W@tch team was captained by Martin Johnson, and lions started the series with a superb performence and won the first test but things took a turn around from the 2nd match and Lions lost both the games and hence end of up losing the series against Australia for the first time since 1930, Martin Johnson still holds the record leading lions in two tours.
WATCH ONLINE RUGBY HD TV
See Wallabies vs British & Irish Lions vs Australia Live Rugby 2013
Date: Saturday June 22
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 8.05pm AEST (11.05am UKST, 10.05 GMT)
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Romain Poite (France)
Australia: It would be wrong to not talk about a Wallaby debutant, but it is not Folau. Christian Lealiifano has been at the heart of the Brumbies resurgence over the last two seasons under Jake White - a transformation that has taken them to the top of the Australian Conference. Lealiifano as a result has come of age, working well either at 10 or 12 and bringing great vision, pace and guile to his backline. It is one majorly daunting task for the uncapped centre to debut against the best from the British Isles, but one he will rise to.
For British and Irish Lions: The Fox. Few expected to see Jonathan Davies wearing the 12 shirt for the Lions when he was selected, but needs must with the injuries to Jamie Roberts and Manu Tuilagi leaving the Lions threadbare in midfield. Davies' inclusion though is no shock - for all of the majesty of O'Driscoll, the Welsh centre has been quite outstanding on this tour throughout. It would have seemed harsh to exclude him regardless of Roberts' fitness. Instead the Lions field an unlikely combination, but two outstanding individual talents.
Head-to-head: Two influential number nines in Will Genia and Mike Phillips. Genia is perhaps best summed up by his absurd try in the 2011 Super Rugby Final - when nothing appears on to everyone else, he will make something happen. Possessing a strong kicking game, not to mention vision, pace and leadership abilities, there is arguably no greater scrum-half in the world other than perhaps Kahn Fotuali'i.
Phillips is a very different beast. At 6 ft 3, his six-inch height advantage is seen as crucial to the Lions success both by containing the fiery Wallaby scrum-half and taking him on when in possession. A capable strike-runner himself, Phillips has that ability needed to turn close Tests if he can find enough space.
Recent Results: 2001: Australia won 29-23 in Sydney, Australia won 35-14 in Melbourne, the Lions won 29-13 in Brisbane. 1989: the Lions won 19-18 in Sydney, the Lions won 19-12 in Brisbane, Australia won 30-12 in Sydney
Prediction: With seven matches on tour under their belt and with the Wallabies coming into this untested, the Lions should have the faster start and with it the victory. Lions by 5!
Australia: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Israel Folau, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Christian Leali'ifano, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Ben Mowen, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Pat McCabe, 23 Kurtley Beale.
British and Irish Lions: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 George North, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Makovina Vunipola, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Sean Maitland.
WATCH ONLINE RUGBY HD TV
See Wallabies vs British & Irish Lions vs Australia Live Rugby 2013
Date: Saturday June 22
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 8.05pm AEST (11.05am UKST, 10.05 GMT)
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Romain Poite (France)
Australia: It would be wrong to not talk about a Wallaby debutant, but it is not Folau. Christian Lealiifano has been at the heart of the Brumbies resurgence over the last two seasons under Jake White - a transformation that has taken them to the top of the Australian Conference. Lealiifano as a result has come of age, working well either at 10 or 12 and bringing great vision, pace and guile to his backline. It is one majorly daunting task for the uncapped centre to debut against the best from the British Isles, but one he will rise to.
For British and Irish Lions: The Fox. Few expected to see Jonathan Davies wearing the 12 shirt for the Lions when he was selected, but needs must with the injuries to Jamie Roberts and Manu Tuilagi leaving the Lions threadbare in midfield. Davies' inclusion though is no shock - for all of the majesty of O'Driscoll, the Welsh centre has been quite outstanding on this tour throughout. It would have seemed harsh to exclude him regardless of Roberts' fitness. Instead the Lions field an unlikely combination, but two outstanding individual talents.
Head-to-head: Two influential number nines in Will Genia and Mike Phillips. Genia is perhaps best summed up by his absurd try in the 2011 Super Rugby Final - when nothing appears on to everyone else, he will make something happen. Possessing a strong kicking game, not to mention vision, pace and leadership abilities, there is arguably no greater scrum-half in the world other than perhaps Kahn Fotuali'i.
Phillips is a very different beast. At 6 ft 3, his six-inch height advantage is seen as crucial to the Lions success both by containing the fiery Wallaby scrum-half and taking him on when in possession. A capable strike-runner himself, Phillips has that ability needed to turn close Tests if he can find enough space.
Recent Results: 2001: Australia won 29-23 in Sydney, Australia won 35-14 in Melbourne, the Lions won 29-13 in Brisbane. 1989: the Lions won 19-18 in Sydney, the Lions won 19-12 in Brisbane, Australia won 30-12 in Sydney
Prediction: With seven matches on tour under their belt and with the Wallabies coming into this untested, the Lions should have the faster start and with it the victory. Lions by 5!
Australia: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Israel Folau, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Christian Leali'ifano, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Ben Mowen, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Pat McCabe, 23 Kurtley Beale.
British and Irish Lions: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 George North, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Makovina Vunipola, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Sean Maitland.
