Latest news with #BattleofBallymore
The Advertiser
18-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Wallabies' task to surf Sea of Red to relevancy
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt knows any of the ground his side's made up with the Australian public can be washed away in 80 minutes by a Brisbane red sea. The British and Irish Lions - and an estimated 40,000 supporters - are back in town, 12 years after a one-sided Sydney decider tipped the scales in their favour. They'll start heavy favourites at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, the Wallabies this week jumping from eighth to sixth in the world after their unconvincing defeat of Fiji earlier this month. Up 1-0 in 1989, the Wallabies were rocked 19-12 in a violent Brisbane Test, dubbed the "Battle of Ballymore", before losing the Sydney decider. In 2001 the Wallabies were world champions and, after a Gabba ambush that changed the way Australians supported their team, found another gear to win the series 2-1. Kurtley Beale slipped attempting the match-winning penalty in Brisbane 12 years later, James Horwill's men prevailing in a similarly tight Melbourne affair before that Sydney boilover. In 2025 the Wallabies are coming from further behind, two years ago at rock bottom when unable to escape from the World Cup group stage for the first time. In Brisbane they're missing two of their most important players in the injured Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. A new halves combination, 22-year-old flyhalf Tom Lynagh in his first Test start and veteran scrumhalf Jake Gordon, is another unknown. Still, Schmidt has created some optimism following a Spring Tour that featured the arrival of flash new toy Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the NRL. "We've felt a bit of a shift," Schmidt said of the public support. "There's a bit of a groundswell and the players are conscious you need to earn that every time you lace up. "We know that in recent times perhaps we haven't earnt that. "I don't know which is the cart and which is the horse, but we need each other." The cynic would say there's a reason Rugby Australia have made the historic call to emblazon the Wallabies jerseys with the players' surnames. But unlikely captain Harry Wilson, who until last year spent seasons in the Test wilderness after surging to a debut as a 20-year-old rookie, wants to take the chance to join John Eales as a Lion tamer. "It's something a lot of us haven't ever had," the scruffy No.8 explained to the media scrum of the build-up to the game. "We love seeing rugby being talked about and it's come at a really good time for us." Thousands of Lions supporters crammed into Brisbane's King George Square on Friday, singing Oasis, Neil Diamond and Queen songs as they waited for their heroes to walk onto stage. Queues for a beer at the nearby British pub stretched out the door. It was that Sea of Red that flooded the Gabba in 2001 and forced Rugby Australia to respond with a golden wave in Melbourne. With plenty to prove, Wilson is adamant his underdogs are up to it and Lions star-turned assistant coach Johnny Sexton isn't surprised. "We're just trying to put a great performance out there because that's what's going to be needed," he said. "A great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team." Schmidt, who's coached with and against most of the Lions players and staff during his time in Ireland is smiling at the challenge ahead. "We've had one Test match. We've got 15 this year ... we thought we'd ease our way into the year," he grinned. "That's the magnitude of it, really." Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt knows any of the ground his side's made up with the Australian public can be washed away in 80 minutes by a Brisbane red sea. The British and Irish Lions - and an estimated 40,000 supporters - are back in town, 12 years after a one-sided Sydney decider tipped the scales in their favour. They'll start heavy favourites at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, the Wallabies this week jumping from eighth to sixth in the world after their unconvincing defeat of Fiji earlier this month. Up 1-0 in 1989, the Wallabies were rocked 19-12 in a violent Brisbane Test, dubbed the "Battle of Ballymore", before losing the Sydney decider. In 2001 the Wallabies were world champions and, after a Gabba ambush that changed the way Australians supported their team, found another gear to win the series 2-1. Kurtley Beale slipped attempting the match-winning penalty in Brisbane 12 years later, James Horwill's men prevailing in a similarly tight Melbourne affair before that Sydney boilover. In 2025 the Wallabies are coming from further behind, two years ago at rock bottom when unable to escape from the World Cup group stage for the first time. In Brisbane they're missing two of their most important players in the injured Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. A new halves combination, 22-year-old flyhalf Tom Lynagh in his first Test start and veteran scrumhalf Jake Gordon, is another unknown. Still, Schmidt has created some optimism following a Spring Tour that featured the arrival of flash new toy Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the NRL. "We've felt a bit of