So much for best-laid plans. Andy Farrell has spoken throughout the early part of this tour about how all Test selection forecasts can go out the window – and that is certainly happening here.
Given events in Sydney on Saturday, as the Lions stumbled to victory over the gallant Waratahs, it is fair to argue that more players have played themselves out of the first-choice XV than into it. It was a failed audition for many of the large Irish contingent, in particular.
The up-shot is that, with less than a fortnight to go until the first Test against Australia, there are various alarm bells ringing in the heads of the British and Irish management team. Their pre-tour vision would have involved more clarity and cohesion by now. The latest performance highlighted a faltering quest for attacking fluency, which has been hampered by end-of-season injury issues and late arrivals into the Lions set-up; not least the massive core of Leinster and Ireland stalwarts.
Based on the latest evidence, the 2025 tourists are scrambling to implement a detailed gameplan in a hurry, which is the reason for such a glut of glaring errors during their 21-10 in the third fixture Down Under. Their schedule is so congested – as ever – that there is not sufficient time to iron out these problems on the training ground. The Lions are flat-out, on the go, during this period of two games per week, but actually not able to do as much prep as they would wish.
Amid the post-match debrief, there were hints about the difficulty of the timetable. England scrum-half Alex Mitchell – Man of the Match against the Waratahs – said: ‘We’re still gelling as a team, still finding our way. There’s not a lot of training time, but we’re slowly getting there. I think it will slowly click; reading how people run lines and what-not. That will come with time.’
Time is something the Lions don’t have much of. Reviews are done in a hurry before they move on to plotting for the next game – against the Brumbies here in Canberra on Wednesday. Huw Jones, the Scotland centre who scored two tries on Saturday, said: ‘We have got a backs unit meeting and a team meeting, but there’s not a lot of training time, so a lot of that (review) is in down-time. There’s a lot of information coming. The last week and this week coming, it has been a bit lighter in terms of training, but there’s been a lot of information in the brain.’
Andy Farrell was right to warn that all Test selection forecasts should be prepared for change
The British & Irish Lions stumbled to victory against Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday evening
Man of the Match Alex Mitchell acknowledged that as a team, they are still finding their way
Farrell acknowledged that there is bound to be a tightening-up of tactics for the Test series and with the way things are going, that is perhaps for the best. Simplicity might be the best bet for the Lions as they rush to be ready for the Wallabies; that and established combinations where possible.
The selection picture has evolved so much, so fast, since arrival in Australia. Here is this column’s latest position-by-position take on how the Test side should be taking shape…
Full-back: Blair Kinghorn (Sco). Hugo Keenan’s belated debut went horribly wrong and Elliot Daly had his impressive tour cut short so the Toulouse late-comer is the obvious choice.
Right wing: Tommy Freeman (Eng). Mack Hansen was another Irish contender who saw their hopes recede on Saturday. Freeman has been consistent and prolific. He’s good to go.
Outside centre: Huw Jones (Sco). Midfield is one of the prime debate areas. Jones is nearing his top form again, he is strong and elusive and part of an effective Scottish trio.
Inside centre: Sione Tuipulotu (Sco). A really close call. Bundee Aki offered real route-one power and a jackal threat against the Reds, but Tuipulotu has a broader repertoire.
Left wing: James Lowe (Ire). Nothing has changed the sense that the Kiwi Irishman is a shoo-in, with his running, work-rate and kicking far superior to Duhan van der Merwe.
Fly-half: Finn Russell (Sco). No question. No doubt. He is the man and he is on a roll. Hand him the No 10 shirt and back him to be himself. Under-study is the dilemma.
James Lowe has proven himself a shoo-in for selection and far more poised than Duhan van der Merwe for the left wing spot
Finn Russell’s selection as a starter is beyond doubt, with the Scotsman on a serious roll
Scrum-half: Jamison Gibson-Park (Ire). There were doubts because he was injured but slotted back in superbly and clicked with Russell. Mitchell will be right on his tail though.
Loosehead prop: Ellis Genge (Eng). Not clear-cut, but the Bristolian has edged ahead of Andrew Porter and Pierre Schoeman with set-piece impact and explosive work in the loose.
Hooker: Dan Sheehan (Ire). One of the few seen as a certain starter before the tour and nothing has changed, while Luke Cowan-Dickie tussles with Ronan Kelleher to deputise.
Tighthead prop: Finlay Bealham (Ire). Major form v pedigree dilemma for Farrell. Tadhg Furlong is the grand master, but Bealham is playing the best and deserves his chance.
Lock (4): Maro Itoje (Eng. capt). His lead-from-the-front performance against the Red was a strong statement about his untouchable status as the rightful Test captain.
Lock (5): Joe McCarthy (Ire). Another of those who has stepped up to make himself a sure pick. He was sensational against Western Force. Will bring a hard edge to the pack.
