Andy Farrell has made two changes to the British & Irish Lions team for Saturday’s third and final Test against Australia, with James Ryan and Blair Kinghorn coming into the starting line-up.

Both players made big impacts off the bench in last Saturday’s series-clinching second Test victory over the Wallabies in Melbourne and each played a important part in the final attacking sequence that led to Hugo Keenan’s try which secured the Lions’ dramatic 29-26 victory.

Ireland lock Ryan comes in for Ollie Chessum to partner captain Maro Itoje in the second row, while Scotland’s Kinghorn replaces James Lowe on the left wing.

Otherwise, the Lions are unchanged with tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong set to make his ninth consecutive Lions Test start in an all-Irish front row alongside Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan.

Try-scoring flankers Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry continue in a settled back row with Jack Conan at No.8, while the backline sees half-backs Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell and the centre pairing of Bundee Aki and Huw Jones retained with Kinghorn slotting into a back three alongside fellow wing Tommy Freeman and full-back Keenan as head coach Farrell bids to complete a 3-0 series victory over Joe Schmidt’s Australia.

The selection means there is no place for Ireland openside flanker Josh van der Flier while Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen are also omitted despite returning to training this week following foot injuries. Garry Ringrose was unavailable due to concussion return to play protocols.

“We have put ourselves in a great position to finish this Tour with our best performance to date and create our own piece of history,” Farrell said on Thursday.

“Last weekend’s Test match in Melbourne was an incredible spectacle and illustrated how special Lions Tours are and what they mean to both the players and the supporters.

“We are expecting another epic battle this weekend against a Wallaby side that showed their quality last week.” 

The Lions bench, which made such a vital contribution to the victory at the MCG, has been switched from a 5-3 split between forwards and backs to a 6-2, with Ben Earl restored as a third back-rower alongside Jac Morgan and Chessum, who can cover lock and blindside.

Schmidt has made four changes to the Wallabies starting side for this Saturday’s 82,000 sell-out crowd at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Racing 92-bound tighthead prop Taniela Tupou comes in for his first Test appearance of the year having faced the Lions nine days ago for the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Tupou replaces the injured Allan Alaalatoa, partnering hooker David Porecki and loosehead James Slipper, now set for his 147th international.

Rob Valetini has been rested after his explosive 40-minute comeback from injury in last Saturday’s second Test and is replaced at blindside flanker Tom Hooper alongside fellow back-rowers Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson.

There is a freshen up at scrum-half where Nic White has been named to start in his 73rd and final Wallabies Test having announced his retirement from Test rugby earlier on Thursday. White replaces Jake Gordon.

The final change sees Dylan Pietsch replace the injured Harry Potter on the left wing.

“The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week’s Test in Melbourne,” Schmidt said, “but they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on Saturday.” 

AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson – captain.

Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway 

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland); Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) – captain. James Ryan (Leinster/Ireland); Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland).

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Will Stuart (Bath/England), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Ben Earl (Saracens/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Owen Farrell (Saracens/England).