Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt insisted on Thursday on picking retiring scrumhalf 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.
White’s retirement comes just a fortnight ahead of the first of two Tests between the Springboks and Wallabies in the Rugby Championship.
Blew an 18-point lead
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.
‘Massive respect’
Schmidt told reporters all three of his scrumhalves 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.
TEAMS
Australia
15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway
British and Irish Lions
15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Jac Morgan, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Owen Farrell
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Kick-off: 12:00 (SA time)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
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