Lions 2013: Tourists set for 'biggest game of our lives'
The Lions are set for the "biggest game" of their lives in Saturday's final Test with Australia, according to assistant coach Graham Rowntree.
The series is level at one game apiece after the hosts replied with a gritty 16-15 second Test victory following the Lions' 23-21 triumph in the opener.
"Seeing how we've trained all week, we're ready for this battle," the 42-year-old ex-Lions prop said.
Lions down under 2013 - Sat 1 June: Won 59-8 v Barbarians, Hong Kong
- Wed 5 June: Won 69-17 v Western Force, Perth
- Sat 8 June: Won 22-12 v Queensland Reds, Brisbane
- Tue 11 June: Won 64-0 v Combined New South Wales-Queensland Country, Newcastle
- Sat 15 June: Won 47-17 v New South Wales Waratahs, Sydney
- Tue 18 June: Lost 14-12 v ACT Brumbies, Canberra
- Sat 22 June: Won 23-21 v Australia, First Test, Brisbane
- Tue 25 June: Won 35-0 v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne
- Sat 29 June: Lost 16-15 v Australia, Second Test, Melbourne
- Sat 6 July: Australia, Third Test, Sydney
"This is the biggest game of our lives, as players and coaches."
A win for the visitors in Sydney will end a three-tour losing streak, since they last earned a series victory in 1997 against South Africa.
Rowntree, who was selected for that trip to meet the Springboks, urged his players to give their all at ANZ Stadium.
"We saw the reaction from Australia after they beat us last weekend - their captain James Horwill was crying," he said.
"There's loads more to come from us and the guys are desperate to win. This is grand final rugby, the last throw of the dice with everything to play for."
The Lions lost their last series in Australia with a 29-23 defeat at the same ground in 2001. Similarly, in those games, they had been forced to come from behind after losing the first Test.
Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia warned the visitors that this time around the best is still yet to come from his side.
"I'm very confident that we haven't produced our best performance yet," the 25-year-old said.
"We can honestly say that we probably haven't played our best rugby throughout the series so far.
"We were able to do that in the last 20 to 30 minutes of the Test in Melbourne and we'll take a lot of confidence out of that moving forward."
"This is the biggest game of our lives, as players and coaches."
A win for the visitors in Sydney will end a three-tour losing streak, since they last earned a series victory in 1997 against South Africa.
Rowntree, who was selected for that trip to meet the Springboks, urged his players to give their all at ANZ Stadium.
"We saw the reaction from Australia after they beat us last weekend - their captain James Horwill was crying," he said.
"There's loads more to come from us and the guys are desperate to win. This is grand final rugby, the last throw of the dice with everything to play for."
The Lions lost their last series in Australia with a 29-23 defeat at the same ground in 2001. Similarly, in those games, they had been forced to come from behind after losing the first Test.
Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia warned the visitors that this time around the best is still yet to come from his side.
"I'm very confident that we haven't produced our best performance yet," the 25-year-old said.
"We can honestly say that we probably haven't played our best rugby throughout the series so far.
"We were able to do that in the last 20 to 30 minutes of the Test in Melbourne and we'll take a lot of confidence out of that moving forward."
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