Rugby: British Lions captain ruled out for third test

British and Irish Lions' captain Sam Warburton, center, is helped off the field by team trainers while playing Australia in their rugby union test match. Photo / AP

British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has been ruled out of the third and deciding test against the Wallabies in Sydney.

Warburton has succumbed to a hamstring strain picked up in the second test loss to Australia in Melbourne.

Brian O'Driscoll will captain the side in his place.

Warburton limped from the field in the 67th minute of his team's 16-15 second-test loss to Australia on Saturday night with an injured left hamstring.

On Sunday, the Lions announced that Warburton would stay behind in Melbourne when the team flies to the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane for a four-day camp, then rejoin the team on Monday.

"The physio won't make a proper assessment for 24-48 hours so we won't probably know until Monday," the Welsh flanker said. "I haven't done it before, what I'm feeling at the moment. This is a new injury, so I'm not too sure to be honest."