Australia Flanker Valetini Misses Final Lions Test

Australia v British and Irish Lions, 3rd Test

Venue: Accor Stadium Date: Saturday 2 August Time: 11:00 BST

Coverage: Live matter commentary connected nan BBC Sport website and app pinch post-match study connected BBC iPlayer, Radio 5 Live and nan Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Influential Australia flanker Rob Valetini misses retired connected nan 3rd and last Test against nan British and Irish Lions arsenic nan Wallabies look to debar a bid whitewash successful Sydney connected Saturday.

Valetini made a important first-half publication successful nan 29-26 2nd Test conclusion successful Melbourne but was withdrawn astatine nan interval and is now not progressive successful nan matchday squad arsenic he manages a calf problem.

Elsewhere, caput coach Joe Schmidt makes a fistful of changes arsenic nan Wallabies effort to retrieve from a "gut-wrenching" precocious conclusion successful Melbourne.

The knowledgeable Nic White, who has announced his status from world rugby, starts astatine scrum-half, while imposing prop Taniela Tupou comes successful astatine tighthead for his first quality of nan series.

After a meek first Test capacity successful Brisbane, nan Wallabies were markedly improved a week later, rushing into a 23-5 lead earlier nan Lions came backmost to seal nan bid successful melodramatic manner astatine nan MCG.

"It was an incredibly deflated group (after nan defeat)," Schmidt said.

"And Tuesday it was reliable to get them disconnected nan campus. It was almost for illustration a grieving process complete nan first fewer days. But they person started to stitchery momentum successful nan backmost half of nan week and will beryllium fresh to spell again connected Saturday."

Dylan Pietsch replaces nan injured Harry Potter connected nan near wing, while backmost statement guardant Carlo Tizzano, who was progressive successful nan arguable ruck astatine nan extremity of nan crippled involving Lions flanker Jac Morgan, is not portion of nan squad.

Tizzano has been criticised for his guidance to nan collision pinch Morgan, and Schmidt says he has endured a difficult fewer days pursuing nan incident.

"He's copped a batch of online maltreatment this week," added Schmidt.

"In defence of Carlo, conscionable complete 54 Gs of unit - nonstop unit - went done his neck, which is capable to origin superior injury, though not to a rugby subordinate arsenic good conditioned arsenic Carlo.

"But he's astir apt near to return a heavy breath. I deliberation we are each alert of Newton's 3rd rule - for each guidance location is an adjacent and other reaction. When that unit hits him and nan velocity of his caput collapsing down, he recoiled retired of nan backmost of nan ruck.

"I don't deliberation he wanted to recoil for illustration that but that's nan quality of force. I deliberation for Carlo it's amended he sits this 1 out.

"We weren't judge astir him connected Tuesday - he was beautiful sore - but he was awesome coming and backmost to nan irrepressible characteristic he is."

Schmidt revealed White said to him past week astir his retirement, but said his action is not based connected sentimentality, citing nan spot of his kicking crippled successful what are expected to beryllium bedewed conditions.

"I'm not a sentimentalist - it's a Test match," Schmidt said.

"It's a determination we made believing Nic tin do nan job. Nic has an fantabulous kicking crippled and nan assurance of nan players, he played good against Fiji and against nan British and Irish Lions for nan Western Force."

As for Valetini, his absence was described arsenic "precautionary", pinch Schmidt citing Australia's engaged world schedule pursuing nan Lions series.

"He's not correct this week", Schmidt said. "It is nan aforesaid wounded and it conscionable tightened up. It was precautionary bringing him disconnected and it is astir apt precautionary not playing him this weekend."

While Valetini's ballast astatine nan backmost of nan scrum will beryllium missed, nan return of nan monolithic Tupou will springiness nan Wallabies a powerfulness boost.

The 23st Tupou has struggled for shape and assurance of late, but has nan imaginable to beryllium 1 of nan astir destructive props successful nan game. He starts successful spot of nan injured Allan Alaalatoa.

Schimdt said: "We are hopeful Taniela tin bring america a existent burst of energy, because I deliberation 1 of nan reasons we've made a fewer changes is that erstwhile everyone is arsenic level arsenic they were, conscionable bringing a fewer newer guys successful it conscionable freshens things up and those guys cognize it is an opportunity for them."