a shift," Schmidt said of the public support. "There's a bit of a groundswell and the players are conscious you need to earn that every time you lace up. "We know that in recent times perhaps we haven't earnt that. "I don't know which is the cart and which is the horse, but we need each other." The cynic would say there's a reason Rugby Australia have made the historic call to emblazon the Wallabies jerseys with the players' surnames. But unlikely captain Harry Wilson, who until last year spent seasons in the Test wilderness after surging to a debut as a 20-year-old rookie, wants to take the chance to join John Eales as a Lion tamer. "It's something a lot of us haven't ever had," the scruffy No.8 explained to the media scrum of the build-up to the game. "We love seeing rugby being talked about and it's come at a really good time for us." Thousands of Lions supporters crammed into Brisbane's King George Square on Friday, singing Oasis, Neil Diamond and Queen songs as they waited for their heroes to walk onto stage. Queues for a beer at the nearby British pub stretched out the door. It was that Sea of Red that flooded the Gabba in 2001 and forced Rugby Australia to respond with a golden wave in Melbourne. With plenty to prove, Wilson is adamant his underdogs are up to it and Lions star-turned assistant coach Johnny Sexton isn't surprised. "We're just trying to put a great performance out there because that's what's going to be needed," he said. "A great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team." Schmidt, who's coached with and against most of the Lions players and staff during his time in Ireland is smiling at the challenge ahead. "We've had one Test match. We've got 15 this year ... we thought we'd ease our way into the year," he grinned. "That's the magnitude of it, really." Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt knows any of the ground his side's made up with the Australian public can be washed away in 80 minutes by a Brisbane red sea. The British and Irish Lions - and an estimated 40,000 supporters - are back in town, 12 years after a one-sided Sydney decider tipped the scales in their favour. They'll start heavy favourites at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, the Wallabies this week jumping from eighth to sixth in the world after their unconvincing defeat of Fiji earlier this month. Up 1-0 in 1989, the Wallabies were rocked 19-12 in a violent Brisbane Test, dubbed the "Battle of Ballymore", before losing the Sydney decider. In 2001 the Wallabies were world champions and, after a Gabba ambush that changed the way Australians supported their team, found another gear to win the series 2-1. Kurtley Beale slipped attempting the match-winning penalty in Brisbane 12 years later, James Horwill's men prevailing in a similarly tight Melbourne affair before that Sydney boilover. In 2025 the Wallabies are coming from further behind, two years ago at rock bottom when unable to escape from the World Cup group stage for the first time. In Brisbane they're missing two of their most important players in the injured Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. A new halves combination, 22-year-old flyhalf Tom Lynagh in his first Test start and veteran scrumhalf Jake Gordon, is another unknown. Still, Schmidt has created some optimism following a Spring Tour that featured the arrival of flash new toy Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the NRL. "We've felt a bit of a shift," Schmidt said of the public support. "There's a bit of a groundswell and the players are conscious you need to earn that every time you lace up. "We know that in recent times perhaps we haven't earnt that. "I don't know which is the cart and which is the horse, but we need each other." The cynic would say there's a reason Rugby Australia have made the historic call to emblazon the Wallabies jerseys with the players' surnames. But unlikely captain Harry Wilson, who until last year spent seasons in the Test wilderness after surging to a debut as a 20-year-old rookie, wants to take the chance to join John Eales as a Lion tamer. "It's something a lot of us haven't ever had," the scruffy No.8 explained to the media scrum of the build-up to the game. "We love seeing rugby being talked about and it's come at a really good time for us." Thousands of Lions supporters crammed into Brisbane's King George Square on Friday, singing Oasis, Neil Diamond and Queen songs as they waited for their heroes to walk onto stage. Queues for a beer at the nearby British pub stretched out the door. It was that Sea of Red that flooded the Gabba in 2001 and forced Rugby Australia to respond with a golden wave in Melbourne. With plenty to prove, Wilson is adamant his underdogs are up to it and Lions star-turned assistant coach Johnny Sexton isn't surprised. "We're just trying to put a great performance out there because that's what's going to be needed," he said. "A great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team." Schmidt, who's coached with and against most of the Lions players and staff during his time in Ireland is smiling at the challenge ahead. "We've had one Test match. We've got 15 this year ... we thought we'd ease our way into the year," he grinned. "That's the magnitude of it, really."
