Warren Gatland’s team must win at Westpac Stadium to take the three-match series to a deciding clash following last weekend’s 30-15 defeat at Eden Park.
That game saw Gatland lament the inability of his forwards to dominate the contact area. Now, with another meeting with New Zealand on the horizon, the Lions have a point to prove to their experienced Kiwi boss.
“It’s up to us to make a statement on Saturday. As a player and as a person I am competitive and for us as a forward pack, we need to prove Warren wrong,” said prop Mako Vunipola.
“I’m not sure if he said that to motivate us or not, but I know that’s how I’ve seen it.
“We have pride at stake and we are going into this game wounded and with a lot of pride to make up. Hopefully that will help us on Saturday because it’s a huge challenge.”
Gatland has made two changes in his forward pack, Wales flanker Sam Warburton replacing Peter O’Mahony as skipper and Maro Itoje joining Alun Wyn Jones as the lock pairing.
Behin the scrum, the Lions have rolled the dice with twin playmakers Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell deployed in midfield. Farrell is at inside centre alongside Jonathan Davies, and the Scarlets captain joined by his Wales team-mates Liam Williams, Jones, Warburton and No 8 Faletau in the starting XV.
Ken Owens and Rhys Webb are among the replacements.
“We are feeling sharp and we’re excited for another opportunity to get out there. It has been intense in training after last week and we know we need to put in a better performance,” Vunipola said.
“The biggest focus for us as a forward pack is that we know we can get better. In the first Test we know the All Blacks got the better of us up front and we need to change that.
“We’re lucky we’ve got another opportunity to do it. As a player if you don’t have the desire or attitude to play in games like this then you’re in the wrong sport. It’s one of the biggest games of our lives.”
The Lions are firm underdogs in their quest to level the series at 1-1 and their inclusion of both Sexton and Farrell is an indication they are not going to die wondering. It could make for an entertaining clash with the All Blacks fielding a dynamite back division of their own.
“Both Owen and Johnny are huge students of the game. They bring line speed in defence as well as some good things in attack,” said Lions defence coach Andy Farrell.
“They have been joined at the hip in training for the last five weeks and they live and breathe rugby.
“For us it’s about character this week. It’s about manning up with everything on the line. It’s do-or-die for us and we’ve got some guys who have got some hurt inside them after the way the game went last week. The All Blacks are masters of not doing the same thing twice.
“We have to be ready for whatever they are going to bring. I didn’t think our energy was good enough last week and we let the All Blacks out too easily. It meant we went physically backwards as a result. Hopefully we can improve on that.”
While the Lions look intent to play, as they did at times in the first Test, the All Blacks too have shuffled their pack.
The injured Ryan Crotty and concussed Ben Smith step out of the side, with Anton Lienert-Brown and Waisake Naholo coming in. Israel Dagg takes Smith’s spot at full-back, with Naholo starting on the right wing.
No 8 and All Blacks captain Kieran Read said: “If anything this game is going to be even more physical than last week and we are looking forward to it. A Lions series is a pretty special thing to be involved in and hopefully that’s not lost on our players.
“We know we were in a massive Test match last week and it will be the same again. We want to bring energy and passion as All Blacks and we can’t wait for what the Lions are going to bring.
“They have utilised their whole squad well and they have a couple of guys on the bench who can make a big impact for them. We won’t change the way we are going to play, but if we have to adapt to certain things on the night, then we will do.”
All Blacks: Israel Dagg; Waisake Naholo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks; Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt)
Reps: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Ngani Laumape
Lions: Liam Williams; Anthony Watson, Jonathan Davies, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau, Sean O’Brien
Reps: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, CJ Stander, Rhys Webb, Ben Te’o, Jack Nowell
