When the Lions won down under

It has been 12 long years since the mighty British & Irish Lions toured the land down under, and this year they return to Australia where they last reigned supreme, securing the teams last series win. The two teams clashed in a 3 test series, that saw the visitors win the first match 21-23 in Brisbane. The Wallabies rallied back Melbourne, scraping through with a narrow 16-15 victory. This set up a mouthwatering finale in Sydney, which would be the series decider. 

The build up to the final match was Sombre as then Welsh skipper Sam Warburton, was ruled out of the match due to inkury. The then obvious choice to replace the Welsh skipper was Irish legend Brian O'Driscoll. However in a surprise move, then Lions head coach Warren Gatland chose to ommit O'Driscoll from the matchday squad, opting to move forward with Alun Wyn Jones as his captain.

The move would prove to a brilliant one as the Lions would go on to thrash the Wallabies 16-41 to clinch the series, bouncing back from their previous series loss to the Springboks four years earlier in their tour of South Africa. Heres a look at the Lions Matchday 23 that faced Australia on that day.

British & Irish Lions v Australia 2013: 15. Leigh Halfpenny, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Jonathan Davies, 12. Jamie Roberts, 11. George North; 10. Jonathan Sexton, 9. Mike Phillips; 1.Alex Corbisiero, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. Adam Jones, 4. Alun Wyn Jones (capt), 5. Geoff Parling, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Sean O'Brien, 8. Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Tom Youngs (for Hibbard 48), Mako Vunipola (for Corbisiero, 67), Dan Cole (for A Jones, 55), Richie Gray (for Parling, 68), Justin Tipuric (for Faletau, blood, 55, for O'Brien, 60), Conor Murray (for Phillips, 51), Owen Farrell (for Sexton, 64), Manu Tuilagi (for Roberts, 69).

Australia v British & Irish Lions: 15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Israel Folau, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12. Christian Leali'ifano, 11. Joe Tomane, 10. James O'Connor, 9. Will Genia; 1. Benn Robinson, 2. Stephen Moore, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. James Horwill (capt), 5. Kane Douglas, 6. Ben Mowen, 7. George Smith, 8. Wycliff Palu.

Replacements: Saia Fainga'a (for Moore, blood, 55-62, then 72), James Slipper (for Robinson, 66), Sekope Kepu (for Smith, 26-36, for Alexander, 36), Rob Simmons (for Douglas 62), Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper (for Smith, 5-10, then 66), Nick Phipps (for Genia, 69), Jesse Mogg (for Folau, 27).