Blindside flanker: Tom Curry (Eng). The coaches may favour a lineout specialist in which case Ollie Chessum is the man, but Curry can peak when he needs to if fully fit.
Openside flanker: Jac Morgan (Wal). Away from the crisis engulfing his national team, the Osprey was superb in Brisbane and can form a jackal double-act with Curry.
No 8: Jack Conan (Ire). It feels like this is a default selection, as he is the only specialist. Maybe there could be a twist. There’s still time for Ben Earl or even Henry Pollock.
Jac Morgan has shone away from the tumultuous Wales set-up and makes an excellent double act with England star Tom Curry
Gamble shines as tormentor-in-chief
Unlikely stars often emerge on Lions tours and Charlie Gamble has become the latest. A few years ago, the Kiwi flanker was playing amateur rugby for Petersham in the suburbs of Sydney and earning money delivering beers around the city, but his heroics for the Waratahs may put him in the mix for a call-up by Australia.
The Lions were eclipsed at the breakdown and Gamble was their tormentor-in-chief with four turnovers and a heap of tackles in a staggering performance. He described his cross-Tasman career path as a ‘pretty funny journey’ and said: ‘I went through the Crusaders academy and then came over here. I was rolling kegs and delivering beers to pubs which was good fun. I just drove my way around Sydney and delivered craft beer.’
On a trip back home to New Zealand last weekend, Gamble was told by his father that it was high time he performed at his peak. As he once did with the kegs, the openside duly delivered. Now he will aim to torment the Lions with the First Nations-Pasifika XV in Melbourne on July 22 – and hope to hear from Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt.
Charlie Gamble was a constant headache for the tourists and will hope that his performances catch the eye of Joe Schmidt
Farrell’s cheap claim
There were some jokes attached, but Andy Farrell’s claim that the Waratahs had watered the pitch in Sydney to disrupt the Lions was unnecessary and unbecoming. It shouldn’t be an issue for players from Britain and Ireland – of all damp places – to cope with slippery conditions. They have far more practice at mastering the difficult art of handling a wet ball than Australians, so it was wrong to identify that as a key factor, to explain poor play.
There should be no excuses, when four countries are arrayed against one state. Adapt. Be more direct if that is conducive. Fair play to the Waratahs for not just waiting – respectfully, passively and awe-struck – to be blown away by a superior force. They caused trouble, any way they could – and shone a harsh light on fault lines in the Lions set-up.
Good on them for creating jeopardy before the Test series, which will help the tourists in the long run, providing they accept the harsh lessons, as they surely are doing in private.
Tupou’s prodigious talent should not go to waste
After facing the Lions then baring his soul, Taniela Tupou trudged away from Allianz Stadium alone in his thoughts – knowing he may never play for or in Australia again.
The prop icon known as ‘Tongan Thor’ had been penalised repeatedly in the scrum as he tried to impose himself, in the hope of forcing a Wallabies recall, before a summer move to Racing 92. The grave danger is that a prodigious talent will go to waste, at the age of 29, as Tupou spoke about a chronic loss of confidence and form.
‘There is expectation to perform,’ he said. ‘There is pressure. When I don’t do it, then there is more pressure. I let that get to me. I am speaking to a psychologist and getting help. I realised there was no way I could deal with this myself and try to hide it. It was showing with my performances. So, I reached out for help and I am talking to people at the moment. There is a lot of work to do before that smile is back. Hopefully it will be one day soon. It has been tough.’
Asked if he would like to be involved in the series against the Lions, Tupou said: ‘It would mean the world to me to be able to give back to a country that has done so much for me, to help win the series.’
As for the move to France, the massive tighthead added: ‘I didn’t want to leave, that’s the honest truth. Australia is all I know. But it is time for me to try something different. I pray that it brings the best out in me.’
Taniela Tupou is looking for a fresh start in Paris to rediscover his boundless confidence
Here’s hoping he somehow earns one more shot at redemption with the Wallabies – and that life in Paris turns out to be the making of such a formidable, vulnerable figure.
Last Word
Meanwhile, in La Plata, Argentina, what an occasion for George Ford, who marked his 100th Test in the grandest fashion. Late last month, the Pumas, missing several key men, beat the Lions away from home. On Saturday, the Pumas, at full strength, were thumped 35-12 at home by England.
It was a fine result for Steve Borthwick, amid clear signs of the impact made by temporary attack coach Lee Blackett. No surprise there, for anyone who has observed his work at Wasps, the Scarlets and – lately – Bath. Fittingly, there was a timely masterclass from co-captain Ford.
What a magnificent playmaker he is; one who should be here in Australia. It will be fascinating to see what Borthwick does at 10 in the autumn, if Ford has an outstanding tour and Fin Smith struggles to bring authority and control in his performances with the Lions. As was obvious from his exploits for Sale in the latter stages of the domestic season, the veteran is still hugely influential. Any suggestions that Ford is a spent force at international level have been emphatically exposed as wildly premature.
