Lions enjoy rare status as heavy favourites as Australia fight for credibility

Glasgow Times

7 hours ago

Warren Gatland's team headed Down Under 12 years ago in pursuit of a first series triumph since 1997 and, having lost seven out of nine Tests thereafter, the future of the entire concept was at stake.
'There's no hiding from the fact that it's important for the Lions to win this time,' Gatland said after the opener in Brisbane had been clinched 23-21.
The Lions went on to topple the Wallabies 2-1 and it remains their only success of the last six tours, although a drawn series in New Zealand four years later and narrow loss to South Africa in 2021 proved they can be competitive against reigning world champions.
This time they are in the rare position of leaving these shores as heavy favourites to dispatch adversaries who have sunk to eighth in the global rankings – beneath Ireland, England and Scotland – and who are fighting for their credibility as future Lions opponents.
A disastrous second spell under Eddie Jones that culminated in failure to qualify for the knockout phase of a World Cup for the first time in 2023 confirmed their new status as fallen giants.
Amid growing interest – at least among supporters – in exploring the idea of tours to new destinations such as Argentina or France, the Wallabies must justify their place in the Lions' 12-year cycle.
The odds are stacked against them in a series that spans Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, but there are reasons why they might yet avenge 2013.
Joe Schmidt is in charge of Australia (David Davies/PA).
Chief among them is Joe Schmidt, their master coach whose tactical insight is matched by an intimate knowledge of many of the Lions' players and management – including boss Andy Farrell – having been in charge of Ireland from 2013-19.
Australia's teams have performed solidly in Super Rugby Pacific this year and Schmidt will field a dangerous starting XV, including cross-code superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who is expected to recover from a broken jaw in time to play in the Tests.
Home advantage is less of a factor because of the hordes of travelling fans, but the Wallabies will be more accustomed to the dry conditions, even if the Lions will have played five games Down Under by the time the series arrives.
'If you're an Australian player in top form, surely this is the biggest thing in your career,' said Farrell, the tourists' head coach.
'Knowing Australia's coaching ticket, but also the athletes and ability they have in their squad, they will keep growing to a point that it will be as tough a series as we have ever faced. They'll be ready for a fight.'
Farrell's challenge is ensuring the combined might of four nations that should make the series an unfair fight adds up to at least the sum of their parts, a task that has eluded many of his predecessors.
The Ireland boss has six fixtures, starting with Friday's Dublin curtain raiser against Argentina, to shape his team ahead of the first Test.
With history showing successful tours are the exception rather than the rule, nothing is guaranteed even for a Lions side that are expected to come out on top.