Lions ready for the real thing
June 28, 2001

The Lions have never lost a match in Brisbane, and no British or Irish side has won a Test match in Australia since Finlay Calder's Lions of 1989. One of these statements will be false come half nine on Saturday night, it's just a question of which one.

This match and series are ramped up to be a monmental clash. The war of words has been going on ever since the tourists touched down in Perth over a month ago. The Australians, as is the trend these days have heaped praise on their opponents, with Rod Macqueen saying they are one of the best sides ever put together. While on the Lions side, although the seige mentality does not quite prevail, there have been audible mutterings about a tacit strategy to rough the tourists up before the main event.

Whether or not these things are true is a different matter, but the series does see two master coaches go head to head. Graham Henry had a lot to do with how the modern game is played with his work with Auckland in the early nineties, when they won 80 matches out of 102. That side played free-flowing quick ruck ball phase rugby: the continuity game most teams eventually copied. It is still much in evidence today, with one or two men rucks being the norm, the problem is that defences have cottoned on and plundered defensive patterns from Rugby League.

Rod Macqueen won the World Cup on defence. They conceded only one try in the one competition and in the end were easily the best team in the tournament. The following year his side adopted a completely different game plan in the Tri-Nations. His team then played the fast, basketball style against the All Blacks and we got two of the most remarkable Test matches ever played. Macqueen has won the lot with Australia and this series would be the icing on the cake. They've been ensconced at Coffs Harbour for weeks now and they are bound to have some tricks up their sleeves.

The Wallabies are there to beaten and Graham Henry is sure to have some tricks of his own. Obviosly injuries have meant he has not been able to select the side he would have liked to, but Lions tours are always like that, and all eventualites will have been planned for. The side is not demonstrably weaker without Dallaglio, Luger and co - the back up is there. Any more injuries though, and things could get tricky.

The Lions front five has a tight, solid feel to it, and the front row has the edge in experience. If this game is to be won upfront it's these guys that will have to do the graft and there are no shirkers here. In the back row Richard Hill plays on the openside, probably his best position and the position he played in for the 1997 Lions Test team. Martin Corry plays in the biggest game of his life, lets hope he doesn't go into shell, and by the performances he's turned in so far, he won't.

A lot has been made of the inexperienced Wallaby front row, but expect them to step up. Jeremy Paul is arguably the best footballing hooker in the world and his match-up with the all-singing all-dancing Keith Wood should be a good one. No one here is quite sure whether or not John Eales is on his way out. He's the same age as his counterpart Martin Johnson and Johnson has been talking about the next World Cup. This may however be Eales' swansong so expect this supreme compeittor to raise his game.

Blindside Owen Finegan is the enforcer in the Wallaby pack and expect him to have words with Johnson at some point. At seven George Smith is the classic openside flanker. Watching him for the Brumbies in the Super 12 final was a masterclass in breakaway scavenging. Seemingly at every breakdown, he was there, dreadlocks flying, putting his head where it hurts and body on the line. Hill has got it work cut out if it's a straight race for the ball.

The halfback battle will be a classic, these four are the best in the world. We haven't seen a lot of Howley on this tour so far but he was always going to start in the Tests, and would have done so in 1997 had it not been for injury. Jonny Wilkinson when asked about his standing in the world game says he is not quite there yet, and still learning. Ever the perfectionist, when will he be there? When he scores 2000 Test points? Don't bet against it.

The Wallaby pairing of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham must have the edge. As ACT team mates they know each other's game's inside out. Gregan is the Wallaby captain in waiting and his service and option taking are second to none, but he can be put off his game. While Larkham has proably taken over Chris Cullen's title as the most exciting player to watch in rugby. This guy can do almost anything on a rugby pitch and invariably does. He has to stay fit if the Wallabies are to be at their best.

Outside the halfback quartet, the Wallabies must have the edge in size and power. Only Rob Henderson and Daffyd James match up for the Lions in that respect. Nathan Grey, Dan Herbert, Chris Latham and Joe Roff are monsters and the Lions backs are going to have to get things dead right to stop them. Down one side of pitch Andrew Walker and Jason Robinson go head to head. Both dual internationals, they are thouroughbred finishers and that contest will be a fascinating one. League converts often find it easy to get into the game from wing, and expect these two to come looking for work.

So who's going to win? Tough call. It's going to be close all the way, and when it is goal kicking becomes the be all and end all. Wilkinson can do the job under the toughest pressure. With the side that Macqueen has picked Andrew Walker will do the kicking for the Wallabies. He has one cap and no Test points. He's a capable kicker and has proved as much as back-up for Stirling Mortlock at the Brumbies, but if he misses the first couple the Queensland crowd could go against him and then he will find it difficult.

