Pantomime villains: Why the Lions aren't everyone's cup of tea
Last Thursday in Adelaide, after the team announcement to face the Australia and New Zealand XV at the elite St Peter's College, a schoolboy tried to ask a question before being shut down by the Lions' management. Perhaps they were concerned he was going to draw attention to frequent offsides or the issues at the breakdown.
The battler
It is almost impossible to consider booing an Australian, never mind one as likeable off the field as Melbourne-raised Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu.
Tuipulotu's brilliance for Scotland and the Lions comes after he failed to cement his place in Australian rugby.
If there is a slight point of contention, it was the Scottish centre's row with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on a chilly day last November in Edinburgh.
Suaalii tried to dominate Tuipulotu at the point of contact, but managed to injure himself making a big tackle. There was sledging between the two in a subsequent scuffle, with Suaalii telling his compatriot he would 'see you next time'. That next time comes on Saturday night.
The bruiser
Lions loosehead prop Ellis Genge will have happy memories of the last time he visited Suncorp Stadium. Playing for England, he helped defeat the Wallabies in the second Test in a standout performance that helped his country level the series, before going on to win it overall in Sydney.
Genge had been stung by Taniela Tupou saying that he looked forward to smashing him, and instead meted out the punishment to the Wallabies, running over Michael Hooper after just 30 seconds. The prop also shoved the Wallabies' captain in the chest after a try was scored by Billy Vunipola.
Genge escaped sanction after tackling halfback Nic White and using his elbow to keep the Wallabies player pinned to the ground.
'Leaning on me with an elbow is a nice way to put it. Ellis has that in his game,' White said after the game in Brisbane.
Wallabies fans will have an opportunity to see the new, matured Genge, who is letting his actions speak far louder than his words this time in Brisbane.
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