Garry Ringrose out of third Test with concussion as Lions set sights on whitewash
Ringrose reported concussion symptoms just before Andy Farrell was due to name his side for the second Test and that triggered a 12-day stand-down period, ruling the Ireland centre out of the game in Sydney. In better news for Farrell, Joe McCarthy, Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu all took a full part in training on Tuesday and are in contention.
Farrell sought to blow off any lingering cobwebs from the second-Test celebrations with a Squid Game challenge at the start of training. It was a version of 'green light, red light', a survival game based on stealth and the Ireland tighthead prop Thomas Clarkson was the first to be eliminated, but the Lions were soon down to businessh.
Farrell and his coaching staff will meet on Wednesday night to finalise selection, but he is not expected to make wholesale changes given the Lions' pursuit of history. Maro Itoje is likely to captain the side again even though he has surpassed the mandated 30-game limit, dictated by the Rugby Football Union.
'For this time of tour it's amazing how many people we've got available,' said assistant coach Andrew Goodman. 'Unfortunately, Garry has been ruled out of this Test match, but we have Mack, Joe, Sione all out there running today.
'We had a Squid Game challenge, green light, red light, the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye. It was a good craic.
'[The motivation to win 3-0] is huge. It's everything for us as a group to get excited about. It was 1974 the last time a Lions team went through the Test series unbeaten, so there's huge motivation for the group.
'[It will be] the best team available to win the series. That might look like some changes, that might look like consistency. We will see how the boys go through their recovery process over the next couple of days and whatever 23's picked will go out there and do the best for the team.
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'You've got to reward form when guys have been playing well and are match-hardened in those Test matches. It is a balance and I'm sure we'll have some good discussions as we always have.'
Ringrose has been widely praised for speaking up about his symptoms last week. 'He's disappointed as you can imagine,' said Goodman. 'Garry was playing some amazing rugby through this tour and someone who it's been a dream of his for so long to represent the Lions and he's managed to do that. But he wanted to be a Test-match Lion so it's been devastating for him.
'He's disappointed for himself, but he's getting around everyone and making sure he helps prepare everyone as much as he can.'
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