Perth Now
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Wallabies' task to surf Sea of Red to relevancy
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt knows any of the ground his side's made up with the Australian public can be washed away in 80 minutes by a Brisbane red sea. The British and Irish Lions - and an estimated 40,000 supporters - are back in town, 12 years after a one-sided Sydney decider tipped the scales in their favour. They'll start heavy favourites at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, the Wallabies this week jumping from eighth to sixth in the world after their unconvincing defeat of Fiji earlier this month. Up 1-0 in 1989, the Wallabies were rocked 19-12 in a violent Brisbane Test, dubbed the "Battle of Ballymore", before losing the Sydney decider. In 2001 the Wallabies were world champions and, after a Gabba ambush that changed the way Australians supported their team, found another gear to win the series 2-1. Kurtley Beale slipped attempting the match-winning penalty in Brisbane 12 years later, James Horwill's men prevailing in a similarly tight Melbourne affair before that Sydney boilover. In 2025 the Wallabies are coming from further behind, two years ago at rock bottom when unable to escape from the World Cup group stage for the first time. In Brisbane they're missing two of their most important players in the injured Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. A new halves combination, 22-year-old flyhalf Tom Lynagh in his first Test start and veteran scrumhalf Jake Gordon, is another unknown. Still, Schmidt has created some optimism following a Spring Tour that featured the arrival of flash new toy Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the NRL. "We've felt a bit of a shift," Schmidt said of the public support. "There's a bit of a groundswell and the players are conscious you need to earn that every time you lace up. "We know that in recent times perhaps we haven't earnt that. "I don't know which is the cart and which is the horse, but we need each other." The cynic would say there's a reason Rugby Australia have made the historic call to emblazon the Wallabies jerseys with the players' surnames. But unlikely captain Harry Wilson, who until last year spent seasons in the Test wilderness after surging to a debut as a 20-year-old rookie, wants to take the chance to join John Eales as a Lion tamer. "It's something a lot of us haven't ever had," the scruffy No.8 explained to the media scrum of the build-up to the game. "We love seeing rugby being talked about and it's come at a really good time for us." Thousands of Lions supporters crammed into Brisbane's King George Square on Friday, singing Oasis, Neil Diamond and Queen songs as they waited for their heroes to walk onto stage. Queues for a beer at the nearby British pub stretched out the door. It was that Sea of Red that flooded the Gabba in 2001 and forced Rugby Australia to respond with a golden wave in Melbourne. With plenty to prove, Wilson is adamant his underdogs are up to it and Lions star-turned assistant coach Johnny Sexton isn't surprised. "We're just trying to put a great performance out there because that's what's going to be needed," he said. "A great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team." Schmidt, who's coached with and against most of the Lions players and staff during his time in Ireland is smiling at the challenge ahead. "We've had one Test match. We've got 15 this year ... we thought we'd ease our way into the year," he grinned. "That's the magnitude of it, really."
Canberra Times
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Canberra Times
'Crazy stuff': AC/DC help Wallabies power up
A sparring Nick Farr-Jones was at the centre of what was dubbed the Battle of Ballymore in 1989, a match described as the "most violent game of rugby that has ever been played" by Lions flanker Mike Teague.
Perth Now
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
'Crazy stuff': AC/DC help Wallabies power up
Classic Aussie rock is readying the Wallabies for the "crazy stuff" that's come to be expected from a British & Irish Lions Test in Brisbane. A full Suncorp Stadium will usher in the three-Test series opener on Saturday. A buzzing contingent of travelling Lions fans are expected to be in full voice to write another chapter. A sparring Nick Farr-Jones was at the centre of what was dubbed the Battle of Ballymore in 1989, a match described as the "most violent game of rugby that has ever been played" by Lions flanker Mike Teague. In 2001, the Lions bullied the Wallabies at the Gabba before John Eales' star-studded side rebounded to win the series 2-1. And in 2013, Kurtley Beale slipped while attempting what would have likely been the match-winning penalty goal, kick-starting a drama-charged series the hosts lost 2-1. "Bloody red jerseys everywhere," former Wallabies star Toutai Kefu recalled this week of the 2001 opener. "We were pretty confident going into that game and, 'Wow'. "That physicality, that quickness, that ferociousness. We got punched in the face in that first Test." Queensland product Tate McDermott, set to earn minutes as a starter or off the bench at scrumhalf on Saturday, wants to make sure that doesn't happen to his men. "We don't know what to expect ... a huge occasion and crazy stuff happens there all the time," he said of Suncorp Stadium. "The fans are going to be crawling and vocal, on both sides. "I'm not sure what's going to happen, but it's exciting. "We just need to harness the excitement in the right way." Wallabies lock Jeremy Williams is bracing for the hostility and volume, particularly at line-out time when clear communication is essential. The Western Force skipper revealed the team had been cranking up the speakers to replicate what they might encounter on Saturday. "A bit of everything … loud screaming, a bit of AC/DC," he said of their playlist. "It's something we've spoken about; we've used music as a tool to try and distract the boys from the calls we want to make." Both sides have gone out of their way to remain respectful in the lead-up, but Williams admitted emotions could spill over on Saturday. "It's physical, competitive .... those things may or may not happen, you never really know," he said.
