British and Irish Lions squad: Ford on the bench for third Springboks Test

BRITISH and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa, with one Scot, Ross Ford, sitting on the bench.

A wrist injury has sidelined Wales star Jamie Roberts, so England's Riki Flutey forges a new midfield combination with Tommy Bowe, who switches from the wing.

Ugo Monye, dropped after the first Test defeat, returns in the number 14 shirt, with world player of the year Shane Williams starting instead of Luke Fitzgerald on the other wing.

England props Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery take over from injured pair Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, while back-row changes see starts for Wasps flanker Joe Worsley and Wales openside Martyn Williams.

The seven changes and one positional alteration mean just four players will have started all three Tests – fly-half Stephen Jones, scrum-half Mike Phillips, skipper Paul O'Connell and number eight Jamie Heaslip.

The Lions must win at Ellis Park to avoid suffering a Test series whitewash for the first time in 118 years of fixtures between the sides.

And no-one will be more fired up than Vickery, who returns for another confrontation with Springboks loosehead Tendai "The Beast" Mtawarira.

Vickery was scrummaged into oblivion by Mtawarira in Durban almost a fortnight ago.

"It is fair to say injuries have had an impact on the tour, as you would expect," said McGeechan.

"We were unfortunate to lose Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones through injury last Saturday.

"However, the players coming into the starting XV are all talented international players and are as keen as ever to turn the tables on the Springboks.

"Last Saturday, we were minutes away from winning, and that is a huge positive to take into the third Test."

McGeehan has opted for five forwards on the bench – hooker Ross Ford, prop John Hayes, lock Alun-Wyn Jones, plus flankers Tom Croft and David Wallace, who drop out of the starting XV.

Scrum-half Harry Ellis and fly-half James Hook will provide back division cover.

McGeechan added: "The 2009 Lions have thrown themselves into the spirit of the tour, interacted with the people of South Africa and shown themselves to be great ambassadors for northern hemisphere rugby.

"As a squad, they have met many challenges on the tour, including playing two matches per week, the inevitable injuries and two narrow Test losses.

"Despite this, they have remained a tight, focused squad."

Three players – Sheridan, Worsley and Martyn Williams – all make their full Lions Test debuts.


British and Irish Lions team to play South Africa in Saturday's third Test at Ellis Park in Johannesburg:

R Kearney (Leinster and Ireland); U Monye (Harlequins and England), T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), R Flutey (Wasps and England), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales); S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), P Vickery (Wasps and England), S Shaw (Wasps and England), P O'Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt), J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), J Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland).
Replacements: R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), J Hayes (Munster and Ireland), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), D Wallace (Munster and Ireland), T Croft (Leicester and England), H Ellis (Leicester and England), J Hook (Ospreys and Wales)