Lions look to Ali Price and Finn Russell to unlock South Africa defence

Warren Gatland hopes Ali Price and Finn Russell can help unshackle the Lions attack as they seek victory in the third Test decider against South Africa on Saturday.

Ali Price has been backed by Warren Gatland to up the tempo for the Lions. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

The tourists struggled to pierce the home defence during last weekend’s 27-9 defeat which left the series tied at 1-1.

Price has been recalled at scrum-half to inject more tempo while his Scotland half-back partner Russell has been earmarked for a second-half role off the bench.

Gatland hopes the maverick fly-half can unlock South Africa’s watertight defence later in the game.

Gatland, the Lions head coach, has made six changes to his starting XV and has also urged the officials to let the game flow after repeated stoppages in an ugly second Test that saw each half last over an hour.

“We want to keep the tempo of the game up, to get the ball in and out of scrums, to get the ball in quickly at lineouts, to play and get a flow,” said Gatland.

“We’ve been pleased with Ali on this tour in terms of the tempo that he’s brought, and that’s why we are moving him back in.

“Finn just adds something a little bit different and hopefully in that second half when things do loosen up a little bit, he can come on and add something.”