'Statement selection' has Ollie Chessum worried ahead of pivotal 2nd Lions Test

Ollie Chessum has challenged the British and Irish Lions to leave Melbourne Cricket Ground without regrets by rising to the occasion in Saturday’s collision with Australia.

Victory in the second Test would establish an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against the Wallabies and place them alongside the 1997 and 2013 Lions as the only successful tours in the professional era.

But Chessum insists Australia will be transformed from the side that was overpowered in the Brisbane opener following the return from injury of influential forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini.

“This is everything you have ever dreamt of,” said Chessum, who has replaced the injured Joe McCarthy in the second row.

“There’s no better time to walk towards the challenge – you’d be kicking yourself in years down the line if you didn’t.

“This is where – and I can’t speak for everyone, although I am fairly sure I can – everyone wants to be: on the biggest stage with the chance to win a Lions series at an arena like the MCG in front of our families. There’s nothing better.

Fixture

British & Irish Lions

Australia

26 - 29

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British & Irish Lions

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“Australia are going to draw on every emotional aspect of this game that they can. They are 1-0 down in the series but they are at the MCG, in front of their fans, on their home soil with the series on the line.

“We know they’re going to throw the kitchen sink at us and there’s a real statement in the team they’ve named as well.

“Maro (Itoje, captain) said it to us earlier in the week – what we produced last Saturday will not be good enough this Saturday.

“There’s a whole different beast coming down the road and we’ll have to front up and tackle it head on.”

The 27-19 victory in the first Test was built on the work of flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne, who made an immediate impact at Suncorp Stadium through Curry’s thunderous hit on James Slipper and Beirne forcing a breakdown penalty.

“They did a very good job of setting the intensity. Sat on the bench, I’d been sat down for about 30 seconds when that first hit went in,” Chessum said.

“We knew from then on that the tone was set for the game – for us and for them. I expect no different this week. I expect it to go up another level.”