Back-row conundrums, the importance of power in light of Wallabies injuries and Andy Farrell’s final message to his players. Just some of the multitude of talking points ahead of the British and Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia…
The time has almost arrived, with Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium playing host to a Lions Test in front of a stadium of fans for the first time in eight years – owing to the 2021 tour being confined to behind-closed-doors matches due to Covid.
Team selection, game-plans, key personnel and essential leadership are all in play as head coaches Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt – a coach formerly at the helm of Ireland – lock horns.
Back-row conundrums: Have the Lions got it right?
If there was one area for the Lions positionally that was repeatedly discussed in the public domain and which varied wildly in terms of predictions for this opening Test, it was the back-row.
While blindside flanker had seemingly narrowed to a straight shootout between Tadhg Beirne and Ollie Chessum (and many had Chessum in ahead of Beirne), openside flanker was an open battle between four talented players in Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock.
The point could even be argued that Ben Earl was in the openside conversation too as a fifth option, but with Jack Conan the only out-and-out No 8 on tour and Earl proving to have a superb impact off the bench in the warm-up fixtures in Australia, their squad places appeared to solidify the closer we got to Thursday’s squad announcement.
Many, many people had Morgan as the starter in the No 7 jersey. The only Welshman left on tour after scrum-half Tomos Williams’ serious hamstring injury following the opening fixture in Australia against Western Force in Perth, Morgan was superb against Queensland Reds.
That day in Brisbane a fortnight ago, the 25-year-old Wales captain really displayed his breakdown capabilities and was named player of the match.
Van der Flier has been a stalwart of Farrell’s with Ireland and named World Player of the Year in 2023, so appeared a likely selection too, while Pollock has shown off his immense potential and superb skill in several displays.
In fact, perhaps the quietest openside performer on tour so far has been Curry, but it’s the England man who has been handed the shirt. Why? Of the four players discussed Curry is the most physical, and physicality looks to be a route the Lions can really profit from on Saturday.
Curry is also a breakdown nuisance and closer to Morgan in that respect than Van der Flier or Pollock. Beirne’s selection at No 6 is also most certainly with the breakdown in mind: Argentina and Australia’s Super Rugby sides have targeted the breakdown and had joy on tour so far, but the Ireland and Munster forward is an exceptional jackler.
Whatever back-row selection Farrell and his staff were going to make, two or three fantastic players were going to be sat in the stands in suits and ties. The Lions head coach will just hope he isn’t looking at Morgan, Van der Flier and Pollock and thinking: ‘If only.’
Power game the difference maker?
Historically, and far more than against the other two of rugby’s southern hemisphere ‘big three’, South Africa and New Zealand, Australia have been a side to target in terms of the physical contest and at set-piece, particularly at scrum.
Thursday’s team news announcement brought this fact into even more acute focus with news the Wallabies’ back-to-back player of the year and statistical leading ball carrier for the last four years Rob Valetini and mammoth La Rochelle lock Will Skelton had both been ruled out of the opening Test due to respective calf injuries.
Australia’s two most powerful forwards and best carrying options have been wiped out and the Lions will sense opportunity. In the tight is where this game can clearly be won for them.
Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy and Jack Conan are all big carriers in the forwards, while Maro Itoje, Beirne and Curry ooze confrontation in defence and attack.
Even the Lions’ backline looks big: Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu and James Lowe are three of the most impactful ball carrying backs at present.
Make it a game about power and the Lions should get on top, dominate possession and territory and score tries.
At the scrum, Australia’s most powerful prop in recent years Taniela Tupou seems not to be fancied by Schmidt and has been overlooked again. Allan Alaalatoa and replacement Tom Robertson are not nearly as strong in the set-piece, though, while 36-year-old James Slipper starts at loosehead.
The Lions have romped forward at scrum-time consistently all tour and will expect to do so again, earning penalties for easy territory gains and more try-scoring chances.
Farrell to his Lions players: Make sure you have no regrets
Speaking to the written media at the Lions’ hotel in Brisbane on Thursday, Farrell was clear in terms of the message he would be giving his players among a climate of his side being talked up as hot favourites: “Have no regrets.”
Asked what the last thing he would say to his side before kick-off would be, he said: “I always think this: Make sure you have no regrets. Don’t get in your own way.
“You don’t want to come off the pitch and think: ‘I wish I had another chance to be myself.’ You’ve got to go and make it happen when it matters.”
Farrell revealed he ran into former Australian rugby league legend Gorden Tallis in the street this week, engaging in a 20-minute chat.
Part of their conversation turned to the notion of favourites and underdogs in sport, with Tallis saying Queensland – whom he represented in State of Origin from 1994 to 2003 – were regularly considered underdogs, but the players themselves “never, ever saw it that way,” winning Origin titles in 1998 and 2001, and retaining the shield in 1999 and 2002 with series draws.
“Why wouldn’t we [embrace being favourites]?” Farrell added. “At the end of the day, you get asked questions like that, but internally you are just getting on with building your own belief and own confidence as a team.
“It’s about your preparation and how you get down to performing. That’s what really matters.
“There’s no overconfidence at all. It’s having an inner confidence in our group that we’re going to execute the plan when it matters.
“There’s a realisation of what it is and what it means and how privileged we are etc, but again that doesn’t get in the way of how prepared we are to allow ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves.
“I haven’t played against many Australia sides that are considered underdogs. I’m sure they will want to prove a point.
“Australia are in a position where it comes down to this every 12 years to represent their county. They’ll be fighting tooth and nail.”
Watch the first Australia vs British and Irish Lions Test on Saturday on Sky Sports The Lions & Main Event from 10am (kick-off 11am).
British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and seven warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.