The Advertiser
14-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'It shits me': Nick Farr-Jones' nagging Lions regret
World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones has ranked the pain of never winning a series against the British and Irish Lions as probably the biggest regret of his celebrated career and urged the Wallabies to seize the moment in Saturday's first Test in says even 36 years after leading Australia to a 2-1 series loss to the Lions, he still tosses and turns about missing his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conquer the best of the British and Irish. "Yeah, it shits me," Farr-Jones told AAP. "When the Lions come down, only once every 12 years, you get one roll of the dice. And if I've got any damn regrets about the game looking back, it's that we didn't beat the bastards." After crushing the tourists 30-12 in the 1989 first Test, the Wallabies lost the infamous "Battle of Ballymore" 19-12 as the Lions mauled them in Brisbane to level the series. Despite only suffering a seven-point loss, it was the manner in which the Wallabies succumbed in the brutal second Test that gives Farr-Jones nightmares. The Lions hatched a plan to monster Australia's halfback and captain into submission. "And it worked a treat," he admitted. Farr-Jones said cheekily winking and blowing a kiss at Lions hooker Brian Moore early on in the game was a big mistake. "He proceeded to rip me apart after that and all the other forwards ripped into me," he said. "They had a pack which included three policemen, three bobbies - (Wade) Dooley, (Paul) Ackford, (Dean) Richards - as well as Finlay Calder, 'Mad Dog' Moore. "I think the only probably non-fighter in that pack was David Sole, the Scottish prop. "You had Mickey Skinner. It was a tough, hard pack and they would have sat around two weeks before the first and the second Test, and they would have said, 'What are we going to do?' "Let's beat the crap out of them, and how about we start with the captain. "He's a little guy. We can beat the crap out of him. His game will implode, the team will unravel around him and in a way it sort of happened. "So I commend them for the tactics." Farr-Jones pointed out that the likes of two-time World Cup-winning Wallabies legends Tim Horan and Phil Kearns never got a crack at the Lions and hopes Joe Schmidt's class of 2025 realise the opportunity in front of them. Because he still regrets his 1989 side not taking their chance in a 2-1 series-deciding third-Test loss in Sydney, when the defining moment of the 19-18 near-miss remains David Campese's wild pass to Greg Martin in the Australian in-goal area that led to the Lions' winning try. "So, looking back, the cracks in the ceiling would get wider at three in the morning because we should have won that series. There's no doubt about that, and we butchered it," Farr-Jones recalls. "And I'm not talking about Campo's incident or what have you. We had 79 other minutes in which to win that game. "We should never have lost it. You wake up and you really regret it because, as came to pass in World Cups, we got a second roll of the dice." Farr-Jones AM achieved just about every major honour in helped the Wallabies complete the fabled grand slam tour in 1984with victories over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, alsofeatured in triumphant Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand andcrowned his career by hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup next to the Queen atTwickenham in only other career disappointments that come closeto losing to the Lions was not winning a first grade premiership in 14seasons with Sydney University and seeing his great friend andteammate Tim Gavin miss the `91 World Cup through injury. World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones has ranked the pain of never winning a series against the British and Irish Lions as probably the biggest regret of his celebrated career and urged the Wallabies to seize the moment in Saturday's first Test in says even 36 years after leading Australia to a 2-1 series loss to the Lions, he still tosses and turns about missing his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conquer the best of the British and Irish. "Yeah, it shits me," Farr-Jones told AAP. "When the Lions come down, only once every 12 years, you get one roll of the dice. And if I've got any damn regrets about the game looking back, it's that we didn't beat the bastards." After crushing the tourists 30-12 in the 1989 first Test, the Wallabies lost the infamous "Battle of Ballymore" 19-12 as the Lions mauled them in Brisbane to level the series. Despite only suffering a seven-point loss, it was the manner in which the Wallabies succumbed in the brutal second Test that gives Farr-Jones nightmares. The Lions hatched a plan to monster Australia's halfback and captain into submission. "And it worked a treat," he admitted. Farr-Jones said cheekily winking and blowing a kiss at Lions hooker Brian Moore early on in the game was a big mistake. "He proceeded to rip me apart after that and all the other forwards ripped into me," he said. "They had a pack which included three policemen, three bobbies - (Wade) Dooley, (Paul) Ackford, (Dean) Richards - as well as Finlay Calder, 'Mad Dog' Moore. "I think the only probably non-fighter in that pack was David Sole, the Scottish prop. "You had Mickey Skinner. It was a tough, hard pack and they would have sat around two weeks before the first and the second Test, and