Lions look to history, Wallabies to pride in series finale
No Lions team have even gone unbeaten in a test series since Willie John McBride's Invincibles in South Africa in 1974, when a controversial draw in the fourth match denied them the sweep.
The Lions did sweep Argentina 4-0 in 1927 and also beat the Wallabies 2-0 three times in the 1950s and 1960s as part of losing tours of New Zealand, but you would need to go back to 1904 for the last 3-0 triumph on a trip solely to Australia.
For coach Andy Farrell, however, the importance of the sweep is simply that it was something the Lions had committed to achieving as a squad before heading to Australia.
"Hopefully (the tour) will be remembered for the type of rugby that we played and the way that we went about it together. That's it," he said after naming his team on Thursday.
"We came here wanting to win a series. We've achieved that, but we've a massive responsibility to make sure that we finish this off with something that we promised ourselves."
In keeping with that spirit, Farrell made only minor tweaks to his team for the Stadium Australia clash, bringing Blair Kinghorn in on the wing, James Ryan into the second row and an extra forward onto the bench.
For Australia, Saturday is all about salvaging some pride after losing the second test, and the series, to a last-minute try in Melbourne last week.
The Wallabies have proved they can play by "winning" the second half of the opening test 14-10 in Brisbane and taking a 23-5 lead after half an hour of the second in Melbourne.
Coach Joe Schmidt said it had been difficult to pick the players up after the defeat but thought they should not ignore the progress they have made since he took over last year.
"My belief is that 18 months ago, no one gave us a chance of challenging the Lions," he said.
"(But) there's not been nearly as much between the teams as maybe people might have expected."
Flanker Rob Valetini and two other starters from last week will miss the match because of injury but Schmidt made a choice to bring scrumhalf Nic White into the team for his last test before he retires from international rugby.
The New Zealander denied it was a sentimental selection, citing White's kicking skills in what are expected to be wet conditions, but was certain he would get an emotional dividend from the rest of the team.
"When you make that contribution over 12 years, it's not sentimentality, but it is a reality when someone is important to the group, the group want to support them," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
16 hours ago
- CNA
Injured Caslick writes off Australia's World Cup opener but hopes to face US
SYDNEY :Injured former Olympic sevens champion Charlotte Caslick is confident she will play some women's Rugby World Cup in England even if she has already ruled out from taking the field in Australia's tournament opener against Samoa. Caslick, who was named sevens World Player of the Year in 2016, damaged her ankle against New Zealand last month and was still in a moonboot when she spoke to reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. Coach Jo Yapp included the 30-year-old in her World Cup squad on Monday, however, and Caslick said she was hoping to be ready to go against the United States in Australia's second Pool A game in York on August 30. "When it happened, I knew it would be touch and go, and the time frame's probably a little bit tighter than I would have hoped," the backline threat said. "It's a bit of a bummer but I guess it's all part of it. It's disappointing knowing that I probably won't be in the best shape of my career at this point, but I'm going to try and do everything I can to be as good as I can be." Yapp also selected Siokapesi Palu in her squad despite the Wallaroos captain struggling with a foot problem. Caslick said the two injured players had been supporting each other. "We're definitely in very similar positions at the moment," she said. "I feel for her too, she's had an amazing season and being captain of the team but we're kind of bouncing off each other every day in training and just praying for each other." The eighth-ranked Wallaroos concluded their preparations for the World Cup with a record 36-5 win over Wales last week and Caslick thought there was enough quality in the squad to fulfil Yapp's ambition of a spot in the quarter-finals. "I think obviously the game against Wales last Friday just proved how much improvement we've had in the last 12 months," Caslick said. "There's so many world class players in that side."
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
British & Irish Lions look to history, Wallabies to pride in rugby series finale
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox British and Irish Lions' Bundee Aki during the second test against Australia. – The British & Irish Lions have history on their minds, as they head into the third and final clash with the Wallabies on Aug 2 determined to sweep a Test series for the first time in living memory. No Lions team have gone unbeaten in a Test series since Willie John McBride's 'Invincibles' in South Africa in 1974, when a controversial draw in the fourth match denied them the sweep. The Lions did sweep Argentina 4-0 in 1927 and also beat the Wallabies 2-0 three times in the 1950s and 1960s as part of losing tours of New Zealand, but you would need to go back to 1904 for the last 3-0 triumph over Australia. For coach Andy Farrell, however, the importance of the sweep is simply that it was something the Lions had committed to achieving as a squad before heading to Australia. 'Hopefully (the tour) will be remembered for the type of rugby that we played and the way that we went about it together. That's it,' he said, after naming his team on July 31. 'We came here wanting to win a series. We've achieved that, but we've a massive responsibility to make sure that we finish this off with something that we promised ourselves.' In keeping with that spirit, he made only minor tweaks to his team for the clash at Stadium Australia in Sydney, bringing Blair Kinghorn in on the wing, James Ryan into the second row and an extra forward on the bench. