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British & Irish Lions make 7 changes for second Test versus Wallabies
By Ian Cameron
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has made seven changes to his team for the second Test against the Wallabies at the MCG in Melbourne.
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There are three changes to the starting XV, with a further four changes on the bench.
Bundee Aki replaces Sione Tuipulotu in the midfield, in an otherwise unchanged backline. The Scotland centre has a tight hamstring.
Andrew Porter starts at loosehead, with Ellis Genge dropped to the bench.
The Lions’ lone remaining Welshman, Jac Morgan, is named on the bench after featuring in the win against the First Nations XV & Pasifika XV at the Marvel Stadium on Tuesday. He replaces Ben Earl.
He is joined there by James Ryan, Owen Farrell and Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn.
There’s also an enforced change in the engine-room, where Ollie Chessum replaces injured first Test starter Joe McCarthy, who didn’t recover from a plantar fascia injury in time to be considered for selection in the second Test.
The Test is do or die for the Wallabies, who will cede the series to the visitors with a game to spare should they fail to tie the three-match tour 1-1 at the 100,000 capacity stadium in Victoria’s capital city.
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Farrell said: “We have put ourselves in a good position after the First Test, but we know there will be a massive reaction from this Wallaby team.
“Everyone saw the quality they have in Brisbane and we know we will have to be a lot better than we were last week.
“The opportunity to play in front of 100,000 supporters at the MCG, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, is what makes Lions Tours unique and special.
“And we know our Lions supporters will get behind the team on Saturday and create a fantastic atmosphere.”
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British & Irish Lions team for the second Test:
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Huw Jones
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Finn Russell
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Ollie Chessum
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Tom Curry
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher
17. Ellis Genge
18. Will Stuart
19. James Ryan
20. Jac Morgan
21. Alex Mitchell
22. Owen Farrell
23. Blair Kinghorn