‘What dreams are made of': Andy Farrell and Maro Itoje hails Lions' heart after comeback win
the Lions'
dramatic series-clinching victory over
Australia
at the MCG.
Each were conducted to the backdrop of the Lions players loudly going through a post-match song list in the nearby away 'shed' as they say hereabouts. At times it was hard to hear
Andy Farrell
and
Maro Itoje
. both describing the second Test victory to clinch a series win as 'what dreams are made of'. And it was even harder to hear
Joe Schmidt
when he quietly seethed against the officials' decision not to award Australia a penalty and thus overturn
Hugo Keenan's
last-minute, match-winning try.
Farrell and Itoje's press conference had barely begun when the Lions players could be heard singing their ever-changing version of Rocking All Over The World, which includes a reference to 'Captain Maro' and, it seemed, 'Big Faz the coach'.
A broad smile came across Itoje's face as he recognised the lyrics. 'See what you guys are making me miss out!'
READ MORE
On being informed it was the biggest Lions comeback in a Test, Farrell agreed it doesn't get any better.
'Not really when you see what it means to everyone. You can hear them can't you? These lads have dreamed of being a British and Irish Lion all their lives and to get to the point when we come to the MCG with 90-odd thousand people with a dramatic finish like that to win the series, is what dreams are made of and no one can deny that for us now.
Lions head coach Andy Farrell celebrates with his wife Colleen after the win over Australia. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
'It is a special moment for everyone, we are absolutely delighted that we showed the courage and what it takes to be a Lion.'
'To me, this is a dream for everyone in that dressingroom,' Farrell added when discussing some of the big plays and big moments in the game such as Tom Curry's crucial tackle on Joseph Suaalii early in the second half when the Wallabies might have gone 14 or 16 points ahead.
'I've said it before, they've dreamt of being a British and Irish Lion all of their life. To get to a point now where Hugo Keenan scores a try in the last minute to win a series in Australia, if you're a child watching that back home, do you want to be a British and Irish Lion? One hundred per cent.
'That's the dream and that's the fairytale that these lads have wished for since they were this high. It's alive and kicking and we're over the moon.'
Farrell paid credit to the Wallabies' performance.
'They were good. They turned up. I suppose the drama and how it unfolded is what makes it special. We came here to win a series. To do it in that type of fashion, you wouldn't have backed us at 23-5 but to find a way adds to the story, doesn't it? It adds to the fairytale.
Lions captain Maro Itoje celebrates with his wife Mimi at the MCG. Photograph:'To be a part of it is an honour, it really is. 2013 was special, 1-1, and being able to win it at the death, but we won quite comfortably in the end. To win it like that is what top level sport is all about. It's cruel in so many ways for Australia but we stayed in the fight and we got what we deserved.'
Asked if he wanted
Finn Russell
to opt for a drop goal in the final play, Farrell said: 'Finn doesn't do drop goals. He's not done many in his career. Have a look at
Jamison Gibson-Park's
play towards the end. He's absolutely everywhere, fizzing the ball at speed, and he's been playing that way for 79 minutes.
'Have a look at the carries we had, getting over the gainline, people constantly offering themselves, the breakdown and the instinct we had to just keep on playing. It just shows the courage of the side.'
Itoje reflected on his lap of the pitch, by which stage there was only red in the house, and this included his wife Mimi, whom he married last summer.
'It was surreal. These are one of the moments in your life that you will cherish,' said Itoje. 'This will live long in the memory. Often in sport you have to move on to the next thing, you have to focus on what is next and focus on the next challenge. No doubt we will do that after tonight's celebration. But every now and again I think it's important to saviour in moment.'
While the squad were evidently set on having a big night in Melbourne, they will return their focus to the clean sweep which Farrell targeted with them from the outset.
'No the plan will stay the same. Win or lose we trust the plan ahead. We will make sure we enjoy tonight that's for sure, we have just made a bit of history, we are delighted with that.'
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Irish Times
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Irish Times
10 hours ago
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Ireland women's rugby coach defends capping two ex-England players in World Cup prep
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Irish Times
10 hours ago
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Australian rugby could be off life-support thanks to Wallabies' Test win over Lions
Australia has never been particularly comfortable with plucky sporting losers. Eric the Eel or Eddie the Eagle would sadly not have got much work opening supermarkets here. The closest thing Australia has to those two men is the speed skater Steven Bradbury, who famously won Olympic gold in 2002 his event from far behind after the four other finalists crashed. The Australian psyche simply cannot process any heroism in defeat. The Wallabies' 2-1 series defeat against the British and Irish Lions could be as close to acknowledging a brave defeat as this country comes. To understand that statement you need to remember that Australia coach Joe Schmidt inherited a shattered organisation when he walked through the doors of Rugby Australia in March last year. READ MORE The idea of Schmidt building a squad capable of even competing against the Lions was impossible. 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It marked a turning point for the team, who suddenly found their motivation when they desperately needed it. Each game the Wallabies play lurches between unrealistic hope and utter devastation and that is just the media. There is a select group of rugby league journalists who are lying in wait, dying for the game to stumble and a whitewash would have been a pratfall. In torrential rain at Sydney's leaky Olympic Stadium, the Wallabies won the third Test against a fatigued Lions and there have been murmurs that rugby is off the life support machine once again. Two upcoming Tests against South Africa away could just as quickly turn the sudden and rare goodwill away. Australia's Allan Alaalatoa played while injured during the Test in Melbourne. Photograph: Billy Stickland/INPHO Regardless of the final emphatic victory from the Wallabies, the Lions still won the series and that achievement needs to be acknowledged. The Lions played entertaining rugby and were well led by Ireland's Andy Farrell , who will return to Dublin an even better coach. The players also were rightfully celebrated by the 40,000 fans who came from Ireland and the United Kingdom to pack out stadiums across the country. The Lions arrive in a country as guests and should be accorded great respect not only for their history and significant financial contributions, but also for the players who wear their famous red jersey. Equally, the Lions as an organisation need to understand that their revered brand will only continue to be successful if they engage with their hosts with humility and actually live their history and traditions, not just market them. Rugby is competing in a far too fierce a global sporting market to be protectionist. A school kid asking a question in Adelaide is not going to rumble your lineout codes. The next tour will be in New Zealand, where the Lions will face infinitely bigger challenges on the field and off it, with a far stronger and sterner host who will not be quite so amenable to their demands. There are four years to learn and evolve.
