Defiant Woodward backs Test XV Select your Lions Test side

Wilkinson, who has only made one start on the tour, will partner captain Brian O'Driscoll in midfield with Wales' Stephen Jones playing at fly-half.

Ireland hooker Shane Byrne edged out Steve Thompson, while Ben Kay held off stiff competition at lock.

Wales back-rower Ryan Jones is rewarded for his superb display against Otago with a place on the bench.

Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward, who guided England to World Cup glory two years ago, has picked nine of the English players who started the 2003 final in the 22-man squad.

It still baffles me why Shanklin and Henson are not even in the 22 From Jim Have your say on Scrum V

The starting line-up is made up of eight Englishmen, four Welshmen and three Irishmen, but there are no Scots in the squad at all.

Wilkinson - whose career has hit by injury since winning the World Cup - has played international rugby at centre, but most of his 52 caps have come at fly-half.

But the Newcastle half-back is adamant the switch will not harm the team.

"Once you get going, I like to get a bit further away from the breakdown in attack because I don't think it is necessarily the best place for a fly-half to be," he said.

"It is not that much of a change for me and I don't look into what happened against Wellington too much. Stephen Jones told me I was moving along and I did. It was no big deal."

Woodward served notice of his intentions when he switched Wilkinson to centre after bringing on Stephen Jones as a second-half substitute against Wellington earlier in the tour.

Jones will play with Wales half-back partner Dwayne Peel as his scrum-half, with fellow Welsh Grand Slam winners Gareth Thomas (left wing) and Gethin Jenkins (loose-head prop) also in the side.

Most of the Woodward's other selections have been as expected, although playing Jason Robinson at full-back and Josh Lewsey on the right wing will surprise some.

Playing Jonny at 12 alongside Stephen is a huge bonus Sir Clive Woodward More Lions reaction

The versatile Lewsey has played all his Lions tour matches at full-back, while the late-arriving Robinson's only start came on the wing against Wellington.

A vastly-experienced back-row brings Richard Hill, Neil Back and Martin Corry, who have all won Lions caps on previous tours, together to form a unit to take on the All Blacks.

Of the 23 players who did not play in the Lions' 26-16 win over Southland, Wales winger Shane Williams is the one to miss out on the Test squad.