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Hidden vapes and where to find them: Inside ICA's clampdown at land checkpoints Singapore East-West Line MRT service resumes after delays lasting around 5 hours; track point fault fixed Opinion Internships open doors but only if students can first find the key World Meta says it's working to thwart WhatsApp scammers Singapore Jail for 2 friends who swopped seats in car to try and evade justice after drinking alcohol Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism corners Modi as rift deepens Farrell has also dismissed talk that the Wallabies are not worthy opponents as 'insulting' and said it would be 'tragic' if Australia was axed as a tour host. Australia, part of a four-year rotation with New Zealand and South Africa as Lions destinations, are sixth in the world rankings, having dropped as low as 10th after a horror 2023 World Cup. It has sparked chatter that the Lions should seek tougher competition and better commercial opportunities elsewhere, with Argentina and France said to be keen for a slice of the action. 'It would be tragic for us not to tour here. We've had a blast and to me it's insulting to even talk about it in that type of way,' insisted Farrell. The Wallabies are undergoing a rebuild with coach Joe Schmidt after being dumped out of the 2023 World Cup at the pool stage for the first time when Eddie Jones was at the helm. For them, the match is all about salvaging some pride after losing the second Test, and the series, to a last-minute try in Melbourne a week ago. They have proved they can play by 'winning' the second half of the opening Test 14-10 in Brisbane and taking a 23-5 lead after half an hour of the second in Melbourne. Schmidt said it had been difficult to pick the players up after the defeat but thought they should not ignore the progress they have made since he took over in 2024. 'My belief is that 18 months ago, no one gave us a chance of challenging the Lions,' he said. '(But) there's not been nearly as much between the teams as maybe people might have expected.' Flanker Rob Valetini and two other starters from last week will miss the match because of injury, but Schmidt made a choice to bring scrum-half Nic White into the team for his last Test before the 35-year-old retires from international rugby. The New Zealander denied it was a sentimental selection, citing White's kicking skills in what are expected to be wet conditions, but was certain he would get an emotional dividend from the rest of the team. 'When you make that contribution over 12 years, it's not sentimentality, but it is a reality when someone is important to the group, the group want to support them,' he said. REUTERS, AFP
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rugby Australia chief certain British and Lions will return in 2037
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Australia celebrates their 22-12 win over the British & Irish Lions during the third Test at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Aug 2. – Rugby Australia (RA) chief executive Phil Waugh was disappointed the Wallabies lost the Test series against the British and Irish Lions, but believes the tour was a huge success and talk that the tourists might not return in 12 years' time was well wide of the mark. Some media pundits had suggested after the Lions comfortably won the first Test in Brisbane that Australian rugby was so weak they no longer deserved their place on the touring rotation alongside New Zealand and South Africa. Waugh thought the competitiveness of the Wallabies in the second Test in Melbourne, where they came within seconds of victory, and the third in Sydney, where they won 22-12, had firmly quashed any speculation about the Lions not returning. 'Australia is a really important home for the Lions tour every 12 years,' he told reporters at the conclusion of the series. 'On the field, I think the accumulative points, they got one point better than us and one try better than us, and it was a really fierce Test battle. 'So I think any of that speculation, it was shut down by a number of people, including their CEO (Ben Calveley), who spoke at various events committing to return to Australia.' Waugh thought the second Test, which attracted a crowd of 90,307 to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, was one of the best internationals he had seen in a while and he had been impressed with the Wallabies throughout the series. 'I think it's been an overwhelmingly successful tour, albeit it would have been nice to win the... trophy, but that wasn't to happen,' he added. 'I think that the progress that's continued through the group, and I think the cultural growth of the group, has been really, really pleasing.' Around 450,000 fans attended the nine matches, and Waugh said the tour had exceeded expectations on financial returns for both the hosts and the Lions. Exactly what the returns were was still being calculated, he said, but Australia's proceeds would go to reducing the A$80 million (S$66.6 million) credit facility the RA took out in 2023, which cost more than A$9 million to service in 2024. 'It certainly exceeded expectations,' Waugh said. 'I've always said that it's a really good opportunity for us to reset the balance sheet. 'We've got the debt facility, and ideally we pay that down as quickly as possible, given the cost to carry it... then we'll lean into the next broadcast cycle to get to a financially sustainable model.' The Wallabies got great returns in the series from Will Skelton, the wrecking ball of a lock who was recalled from his French club La Rochelle to take on the Lions. Tight-head prop Taniela Tupou, who played a key role in the third Test victory, will also be moving to a French club in 2025, which would once have made him ineligible to play for the Wallabies. That blanket ban was eased ahead of the 2015 World Cup under the 'Giteau Law', which allowed the Wallabies coach to select three overseas-based players under certain criteria. RA's high performance director Peter Horne confirmed that all restrictions on Test selection had been scrapped when Joe Schmidt took over as Wallabies coach in 2024. 'Joe's got no impediment to select whoever he wants,' he said. 'That's always been the case. The Giteau Law's kind of redundant. 'But we've also made a choice that we select domestically if the players are of equal calibre, it's important that we invest in our premier competition in Australia.' However, the Wallabies will not be able to count on Dave Porecki, who has retired from professional rugby only weeks after reviving his Test career. The New South Wales Waratah hooker, 32, battled injuries in recent seasons, but made his first Australia appearance under Schmidt against Fiji in July after nearly two years out of the Wallabies. After suffering a concussion against Fiji and missing the first Lions Test in Brisbane, Porecki was recalled for the second clash in Melbourne before being sidelined for the final Test in Sydney due to a cut heel at training. Capped 21 times for the Wallabies, Porecki said it was the right time to start a new chapter in his life. REUTERS
