Coach Warren Gatland named an unchanged team for the Test series decider against the All Blacks on Saturday, sticking with the side that edged a 24-21 win in Wellington.
Gatland said the players who levelled the series against the back-to-back world champions deserved a shot at winning the tourists’ first series in New Zealand since 1971.
“We felt we should reward the players for the result and the courage that they showed in coming from behind from 18-9 down, digging themselves out of a hole and then finishing strongly in that last 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.
Gatland said the All Blacks would be hurting after their first home loss in eight years and the Lions would have to improve again if they wanted to make history.
“We are all aware of how big this game is and we are expecting a backlash from the All Blacks,” he said.
“But the pleasing thing about the second Test is just how strong we were in the last 10 or 15 minutes in terms of energy and enthusiasm, so we still feel there’s another level in us.”
LIONS (15-1): Liam Williams (Scarlets/WAL); Anthony Watson (Bath/ENG), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/WAL), Owen Farrell (Saracens/ENG), Elliot Daly (Wasps/ENG); Johnny Sexton (Leinster/IRL), Conor Murray (Munster/IRL); Taulupe Faletau (Bath/ENG), Sean O’Brien (Leinster/IRL), Sam Warburton (capt, Cardiff/WAL); Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/WAL), Maro Itoje (Saracens/ENG); Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/IRL), Jamie George (Saracens/ENG), Mako Vunipola (Saracens/ ENG)
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens (Scarlets/WAL), Jack McGrath (Leinster/IRL), Kyle Sinckler(Harlequins/ENG), Courtney Lawes (Northampton/ENG), CJ Stander (Munster/IRL), Rhys Webb (Ospreys/WAL), Ben Te’o (Worcester/ENG), Jack Nowell (Exeter/ENG)