With two accomplished and innovative coaches in charge hopefully we'll see some things we haven't seen before and with two such evenly matched sides tactics will play a huge part. Australia have won everything and are a settled side, and if their goals go over they should win this one, but faced by the spirit and pride of the Lions, anything could happen.

Wallabies v Lions

WALKING WOUNDED
The Wallabies have prepared for this series without winger Ben Tune and centre Stirling Mortlock. Tune injured a shoulder during the final stages of the Super 12, while Mortlock also sustained a series ending knee injury at about the same time. Brumbies lock David Giffin was the only other concern during the week with a neck injury after hooker Jeremy Paul fell on his head during contact work at training. However, he has recovered quickly and will play a key role for the Wallabies on Saturday. The Lions have had a pretty poor run of injuries since arriving in Australia. The biggest blow came during the week when England powerhouse Lawrence Dallaglio was forced out of the tour with a knee injury. Dallaglio became the fifth player to see his tour finish prematurely, following Mike Catt, Dan Luger, Simon Taylor and Phil Greening. Centre Will Greenwood (ankle), hooker Robin McBryde (thigh) and Neil Back (ribs) were not considered for selection due to injury.

WHO'S HOT?

When Bob Dwyer returned as Waratahs coach at the end of last season, he said he would get inside-centre Nathan Grey back to his best and back in the Wallaby starting XV. It's almost two years since Grey last started for Australia, but on Saturday he returns to the Wallaby midfield after some outstanding form for the Waratahs, but more significantly with Australia A last week. Grey is an intimidating presence in defence.

Ten months ago, Jason Robinson was still running around with the shiny shorts playing rugby league. On Saturday, his meteoric rise in rugby union reaches its pinnacle when he runs out for the Lions. Robinson has been one of the best-performed tourists since arriving. Five tries against the Queensland Presidents XV showcased his attacking prowess, but it was his performances against some better opposition that would have made Wallaby management stand up and take notice.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Stephen Larkham v Jonny Wilkinson - Depending on which country's newspapers you read, one of these two is the best flyhalf in world rugby. A forest has been sacrificed explaining that if you stop Larkham, you stop Wallabies, but the fact remains it hasn't really happened for two years. Mind you, they did look pretty shabby without Larkham on the end-of-season tour of Europe last season. The same could be said of Wilkinson. There's no doubt if his forwards lay on a good platform then Wilkinson could quite easily win the game, and certainly at least with his boot should the Wallabies give away silly penalties. There's no doubt Wilkinson's all-round game has improved with his running at the line a dangerous new element for any defence.

George Smith v Richard Hill - Northern Hemisphere teams really haven't seen a lot of the Wallaby openside flanker George Smith, or his phenomenal workload across the field. They got a brief glimpse during last season's Wallaby tour, but it's fair to say he's an even better player if Super 12 form is any form guide. He comes up against England's great campaigner Richard Hill, who switches from blindside to take on Smith. Hill has played openside flanker for his club and there aren't many who boast his experience. The battle for possession will be brutal on Saturday night and these two will be going toe to toe ... in the nicest possible way of course. It is worth noting, England openside Neil Back was not considered due to a rib injury, but it seems the original plan for Graham Henry was still to play Hill at 7 with Dallaglio at 6. Of course, super-sub Martin Corry now gets the call-up at 6 with Dallaglio out of the tour.

John Eales v Martin Johnson - These two great champions first came up against each other 10 years ago and during that time have maintained their place as the leading locks running around. Both are inspirational leaders, but that aside their battle in the lineouts will be a crucial element of the game. Johnson is still fresh form leading his club Leicester to English premiership and European Cup glory, while Eales wants to make up for lost time after a disrupted Super 12 season due to injury.

LIKE TO SEE
The two best teams in the world putting on a spectacle to match last year's Bledisloe Cup thriller at Stadium Australia. The Lions have played some magnificent football on this tour. With good possession, they are keen to spread it wide early, whereas the Wallabies will look to recycle the ball at the breakdown before unleashing their backline. The Lions forward pack was always seen as the side's best weapon, but they clearly possess some big, fast backs playing with confidence. Of course none of them have ever come against a brick wall in the form of Nathan Grey and Daniel Herbert.

WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE
The nasty incidents we saw at the Sydney Football Stadium last Saturday. If you are to believe some it's all part of a well-orchestrated Wallaby campaign to disrupt the tourists, but don't be fooled. Both parties are guilty as each other.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.