they would have said, 'What are we going to do?' "Let's beat the crap out of them, and how about we start with the captain. "He's a little guy. We can beat the crap out of him. His game will implode, the team will unravel around him and in a way it sort of happened. "So I commend them for the tactics." Farr-Jones pointed out that the likes of two-time World Cup-winning Wallabies legends Tim Horan and Phil Kearns never got a crack at the Lions and hopes Joe Schmidt's class of 2025 realise the opportunity in front of them. Because he still regrets his 1989 side not taking their chance in a 2-1 series-deciding third-Test loss in Sydney, when the defining moment of the 19-18 near-miss remains David Campese's wild pass to Greg Martin in the Australian in-goal area that led to the Lions' winning try. "So, looking back, the cracks in the ceiling would get wider at three in the morning because we should have won that series. There's no doubt about that, and we butchered it," Farr-Jones recalls. "And I'm not talking about Campo's incident or what have you. We had 79 other minutes in which to win that game. "We should never have lost it. You wake up and you really regret it because, as came to pass in World Cups, we got a second roll of the dice." Farr-Jones AM achieved just about every major honour in helped the Wallabies complete the fabled grand slam tour in 1984with victories over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, alsofeatured in triumphant Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand andcrowned his career by hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup next to the Queen atTwickenham in only other career disappointments that come closeto losing to the Lions was not winning a first grade premiership in 14seasons with Sydney University and seeing his great friend andteammate Tim Gavin miss the `91 World Cup through injury. World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones has ranked the pain of never winning a series against the British and Irish Lions as probably the biggest regret of his celebrated career and urged the Wallabies to seize the moment in Saturday's first Test in says even 36 years after leading Australia to a 2-1 series loss to the Lions, he still tosses and turns about missing his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conquer the best of the British and Irish. "Yeah, it shits me," Farr-Jones told AAP. "When the Lions come down, only once every 12 years, you get one roll of the dice. And if I've got any damn regrets about the game looking back, it's that we didn't beat the bastards." After crushing the tourists 30-12 in the 1989 first Test, the Wallabies lost the infamous "Battle of Ballymore" 19-12 as the Lions mauled them in Brisbane to level the series. Despite only suffering a seven-point loss, it was the manner in which the Wallabies succumbed in the brutal second Test that gives Farr-Jones nightmares. The Lions hatched a plan to monster Australia's halfback and captain into submission. "And it worked a treat," he admitted. Farr-Jones said cheekily winking and blowing a kiss at Lions hooker Brian Moore early on in the game was a big mistake. "He proceeded to rip me apart after that and all the other forwards ripped into me," he said. "They had a pack which included three policemen, three bobbies - (Wade) Dooley, (Paul) Ackford, (Dean) Richards - as well as Finlay Calder, 'Mad Dog' Moore. "I think the only probably non-fighter in that pack was David Sole, the Scottish prop. "You had Mickey Skinner. It was a tough, hard pack and they would have sat around two weeks before the first and the second Test, and they would have said, 'What are we going to do?' "Let's beat the crap out of them, and how about we start with the captain. "He's a little guy. We can beat the crap out of him. His game will implode, the team will unravel around him and in a way it sort of happened. "So I commend them for the tactics." Farr-Jones pointed out that the likes of two-time World Cup-winning Wallabies legends Tim Horan and Phil Kearns never got a crack at the Lions and hopes Joe Schmidt's class of 2025 realise the opportunity in front of them. Because he still regrets his 1989 side not taking their chance in a 2-1 series-deciding third-Test loss in Sydney, when the defining moment of the 19-18 near-miss remains David Campese's wild pass to Greg Martin in the Australian in-goal area that led to the Lions' winning try. "So, looking back, the cracks in the ceiling would get wider at three in the morning because we should have won that series. There's no doubt about that, and we butchered it," Farr-Jones recalls. "And I'm not talking about Campo's incident or what have you. We had 79 other minutes in which to win that game. "We should never have lost it. You wake up and you really regret it because, as came to pass in World Cups, we got a second roll of the dice." Farr-Jones AM achieved just about every major honour in helped the Wallabies complete the fabled grand slam tour in 1984with victories over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, alsofeatured in triumphant Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand andcrowned his career by hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup next to the Queen atTwickenham in only other career disappointments that come closeto losing to the Lions was not winning a first grade premiership in 14seasons with Sydney University and seeing his great friend andteammate Tim Gavin miss the `91 World Cup through injury.
