Australia vs British & Irish Lions – Test series: Live score, team news and updates as Andy Farrell’s men eye series whitewash against the Wallabies

It’s amusing to recall that, when the Lions last played in Sydney four weeks ago, head coach Andy Farrell claimed after a narrow victory over the Waratahs that the home side had excessively watered the pitch at Allianz Stadium, in order to negate the British and Irish tourists’ attacking game. Everything is relative.

Conditions here at Accor Stadium, on the outskirts of the same city, are far worse tonight than they were a handful of miles away on July 5. It has been absolutely lashing down for hours, with the rain swirling around and drenching most spectators, who have repeatedly fled the stands to escape the deluge. Good luck to both teams trying to handle the ball…

Carlo Tizzano has been blasted for diving following last week’s Test in Melbourne.

Some from within the rugby community have lashed out at the Wallabies star after he appeared to fall away from a ruck, clutching his head after he was cleared out by Jac Morgan.

James Haskell slammed the Wallabies flanker for the action, while former Australia star Morgan Turinui clapped back at the officials for not awarding a penalty against the Lions for Morgan’s clear out.

While Joe Schmidt fumed, it seems like we’ve had some clarity from World Rugby, with CEO Alan Gilpin offering his view on the contentions moment…

Mail Sport’s Nic Simon and Kevin Quigley caught up with the retiring footy star, Nic White, on their travels of Australia.

Watch Lions: Roar & Uncut here…

Blair Kinghorn has similarly laid-back, languid body language to his fellow Scot, Finn Russell. With one leg heavily strapped, the Toulouse back – who operating on the wing today – has just been practising his long-range goal-kicking. Let’s just say it appears to involve minimal exertion but maximum impact.

From a short run-up and with a casual swing of the boot, Kinghorn was propelling the ball high between the posts from the halfway line and beyond. If the Lions need someone to take a shot from distance tonight, he’ll be ready to step up – without being fazed in the least.

Nic White has been described as the ‘ultimate competitor’ by Joe Schmidt.

The man with the moustache has enjoyed a glittering career at the top of the game, with this being his 73rd Test appearance for Australia.

He began playing for the Wallabies back in 2013 during a Test match against Argentina in Perth and would go on to become the side’s first-choice scrum half, scoring six tries for his national side.

White had wanted to run the water in tonight’s match, but Schmidt had other ideas.

‘Whitey’s got such massive respect inside the squad that it seemed a fitting way for him to finish,’ the Wallabies boss said.

‘I’m not a sentimentalist. It’s a Test match, and you pick people who are capable of playing that Test match – and we believe that Nic is.’

And that was reflected this week when the Wallabies paid homage to their retiring team-mate, by turning up for their squad photo shoot all wearing moustaches.

‘Nic has an excellent kicking game. He has the confidence of the players, and he has a really good game under his belt against Fiji I thought he played really well against the British and Irish Lions for the Western Force. He’s built his way into contention,’ Schmidt added.

Now, White has revealed what it means to him to play for Australia.

‘Pulling on the gold jersey was a dream of mine when I was a young boy in Scone and to say I’ve done it 72 times, with one last crack on Saturday night, is something I’m incredibly proud of and a privilege I’ve never taken for granted,” White said.

‘Rugby has given me so much to be grateful for. I’ve made some incredible memories, some lifelong friendships and had the opportunity to see the world.’

Ahead of the game, Joe Schmidt has made some interesting comments to Sky Sports, revealing that this tour was all about building and growing rugby union in Australia…

We just have to try and bank the belief we built from last week. It’s going to be a very tough evening conditions-wise.

For us it was never about the series. It was always about trying to build our way forward. This time last year we just started a group getting connected and playing together and just building on that really.

It’s just such a big event a Lions tour, you can maybe get a little bit distracted from those little bits and pieces you need to get right in the middle of the game.

We’ve just tried to focus on those and improve them so we can take them into the rugby championship after this.

Joe Schmidt has made several noteworthy changes ahead of today’s final Test.

Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou comes into the fold for his first start in the green and gold, replacing Allan Alaatoa.

Meanwhile, flanker Rob Valetini has been replaced by Tom Hooper.

But the big news for the Wallabies is Nic White is set to return to start for the Wallabies in what’ll be his final Test for Australia after he announced his retirement from international rugby.

Here’s your full Wallabies XV to take on the Lions…

So the discourse for this week has related fully to Jac Morgan’s controversial clear-out in the dying embers of last week’s Test in Melbourne.

The Lions clinched a last-gasp victory and the series against Australia thanks to Hugo Keenan’s try in the dying embers of the match.

It was a remarkable moment but there was controversy with Morgan’s clear-out on Carlo Tizzano at the breakdown in the phase prior to Keenan’s try being checked by Andrea Piardi.

Morgan’s clear-out was deemed fair by the referees but Joe Schmidt had another opinion. The Aussie boss claimed that Morgan had hit Tizzano high on the next with an illegal clear-out and the try should not have stood.

But his comments prompted furious backlash from around the rugby world with James Haskell hitting out at Schmidt for his post-match comments…

It is absolutely lashing it down right now in Sydney.

In some areas of New South Wales, we’ve had nearly 15mm of rain falling over the last five hours.

So the final test of this year’s British and Irish Lions tour to Australia is upon us, and Andy Farrell’s side are looking for a whitewash here at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.

You’ll have to go back to 1927 to find the last time the Lions won every game in a series…

However, Australia will be keen to prevent the total shutout with Joe Schmidt having named mulitple changes for the match.

Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper both come into the side while Nic White starts at scrum half.

Meanwhile, Farrell has named a fairly unchanged side to take on the Aussies, with Tom Curry and Sione Tuipulotu both starting over Jac Morgan and Bundee Aki.

We’re an hour away from kick off so stay with us as we’ll be bringing you all the latest news updates and commentary from the Accor Stadium.