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1:46	Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to Scotsman.com’s coverage of the third and final Test of the Great British and Irish Lions’ Tour to South Africa 09. My name is George Thomson and I’ll be keeping you updated with all the action as it happens, as well as posting your comments when possible.

1:47	With the series decided after narrow Springbok victories in the opening two tests, both teams could be forgiven for ceding some of the intensity that so marked last week’s game in particular. That, however, is unlikely to happen as there is little love lost between these two teams.

1:48

Ever since Schalk Burger mistook Luke Fitzgerald’s eye sockets for hand warmers in the first minute at Loftus Versfeld, relations between the opposing camps have been going downhill fast. Burger has since been handed an eight-week ban, and is joined in the dunces’ corner by fellow shy and retiring type Bakkies Botha, who faces a two-week sentence for dangerous charging. For the Lions part, Brian O’Driscoll was lucky to escape censure after a body charge of dubious legality on Danie Rossouw.

1:48

Following that game, Springbok coach Peter De Villiers stoked the fires even more, leaping to the defence of Burger and advising anyone who disapproved of such physicality to go and ‘buy a tutu’. Those comments didn’t go down well among the touring party, O’Driscoll branding De Villiers a ‘disgrace’ and accusing the South African of bringing the game into disrepute.

All of which means the stakes are as high as ever, especially considering the Lions are mired in their worst ever losing streak and starting to face questions over their long term sustainability as a touring team.

1:49	Today’s venue is the iconic Ellis Park in Johannesburg, scene of the Springboks’ World Cup victory in 1995.

1:55

South Africa: Kirchner, Ndungane, Fourie, Olivier, Nokwe, M. Steyn, du Preez, Mtawarira, Ralepelle, Smit, Muller, Matfield, Brussow, Smith, Kankowski.

Replacements: du Plessis, Steenkamp, Carstens, Sykes, Spies, Pienaar, F. Steyn.

British & Irish Lions: Kearney, Monye, Bowe, Flutey, S. Williams, S. Jones, Phillips, Sheridan, Rees, Vickery, Shaw, O’Connell, Worsley, M. Williams, Heaslip.

Replacements: Ford, Hayes, A. Jones, Wallace, Croft, Ellis, Hook. Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

1:58	South Africa haven't whitewashed the Lions for 118 years by the way. That's not a record O'Connell and co will want to associate themselves with.

2:02	The teams are on the pitch, and here come the anthems. Incidentally, South Africa's is in four different languages, with the Afrikaans verse predictably belted out the loudest.

2:03	Lions kicking right to left first half. We're off!

2:04	Over eager start by the Springboks, and the Lions immediately win a penalty in their own half.

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