Andy Farrell pleased with the Lions after win but warns Australia will respond

Glasgow Times

19-07-2025

The Lions head to Melbourne for the second Test knowing they have the beating of the Wallabies after dominating the Suncorp Stadium opener for 50 minutes with Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Curry and Dan Sheehan touching down.
But Australia were far more competitive in the final half-hour to give them hope of levelling the series and Farrell evoked memories of 2013 to guard against any complacency from his players.
Tom Curry scored for the Lions in a fine victory (David Davies/PA)
Twelve years ago Warren Gatland's team took a 1-0 lead in the series by winning in Brisbane only to lose the second Test in Melbourne. They then clinched the Sydney decider.
'We do take encouragement from the display, but at the same time we know what is coming,' head coach Farrell said.
'We know what happened in the second half here and we roll into the second game knowing full well what happened in 2013.
'When an Australia team becomes desperate, it is difficult to handle, so we expect a different game next weekend.
'Not only was this Australia's second game and they'll be much better because of that, but also because of what it means to them and how proud they are. It'll mean the world to them.
'We need to make sure we are ready for them to be at their best. It will take a better performance than what we've shown here to make sure we get a win next week.'
At the heart of the Lions' forward dominance stood flankers Curry and Tadhg Beirne, who were forces of nature at the breakdown and in contact.
Neither player had excelled during the previous tour fixtures and were picked for the first Test because of their big-game temperaments, resulting in criticism of their selection. Curry's presence kept out Jac Morgan, the only Welshman in the squad.
'I read all that, it was interesting wasn't it? They were immense, absolutely immense,' Farrell said.
Tadhg Beirne celebrates with Maro Itoje (David Davies/PA)
'Tom Curry put in some really nice shots defensively and Tadhg Beirne got the turnover very early doors and set the tone. It didn't stop there, it carried on the same for the whole game.'
Farrell revealed that second row Joe McCarthy and fly-half Finn Russell left the field in the second half because of plantar fasciitis and cramp respectively.
Australia boss Joe Schmidt confirmed that hard-running forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini will be available for the second Test after siting out the Brisbane opener with calf injuries.
Schmidt added: 'We fought our way back into the game. If we could get within one score, you never know what could have happened.
'I'm not saying the Lions didn't deserve to win it because they did on the balance on what they did in the first half.
'I'm very proud of the way the players fought their way back. This time last year we would probably have melted, so I love the way this team is developing.'