Lions' character huge for Farrell as first Wallabies Test creeps ever closer

While the white heat of a Lions Test is the true examination of that character, Farrell has liked what he has seen to this point.

Thu, 17 Jul, 2025 - 14:22

Simon Lewis, Brisbane

The British & Irish Lions decamped to Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens on Thursday night as Andy Farrell brought a point of difference to the cap and jersey presentation for Saturday’s first Test against Australia.

The Lions tour manager and chairman Ieuan Evans presented those cherished caps to the 15 players in the matchday 23 named by the head coach earlier in the day who would be making their Test debuts for the historic touring side at Suncorp Stadium 48 hours later.

The jersey presentation was typical of Farrell’s man management and inclusiveness that has turned Ireland camps into such positive environments since he took charge of the national team in December 2019.

There were no former Lions trotted out to the 23 who will shoulder the wider squad’s and travelling army of supporters hopes into this series.

Instead, each player was presented with their match jerseys by family members present in Australia or failing that by a fellow squad member accompanied by a video message of support from absent kinfolk.

It was an intimate event by all accounts and something of an oasis of calm before the team is thrust into the cauldron of the Suncorp, when Farrell will want his players to “walk towards the challenge” without ceding an inch to a Wallabies side desperate to make their own mark on a series that has been 12 years in the making since the Lions were last on these shores.

The Lions appreciate what this means to a Wallabies side marshalled by Joe Schmidt but dismissed by many as outsiders on home turf.

The tourists will not buy into that theory and Farrell articulated that on Thursday as he assessed the threat coming his team’s way on Saturday.

“Just knowing what it means to them, more than anything, we know the quality when it comes to their attacking threats, their athletic ability, the way they want to play the game from turnover ball and counter attack, all that, their set-piece is good.

“But, when it comes around every 12 years and you’re privileged to represent Australia… that’s the one they’ll be making sure that they use appropriately and rightly so.”

Yet the Lions are favourites, and rightly so, as evidenced by the quality of players who did not make the matchday 23.

Player such as Jac Morgan of Wales, Ireland’s Josh van der Flier and England’s latest boy wonder, 20-year-old Henry Pollock, all of whom will watch from the grandstands on Saturday having missed out in an incredibly competitive back-row selection process.

Being handed a yellow bib as the opposition in training was always going to be a sure indication of one’s status in Farrell’s pecking order but the Lions boss has been encouraged by the non-playing squad members’ willingness to prepare the chosen ones before he broke the bad news to them on Wednesday.

“They knew and you have the conversations with them in regards to where they think they are at and what they need to keep doing to get themselves in with a shot. Some guys are playing fantastic rugby. Sometimes it is just a matter of being honest in regards to making a choice and hopefully that’s the right one for the team.

“Josh, Jac and Henry, if someone fell over tomorrow you would be sad for whoever in the back row but you know you would be well looked after in regards to those three who needed to step in.

"And you know, you think they are going to be tough conversations but when players are playing well I suppose it helps them to know what else could they have done. It is a nice healthy position to be in when you are having those conversations.”

It all points to a squad’s collective character and while the white heat of a Lions Test is the true examination of that character, Farrell has liked what he has seen to this point.

“You get a sense but you have to back it up. You have to back it up. I get a sense that there’s a determined bunch that’s looking forward to what we came over here for, and that’s to perform and win a Test series against Australia.

“But again, all best laid plans as far as the plan itself or team selection. It’s when you get punched on the nose, that old saying, that you see how people react. But from what I’ve seen so far, their character is certainly a point of difference for this team.”

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: H Keenan (Ireland); T Freeman (England), H Jones (Scotland), S Tuipulotu (Scotland), J Lowe (Ireland); F Russell (Scotland), J Gibson-Park (Ireland); E Genge (England), D Sheehan (Ireland), T Furlong (Ireland); M Itoje (England) – captain, J McCarthy (Ireland); T Beirne (Ireland), T Curry (England), J Conan (Ireland).

Replacements: R Kelleher (Ireland), A Porter (Ireland), W Stuart (England), O Chessum (England), B Earl (England), A Mitchell (England), M Smith (England), B Aki (Ireland).