Key events
The teams are out, slightly behind schedule, we await the Australia anthem and then a ball will be kicked to commence proceedings.
“Even if you feel a repeat of last week’s epic is less likely, I still hope Australia come out with the same power and spirit this game.” ventures Guy Hornsby. “There’s a lot been talked about the ‘easy’ nature of a potential 3-0 but hubris is always lurking, and both sides will want to take that to heart. I suspect it’ll be close until the benches empty, but as a Lions fan, I still want a great, close game. There’s no joy in a thumping away win when you love the wider game.”
Final words are being delivered in the changing rooms by the coaches as players zip up their tracksuit tops and prepare to head out into the damp night. The obligatory hype man is on the mic in the stadium and it won’t be long until we’re underway.
Euan Clark emails from, I presume, Sydney.
“Weather has been like this for the past three days. Few minutes of torrential rain, ten mins of drizzle then clear for about 30 mins, so expect two or three periods of soaking over the game.”
As we head closer to kick off, the heavens have opened and it is absolutely HONKING it down in Sydney. This will place even greater importance on the kicking game from the half-backs and the returning Nic White in particular will be earning his corn.
Pre match reading
How important is the whitewash to Lions fans? And for Australians, is a win today essential to the journey of this squad with the Rugby Championship incoming? All this and more can be shared with me on the email.
Teams
Joe Schmidt is without last week’s difference maker Rob Valetini at flank and prop Allan Alaalatoa, who are replaced by Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou. In the backs, Nic White returns at scrum-half for his farewell test appearace, while Dylan Pietsch replaces the injured Harry Potter on the wing.
The Lions have had a late worry over Tommy Freeman’s fitness, but as of writing he’s still in the line-up. Blair Kinghorn replaces James Lowe on the wing and James Ryan starts in the second row ahead of Ollie Chessum. Andy Farrell has decided on a 6-2 bench, with Ben Earl returning to the squad.
Australia
Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Lynagh, Nic White, James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson.
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
British & Irish Lions
Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, Blair Kinghorn, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell.
Preamble
The West Wing’s Toby Ziegler once stated: “They’ll like us when we win!” In the show, this was a questionable justification for yet another US war, but the sentiment probably sits well with the Lions head coach.
It is oft repeated that Andy Farrell is a winner and this has broadly been true of his career (if you discount Ireland progressing beyond the quarter finals of a World Cup; but you can’t expect one man – however impressive – to solve that particular historical psychodrama). With the series is already won hopes were raised of something resembling a banter team selection for Lions in this cherry-on-the-top third test. To expect this is to misunderstand Farrell and his history.
His 13 years as a player at Wigan delivered 15 trophies in their continued domination of rugby league from the 1980s. Key to this domination was the culture of his hometown club. Rugby league was never a fully professional sport, with players working to supplement the modest income from the game and Wigan was the first team to change that. Wigan made the move to full professionalism in the middle of Thatcher’s decade and ushered the period of their boot relentlessly stamping on the face of the sport for the best part of two decades. No one else had the money, the desire or the sheer bloody-mindedness to pull it off.
Was it fair? Debatable. Was it fun for anyone else? I can speak from personal experience as a non-Wiganer it absolutely was not. Was it successful? Hell, yeah!
This unyielding approach arrives in Sydney in a few hours, because they’ll like us when we win.