‘Take it to them head on': Veteran's advice to Wallabies after almost shocking Lions
But he also said the team had been motivated by the treatment of Samu, who was selected for the team and trained early on, but had to withdraw after the Lions used their veto power to oppose him playing.
The agreement struck between RA and the Lions was Super Rugby players would be used in the FNP squad, and the Lions argued Samu didn't qualify given he has just returned from Bordeaux. RA argued Samu qualified given he has since joined the Waratahs.
Samu, who has Tongan heritage and was raised in Melbourne, stayed with the squad and ran water last night at Marvel. A section of the crowd had Samu face masks.
'Pete was originally down to play number eight and he'd already trained a few sessions with us, so to see the way he was displaced, I think was pretty poor,' Kefu said.
'Pete was fantastic, he got on with it, he was keen to hang around and help the boys prepare and the boys really felt for him.'
Kefu said Samu would have a big difference to the strength of the FNP side.
'The young kid (Tuaina Taii Tualima) that took his spot, he's got a big future, but Pete Samu is an experienced campaigner,' Kefu said.
'He's hungry and motivated to get back into the Wallaby jersey. He would have been great for us.'
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Asked if he felt disrespected by the Lions over the Samu situation, Kefu said it was a backhanded compliment.
'I think more respected because they didn't want him to play. So removing him would certainly de-power our team, so I thought they had a high level of respect for him.'
Lions coach Andy Farrell, who had previously washed his hands of the Samu veto, said the side had expected an emotional response from the FNP team.
'Do you know what, it's all well and good talking that type of situation up but when the whistle goes, you're just into it and that's what you'd expect from those guys,' he said.
'They're passionate people, proud of who they're representing and they were certainly a handful, physically this evening so again, fair play to them.'
Kefu said he would find a place for Salakaia-Loto and Taniela Tupou in the Wallabies squad after their powerhouse performances.
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Despite being without Alaalatoa and Valetini, the Wallabies also enjoyed scrum dominance with recalled Taniela Tupou having a storming first half at the set piece. The match erupted in the 23rd minute when the Lions took exception to Will Skelton pushing hooker Dan Sheehan off the ball. Punches were thrown in several melees but it was Skelton, who'd been agitating all game, penalised for starting the scrap. The Lions, though, still couldn't manage to escape their own half as the Wallabies continued bustling the tourists into error. Lynagh slotted a 34th minute to edge the Wallabies to an 8-0 halftime lead before the flyhalf made way for Ben Donaldson after being forced off for a HIA. TV replays captured Sheehan taking out Lynagh at a ruck and the Irishman will likely come under scrutiny from match officials. While Lynagh's head knock was a blow, the Lions suffered a worse break losing skipper Maro Itoje, who failed a HIA midway through the first half. Lions winger Tommy Freeman also left the action shortly before halftime with blood streaming down his face. Further compounding the tourists' woes was lock James Ryan being stretchered off in the opening minutes of the second half after copping an accidental knee to the head from Skelton. After going within less than a minute of levelling the series last week in Melbourne, the Wallabies played with passion and surely with a point to prove in front of 80,312 fans. Tensions boiled over on several occasions but the hosts refused to take a backward step. A 50-metre runaway try to winger Max Jorgensen in the 55th minute extended Australia's lead to 15 points, before the Lions replied through replacement forward Jac Morgan to revive their fortunes. But despite a last-second try to Will Stuart, there was no coming back for the Lions when reserve half Tate McDermott reached out to score with 10 minutes left on the clock. Big men Skelton, Tupou and lineout-stealing lock Nick Frost were enormous for the Wallabies and halfback Nic White, playing his last Test, getting under the skin of the Lions all night. The Wallabies have restored some national pride and avoided a dubious place in Australian sports history with a face-saving 22-12 third-Test win over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney. Joe Schmidt's side overcame miserable conditions, the absence of key forwards Alan Alaalatoa and Rob Valetini and first-choice halfback Jake Gordon as well as the loss of dazed flyhalf Tom Lynagh to record a spirited and spiteful victory at Accor Stadium. Much of Saturday night's match was played in torrential rain while lightning early in the second half forced a rare 38-minute stoppage as several hundred fans were forced to evacuate the stadium to take shelter. The Lions had been bidding to complete the first 3-0 series whitewash in Australia since 1904 after securing the trophy with a controversial 29-26 win in Melbourne last Saturday having won the Brisbane opener 27-19. Instead the