Garry Ringrose will miss the third British & Irish Lions Test against Australia on Saturday because of concussion, but the coaching staff have vowed to pick “the best team available” as they seek a first unbeaten series since 1974.
Ringrose reported concussion symptoms just before Andy Farrell, the head coach, was due to name his side for the second Test and that triggered a 12‑day stand-down period for the Ireland centre, ruling him out of the final game in Sydney. In better news for Farrell, Joe McCarthy, Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu all took a full part in training on Tuesday and are in contention.
Farrell sought to blow off any lingering cobwebs from the second-Test celebrations with a Squid Game challenge at the start of training. It was a version of “green light, red light”, a survival game based on stealth and the Ireland tighthead prop Thomas Clarkson was the first to be eliminated, but the Lions were soon down to business.
The head coach and his staff will meet on Wednesday night to finalise selection, but Farrell is not expected to make wholesale changes given the Lions’ pursuit of history. Maro Itoje is likely to captain the side again even though he has surpassed the mandated 30-game limit dictated by the Rugby Football Union.
“For this time of tour it’s amazing how many people we’ve got available,” the assistant coach Andrew Goodman said. “Unfortunately Garry has been ruled out of this Test match, but we have Mack, Joe, Sione all out there running today.
“We had a Squid Game challenge, green light, red light, the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye. It was a good craic.
“[The motivation to win 3-0] is huge. It’s everything for us as a group to get excited about. It was 1974 the last time a Lions team went through the Test series unbeaten, so there’s huge motivation for the group.
“[It will be] the best team available to win the series. That might look like some changes, that might look like consistency. We will see how the boys go through their recovery process over the next couple of days and whatever 23’s picked will go out there and do the best for the team.
“You’ve got to reward form when guys have been playing well and are match-hardened in those Test matches. It is a balance and I’m sure we’ll have some good discussions as we always have.”
Ringrose has been widely praised for speaking up about his symptoms last week. “He’s disappointed as you can imagine,” Goodman said. “Garry was playing some amazing rugby through this tour and someone who it’s been a dream of his for so long to represent the Lions and he’s managed to do that. But he wanted to be a Test-match Lion so it’s been devastating for him.
“He’s disappointed for himself, but he’s getting around everyone and making sure he helps prepare everyone as much as he can.”
