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AWJ stays calm

AWJ stays calm

New British & Irish Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones says he won’t allow emotion to get the better of him when he leads his side into battle with Australia tomorrow.

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The Wales and Ospreys lock replaced national team-mate Sam Warburton as skipper for the decisive third Test after the openside flanker was ruled out with a hamstring tear.

Jones will be leading the Lions for the first time in the series decider but he says he and his side must remain calm in the heat of battle.

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“You can get swept away with it, say too much, try too hard,” said Jones, who has impressed in the boiler room on the tour so far.

“I’ve been there and done that in the past for the Ospreys. In the first year of captaincy there I learnt a lot but I’ve had a couple of years since and it’s been going well for me there. So I will just carry on with what I’ve been doing back at the club essentially.

“It’s a big game and all the rest of it, but set that aside, it’s just another rectangle of grass on the other side of the world. Obviously it’s a big game, the decider, but as long as we rise to the pressure and don’t necessarily try too hard, we will be in a good place.

“I don’t really want to change anything. I just want to keep going the way I have been going on a personal level. It’s a case for me to do what I’ve been doing with the other seven in the pack and hopefully bring the win.”

The Osprey added: “We are going into the third game with everything to play for. The way the talk has been going around the camp it doesn’t feel there’s necessarily a lot of pressure on us. Sometimes that’s a good place to be, sometimes it’s a bad place to be. We’ll find out on Saturday.”

For tomorrow’s Test series decider, Warren Gatland is able to call on the returning Jamie Roberts after the centre recovered from his hamstring strain.

And with the Racing Metro bound man teaming up with Jonathan Davies, Jones is looking forward to seeing him in action.

“The thing people associate with Jamie is getting over the gain line and I’m sure he’s going to give us that at the weekend,” he added.

“If Jamie gets us across the gain line, which I’m sure he will, we will have that opportunity to play.”

While Roberts has returned for the Lions, Australia have named a surprise of their own with veteran flanker George Smith recalled to the side.

Smith, 32, made his last Test appearance in 2009 and retired from international rugby the following year.

He replaces Michael Hooper who drops to the bench.

Australia coach Robbie Deans said: “To have achieved what George has throughout his career, and return to play at the highest level, after such a long break, is a testament to the quality of the man, both as a person, and as a player.”

British & Irish Lions: L Halfpenny; T Bowe, J Davies, J Roberts, G North; J Sexton, M Phillips; A Corbisiero, R Hibbard, A Jones; AW Jones (c), G Parling; D Lydiate, S O’Brien, T Faletau.

Replacements: T Youngs, M Vunipola, D Cole, R Gray, J Tipuric, C Murray, O Farrell, M Tuilagi

Australia: K Beale; I Folau, A Ashley-Cooper, C Leali’ifano; J Tomane, J O’Connor, W Genia; B Robinson, S Moore, B Alexander; J Horwill (c), K Douglas; B Mowen, G Smith, W Palu.

Replacements: S Fainga’a, J Slipper, S Kepu, R Simmons, B McCalman, M Hooper, N Phipps, J Mogg.

Referee: R. Poite

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