Warren Gatland tells his Lions to go and make their history in deciding Test

Warren Gatland has urged his players to leave a legacy as the Lions bid to win their first Test series in New Zealand since 1971.

The Kiwi coach has named an unchanged squad of 23, retaining every player from the series-levelling 24-21 win over the All Blacks last week, for the third and final Test on Saturday. As he announced his selection, Gatland said this was their shot at history.

“We’re all under pressure, but a good pressure,” Gatland said, with his side aiming to be the first team to topple the All Blacks at Auckland’s Eden Park since 1994. “You’ve got to be excited about it, it’s one of the biggest games of their lives. It’s not going to define them, though. It’s a pressure you relish.”

Acknowledging that deciders make for great sporting drama, Gatland continued on the size of the task: “This group of players, they have an opportunity to leave a bit of a legacy. There have been 11 Lions tours of New Zealand and only one has ever been won. So they have the chance to do something special.

“You get those moments in your life and you don’t want those moments to pass you by.

“As the match gets closer, the players will start to realise what potentially could happen and what a special moment that could be, winning a series in New Zealand, creating a legacy and creating history for themselves.”