SHANE Williams is back in the rugby big time after being handed a shock Lions call-up for the game with the Brumbies in Canberra on Tuesday.
In one of the biggest surprises in the tourists' recent history, the 36-year-old former Osprey answered an SOS to make a one-off appearance for the best of British and Irish rugby.
Williams will fly to Australia from Japan.
Due to cover the tour for a media outlet, anyway, he now finds himself part of it, 19 months after last featuring for Wales.
He has been playing in Japan since finishing with the Ospreys and has been drafted in by the Lions as they look to keep front-line players out of the firing line ahead of the first Test against Australia on Saturday.
Head coach Warren Gatland explained: "We said we needed him for one game. He is halfway here already.
"We spoke to him and said the proviso is he comes into the squad on Monday and leaves the squad on Wednesday. He is happy with that."
The outing will mean Williams will have featured on three Lions tours after being part of the 2005 and 2009 trips.
He will be part of an all-change line-up after the 47-17 win over the Waratahs in Sydney.
England backs Brad Barritt and Christian Wade are given debuts after being called up, while Billy Twelvetrees also gets a first outing. Rory Best leads the side, which has four Welsh starters in Williams, Ian Evans, Justin Tipuric and Toby Faletau, with Richard Hibbard and Dan Lydiate on the bench.
Lions: R. Kearney; C. Wade, B. Barritt, B. Twelvetrees, S. Williams; S. Hogg, B. Youngs; R. Grant, R. Best (capt), M. Stevens, I. Evans, R. Gray, S. O'Brien, J. Tipuric, T. Faletau. Reps: R. Hibbard, A. Corbisiero, D. Cole, G. Parling, D. Lydiate, C. Murray, O. Farrell, S. Zebo.
