The Lions no longer need goodwill in Australia – their brand will carry them through

Irish Times

3 days ago

Sport often provides a prism through which we have some of our happiest and most poignant memories. The booming trade of vintage sportswear globally provides a tangible clue that as we age, we like to hold on to things as we remember fondly.
For decades, Barcelona Football Club didn't want its iconic shirts sullied by sponsors, but then harsh economic realities came in and they embraced the corporate world. Their cathedral of 'mes que un club' is now officially named the Spotify Camp Nou. Times move on, regardless of the perceived romanticism of what that organisation once stood for many years ago. Sport sadly deals in brands, not teams
Similarly, since arrival in Australia, the
British and Irish Lions
have moved smoothly into this more colder, clinical and corporate world. The organisation are caught between upholding the mirage that they are on the last great adventure of rugby, when that has been devalued by fresh players being parachuted in just to fulfil last Tuesday's game against the First Nations and Pasifika. Players' appearances at fan events are run with military precision with a stopwatch.
The Lions no longer need goodwill in Australia; their brand is strong enough to prevail regardless of what they do as an organisation. Thousands of baby boomers have arrived into airports across Australia, paying thousands of euros for a bucket list trip down under while also seeing an expected series whitewash. The rugby is a bonus alongside the sights and sounds of this country for many.
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Ahead of the first Test in Brisbane, enjoying glorious winter sunshine,
Australia
embraced them with open arms. The streets and stadium were packed with red jerseys from every corner of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. During the Wallabies' captain run, the written press were able to watch 10 minutes of training as normal, before being moved to the bowels of Suncorp Stadium to wait for an interview with Jonny Sexton.
While waiting, the Lions ran through their final drills above and a booming Welsh accent came through the PA system to sternly warn the written press to stay away. Simultaneously, I found out that the Lions had blocked former Bordeaux player Pete Samu, currently contracted with the Waratahs, from representing the First Nations and Pasifika team in his hometown of Melbourne due to not playing Super Rugby last season. I wrote the story, baffled.
Pete Samu poses during a First Nations & Pasifika squad headshots session. Photograph: Graham Denholm/Getty
Sexton and Farrell have not unreasonably stated that pre-agreed tour agreements are there for a reason. What makes the blocking of the player galling for Australians is chief executive Ben Calveley arriving in Australia and immediately demanding that Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt release his national players to ensure competitive fixtures. Competitive, but not too competitive. The Lions hold all the aces at the poker table and know it.
Not unsurprisingly, the First Nations and Pasifika team were fired up, not only by not being able to field Samu, who is extremely proud of his Samoan heritage, but by the notion that they were being treated as an afterthought at best, or an inconvenience at worst. Samu was offered the opportunity to return to his family, but decided to help his team prepare for their battle against the odds.
Coached by Wallabies great Toutai Kefu and his assistants Tana Umaga and Glen Ella, the invitational side provided the Wallabies with some desperately needed inspiration after their comprehensive defeat against the Lions in Brisbane. The bookies suspended betting on a Lions' win before the game, believing the invitational team had no chance of competing after just a week of training together and without their best player Samu.
Someone forgot to tell Charlie Gamble, who was so impressive for the Waratahs, again provided menace and physicality at the breakdown alongside dropped Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto showing Schmidt the effectiveness of a forward who is ruthlessly aggressive and physical. Salakaia-Loto could still feature in the third Test doing everything possible to get picked with his performances.
The Wallabies were at Docklands Stadium cheering on their friends and team-mates on a chilly evening and should have taken something out of the game which ended in a narrow win for a bruised Lions team who were happy to punt the ball out on the final siren. Fight fire with fire. Although that is easier typed than facing Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry.
Australian Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt watches his players during a training session. Photograph: William West/AFP via Getty
A crowd of over 90,000 is expected at the cavernous MCG to watch a Test that could seal the series for the Lions. Schmidt has kept the same backline, keeping faith in his young outhalf Tom Lynagh and winger Harry Potter who had a poor game in Brisbane.
The former Ireland coach has been paying close attention to the typical Melbourne winter weather which is not dissimilar to Belfast, just with less central heating. Think a huge grey sodden woollen jumper hanging over the sky and dripping on people below. The field will be immaculate, but softer underfoot, giving the Wallabies a 6-2 bench, with Angus Bell, Langi Gleeson and Carlos Tizzano ready to charge off it and cause impact.
The biggest headline is the return of Rob Valetini, a man who can and does win Test rugby by himself. He is one of the world's best ball carriers and in tandem with Will Skelton, he will provide desperately needed power for the Wallabies in the starting line-up against a ruthlessly physical Lions side. Skelton is outstanding for his club La Rochelle but has never been able to match the same form for the Wallabies. With a Test series on the line, there is no better time to start.