Andy Farrell: It might take one or two beers before Lions players understand their achievement

Irish Examiner

3 days ago

Andy Farrell told his disappointed British & Irish Lions they will soon understand the scale of their achievement in winning the series over Australia, despite missing out on a 3-0 clean sweep on Saturday.
The Lions lost the third and final Test to a Wallabies side that led in four of the six halves of this three-game set, going down 22-12 in the midst of a deluge at Accor Stadium and a 37-minute delay for lightning on a stormy night in the Sydney suburbs.
Yet the tourists became only the third Lions side to win a series in the professional era, following successful victories over South Africa in 1997 and the 2013 Australians.
It had been a below-par performance from a side that had revelled in their dramatic second Test win seven days earlier at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Joe Schmidt's home team salvaged some pride to make it 2-1 thanks to tries from Dylan Pietsch, Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott.
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They had led throughout with the Lions responding at 15-0 down on 62 minutes through Jac Morgan and at the death when Will Stuart crashed over, their tries coming either side of a 10-minute sin-binning for replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher was yellow carded.
'There is going to frustration there,' Farrell said. 'We said all along we wanted to win every game but the best team won on the night today.
'I have just said to the lads on reflection it might take one, it might take two beers but they will be unbelievably proud of what they achieved throughout this tour.
"We all know how hard it is to be successful on a Lions tour against a good side like Australia, and they are a good side, they proved that over the series so on reflection, when we get a bit of time to ourselves, tonight and tomorrow we will be unbelievably proud of what we have achieved.'
Farrell added: 'The legacy for us is in that changing room, the togetherness, not just of the players but the whole group has been an absolute delight to work with.
"We have played some outstanding rugby over the last six to eight weeks and that has accumulated into a performance last week that was an unbelievably special moment for all of us and it will stay with us forever.'
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt, left, and British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell before the third test match between Australia and the British & Irish Lions at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
There was an individual honour for Munster and Ireland lock/flanker Tadhg Beirne, who finished the game as Lions captain and was named the player of the series. Yet he preferred to concentrate on the collective's success.
'On a personal level it is a massive honour but that aside it is more about the series win for me, the journey from day one linking up with these boys and getting to enjoy their company for eight weeks,' Beirne said.
'It is a bittersweet moment because it is a class moment we have won the series but we lost tonight which is a bit crap for us. But as Faz says, we will get over that because we have won the series.
'It is the last time we will be in that changing room as a group and that is a bitter part because we won't get that moment again. It has been such an incredible journey, we have loved every single moment of it.
'We have said we will be having a reunion here in 12 years time. We are going to start a kitty and make sure we are all back here in 12 years to celebrate this series win.'
Farrell, who was Lions defence coach under Warren Gatland for the 2013 series win and the drawn series against the All Blacks in 2017, has now emulated both his predecessor and 1997 head coach Ian McGeechan as a series-winning boss of the tourists.
Asked ahead of the third Test whether he would like to lead the Lions on their return to New Zealand in four years, he had said he more urgent business to think about but on Saturday gave a more considered answer to the same question, despite some interruptions from Beirne.
'Everyone knows what I think about this concept and…' Farrel began before Beirne chipped in with: 'I'll be there.' Farrell responded: 'You'll be there, will you? At 37? You're joking. I'm retiring you next year.
'I suppose that says it all. I love everything that the Lions is about and I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks.
'There's always ups and there's always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be,' adding: 'Read into that what you want but I suppose four years, there's a long time between drinks isn't there?'