealand have never lost at Eden Park in rugby union’s professional era.
The Lions’ record at Eden Park is dismal, losing nine, winning one and drawing one of the Tests played there. three Tests, the lowest total since 2001.
Three changes were made after the 30-15 defeat in the opener and the starting team which helped earn a thrilling 24-21 victory in Wellington has been given the opportunity to secure a first series win over the All Blacks since 1971.
For the fourth tour in a row no Scottish players have made the line-up, although full-back Stuart Hogg was in contention to start before a cheek injury ended his stay in New Zealand.
The most recent Lions tour, in 2013, saw Gatland use 24 players across his three Test starting line-ups – with Wales providing half of those and accounting for 26 of the 45 starts in the series.
Six others featured only from the bench, with Justin Tipuric adding to the Welsh contingent and England’s share growing to nine of the 30 players used.
The 2009 and 2005 tours provide similar figures, with 25 starters each time.
The South Africa tour in 2009 saw 30 players used in all, with a roughly equal split between England, Ireland and Wales, while England provided 16 of the 31 players to win Test caps against the All Blacks in 2005. That essentially marked the start of the modern approach to squad rotation on a Lions tour, with 2001 providing a marked contrast as coach Graham Henry used only 17 players across the three Tests.
That tour also marked the last time a Scotland player started a Lions Test, with prop Tom Smith ever-present.