Scott Hastings has little time for sentimentality, but even he concedes he is only now realising the enormity of the Lions' 2-1 victory over Australia in 1989, gifted by David Campese's last-gasp gaffe.

Neither does the former Scotland and Lions centre have any sympathy for Brian O'Driscoll, whose omission from the Class of 2013's third – and final – Test with the Wallabies tomorrow has been treated in some circles as a crime against humanity.

"If Brian had played two outstanding games of rugby in the last fortnight, I have no doubt he would have selected. But he wasn't at his best last week, and I have no argument with what [coach] Warren Gatland has done," said Hastings. "Jonathan Davies has been one of the strongest performers on the tour, and with Jamie Roberts coming in to partner him in the centre, they should be able to stop the Australians making as many yards as they have done during the previous matches. They also know how to get the ball to [fellow Welshman] George North, who has been outstanding, so I reckon Gatland has simply decided to go with horses for courses and that is fine by me.

"Some of the comments about Brian being dropped have lacked perspective. So have some of the people complaining about the lack of Scots getting game time in the Tests. Perhaps they don't remember that when we won over there in 1989, there wasn't a single Irish player in the [21-man] squad for the deciding match, while there were four Scots in the starting side [the Hastings brothers, David Sole and captain, Finlay Calder] and another three [Craig Chalmers, Gary Armstrong and Derek White] on the bench.

"We are where we are at the moment, and we have to work harder to gain places – Lions caps should never be handed out cheaply – and I would hope that Richie Gray gets on the pitch at some stage on Saturday. But, whatever happens, I think he, Stuart Hogg and Ryan Grant will all have benefited from being involved with the Lions and will be even more determined to get back in, come 2017."

Hastings was a pivotal figure in the composite squad's fightback, which stunned the Australians all those years ago. The visitors' campaign began so badly, with a thumping 30-12 defeat in the first Test, that Calder briefly considered resigning, and it wasn't until the likes of the younger Hastings brother, Rob Andrew and Mike Teague joined the ranks that they orchestrated a shift in momentum, prevailing by 19-12 in a notoriously physical encounter the following week.

All of which set matters up for the denouement, in a mirror image of what has transpired in the last few weeks.

"I always thought it would be 1-1 at this stage, because I don't believe there is much at all between the two teams," said Hastings. "Some folk were talking down the Wallabies in advance of the tour, but I know from experience how difficult it is to succeed over there. The Australians are always tough opponents on their own patch. There haven't been enough 9/10 displays from the Lions so far and we'll need a few of these if we are to triumph, because the balance has shifted towards them. George [North] has been exceptional, and I have been impressed with Jonathan Sexton, but there aren't too many others who have been at their absolute best.

"I have no doubt it will be a close contest. And the atmosphere will be tense. When I was in the third Test, I had to concentrate 100% for the full 80 minutes and it was incredibly intense: they kept coming at us, wave after wave, and I pulled off one big tackle on Campese and we managed to stop them for most of the time, although with Michael Lynagh running the show, the pressure never relented. It is maybe only now that I appreciate the enormity of what we achieved, given how few Lions parties have succeeded throughout their history. It ended, of course, with Campo's mistake, and the Lions came out on top [19-18], but there was pretty much nothing in it and the outcome was in the balance right up until the final whistle. I don't expect matters being much different this weekend."

Hastings, though, will have the luxury of relaxing at home, with a bacon roll and a coffee and the craic of his friends. For him, the war is over. But, as he concluded, once you're a Lion, you're always a Lion.