Tom Lynagh choked back tears on Saturday night after following in the footsteps of his famous father Michael, but the Wallabies playmaker knows now is not the time for being sentimental.
“I’m really proud about playing for my country and representing who I represent,” Lynagh told reporters following the Wallabies’ 27-19 first-up loss to the Lions in Brisbane.
“It’s all about getting the result at the end of the day. We didn’t do that. We’ll work away during the week, we’ve still got another two games to go.”
It says something about the 22-year-old that the playmaker walked away with his head up and rising reputation intact despite being thrown in the deepest of ends by Joe Schmidt.
Without a couple of his giant forwards, the Wallabies were smoked in the contact zone and Lynagh, who was handed his debut start after just three matches off the bench last year, had little to no front-foot ball to work off.
But despite being bulldozed over by Sione Tuipulotu and copping an illegal shot in the air from a thunderous Tom Curry, the little playmaker never shirked anything and looked calm and composed in front of the sold out Suncorp Stadium.
He even made a nice little break in the opening stages as he saw some space and helped free up his teammates on the outside.
Tom Lynagh in action for the Wallabies on his starting Test debut. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“[There was] not a lot of front foot opportunity for him, but there’s no way he lacks for courage,” Schmidt said.
“[He] made some really good tackles out there, carried ball when he needed to, slipped through and got a nice offload away at one stage, and I thought kicked pretty well as well.”
Rather than go into his shell post game too, a buzzing Lynagh was walking on cloud nine after the highly-anticipated 12-year first on Australian shores.
“Still shaking with a bit of adrenaline,” Lynagh admitted when he spoke to a cluster of journalists following the defeat.
“[It was an] incredible experience. It’s my first time playing at Suncorp when it’s packed out. I’ve always dreamt of being involved in this fixture and it’s finally happening now.
“Shame about the result, but we’ve got another two games to go and still win the two and turn the series.”
Asked how his nerves were, Lynagh said what most thought about the baby-faced playmaker.
“No nerves,” he said coolly. “No nerves going into the game. No point to prove, just go out there and play my game.
“The boys were great during the week, had lots of good training time, so it’s a good week we had.”
Really?
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve always sort of been like that,” said Lynagh, whose composure he clearly inherited from his dad, who was described this week by Greg Martin as the original ‘ice man’ and remains the Wallabies highest point scorer (911).
“I try to be as relaxed as possible and keep a calm head, but yeah, I’ve always sort of been like that.”
Tom Lynagh with his father, former Australian rugby flyhalf Michael Lynagh and grandparents Dr Ian Lynagh and Marie Lynagh, after the Wallabies’ first Test loss to the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Lynagh’s comments provide some context to why Schmidt didn’t hesitate to back in the youngster ahead of replacement Ben Donaldson and James O’Connor despite his inexperience.
Schmidt told reporters on Thursday that Lynagh had a “quiet confidence” about himself and despite taking on the Lions 36 years after Michael wore the No.10 jersey in all three Tests, the Wallabies playmaker said he expected plenty of noise about his selection.
“I mean, I knew that well before the series even started,” Lynagh said.
“It’s always something I wanted to do and follow in dad’s footsteps, so I’m sort of living the dream now. It’s a proud moment for myself and my family. It’s not just about me, it’s everyone else involved in the fixture too. It’s a special game to be a part of.”
After being the son of a World Cup winner and Wallabies captain, you can understand why Lynagh didn’t feel overwhelmed by the occasion and intimidated by taking on Finn Russell either.
“[It was my] first time playing against all those boys. Incredible experience. You can’t get starstruck about who you’re playing against, you’ve just got to go out there and play your game,” he said.
Lynagh was greeted on Saturday morning at the Wallabies’ team hotel by his London-based father, who he hadn’t seen in six months.
Any last words of advice?
“Just keep it simple,” he said. “Don’t overplay your hand and all that. That message hasn’t changed since I was 13.
“I’m really glad he got here and had the opportunity to watch me in a Wallabies jersey. It means so much to me, and I’m sure it means a lot to him, too. He gave me a big hug. I’m trying not to tear up here. He was trying not to tear up this morning, and just when I saw him, then. So it’s a very special moment for us in the family. It means a lot to all of us.”
Despite copping a battering on the field, Lynagh said the physical working over simply came with the role he played.
“In my position, [with] my build, I’m an easy target – and I know that,” he said. “I’ve got to have my game where it’s at that level. It’s just my job. You’ve got to toughen up for games like this. You can’t shy away from anything.”
It’s that mentality that has Lynagh eager for a second crack at the Lions next week at the MCG.
“It’s a once in a lifetime to be part of the series. You’ve got to look forward to every single game. The series is still in the balance, so it’s not over yet,” he said.
Lynagh said that the Wallabies needed to be quicker out of the blocks next week, but added that his side would take some momentum after scoring the last two tries of the Test.
“We’ll take a lot of confidence from that second half,” he said.
“We got in the right areas of the field and we got a bit of pay out of it. There’s a lot of things we can learn from this game and we’ll take it into next week.”