Wallabies out-played and out-enthused the series winners from the get-go to make a mockery of Andy Farrell's side's dream to be known as the greatest Lions team of all time. In a match that had everything, including four pitch invaders during the delay, the Wallabies had all the answers: grunt up front, tenacious defence and the composure to close out the contest having blown an 18-point lead in the second Test. "So proud," said triumphant skipper Harry Wilson. "Obviously it was a disappointing week this week after such a tough loss. To bounce back the way we did, to play an 80-minute performance, I'm so proud of everyone. We just wanted this game so badly. Whatever we had to do, we had to do. "To get the win was special." The Wallabies enjoyed the early running and claimed a deserved 5-0 lead when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii skipped and drew in two defenders to put winger Dylan Pietsch over in the left corner on seven minutes. Replacing the injured Harry Potter, Pietsch designed the First Nations jersey and did the jumper proud, also earning Australia a key first-half penalty by holding up Lions centre Bundee Aki. Despite being without Alaalatoa and Valetini, the Wallabies also enjoyed scrum dominance with recalled Taniela Tupou having a storming first half at the set piece. The match erupted in the 23rd minute when the Lions took exception to Will Skelton pushing hooker Dan Sheehan off the ball. Punches were thrown in several melees but it was Skelton, who'd been agitating all game, penalised for starting the scrap. The Lions, though, still couldn't manage to escape their own half as the Wallabies continued bustling the tourists into error. Lynagh slotted a 34th minute to edge the Wallabies to an 8-0 halftime lead before the flyhalf made way for Ben Donaldson after being forced off for a HIA. TV replays captured Sheehan taking out Lynagh at a ruck and the Irishman will likely come under scrutiny from match officials. While Lynagh's head knock was a blow, the Lions suffered a worse break losing skipper Maro Itoje, who failed a HIA midway through the first half. Lions winger Tommy Freeman also left the action shortly before halftime with blood streaming down his face. Further compounding the tourists' woes was lock James Ryan being stretchered off in the opening minutes of the second half after copping an accidental knee to the head from Skelton. After going within less than a minute of levelling the series last week in Melbourne, the Wallabies played with passion and surely with a point to prove in front of 80,312 fans. Tensions boiled over on several occasions but the hosts refused to take a backward step. A 50-metre runaway try to winger Max Jorgensen in the 55th minute extended Australia's lead to 15 points, before the Lions replied through replacement forward Jac Morgan to revive their fortunes. But despite a last-second try to Will Stuart, there was no coming back for the Lions when reserve half Tate McDermott reached out to score with 10 minutes left on the clock. Big men Skelton, Tupou and lineout-stealing lock Nick Frost were enormous for the Wallabies and halfback Nic White, playing his last Test, getting under the skin of the Lions all night.
The Advertiser
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Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. Destructive at scrum time, a menace in the loose and generally inspirational during a game-changing 60-minute shift, Tupou conceded he feared during a turbulent Super Rugby Pacific season with the NSW Waratahs that he may never play for the Wallabies again. But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed." Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. Destructive at scrum time, a menace in the loose and generally inspirational during a game-changing 60-minute shift, Tupou conceded he feared during a turbulent Super Rugby Pacific season with the NSW Waratahs that he may never play for the Wallabies again. But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed." Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. Destructive at scrum time, a menace in the loose and generally inspirational during a game-changing 60-minute shift, Tupou conceded he feared during a turbulent Super Rugby Pacific season with the NSW Waratahs that he may never play for the Wallabies again. But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed." Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. Destructive at scrum time, a menace in the loose and generally inspirational during a game-changing 60-minute shift, Tupou conceded he feared during a turbulent Super Rugby Pacific season with the NSW Waratahs that he may never play for the Wallabies again. But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed."
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Perth Now
'If they need me': Tupou reveals World Cup dream
Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. Destructive at scrum time, a menace in the loose and generally inspirational during a game-changing 60-minute shift, Tupou conceded he feared during a turbulent Super Rugby Pacific season with the NSW Waratahs that he may never play for the Wallabies again. But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed."
