'Better again': Lions to step it up against Waratahs
After piling on more than 50 points against both the Western Force and Queensland Reds, the rampant tourists tackle the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday intent on shifting up yet another gear.
With a huge squad of almost double the amount of players needed for the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19, the Lions hopefuls are hungry to impress coach Andy Farrell and push for a place in the match-day 23.
"That's the ultimate goal, isn't it, for everyone here. They want to play in those Tests and the only way to do that is to play well in these in all these games leading up to it," said Irish lock Tadhg Beirne, who will captain the Lions at Allianz Stadium.
"If you're not producing in these games, you're not giving yourself a fighting chance.
"Everyone here wants to be in that 23 so everyone's going to put their best foot forward."
That could spell trouble for the undermanned Waratahs, who are missing several Wallabies on duty for Sunday's season-opening international against Fiji in Newcastle.
Bookmakers are giving the Tahs no hope, offering the hosts 40 points start in head-to-head betting.
In a chilling warning to Dan McKellar's side, fellow Irish second-rower James Ryan says the Lions are out to improve on their eight-try victories over both the Force and Reds in the past week.
"It's about just getting better again,' Ryan said on Friday.
"We thought we took a step forward on Wednesday in terms of our performance, discipline and some of our defensive work was better against the Reds than maybe it was against the Force.
"So we want to just push on the standard now again. You know the Tests are coming up in the next couple of weeks, so it's just about getting better tomorrow night.
"That's the main thing."
Captaining NSW in the absence of Wallabies star Jake Gordon, lock Hugh Sinclair says the Waratahs are embracing their big underdogs' tag.
"We've been lucky that a lot of the (Waratahs) coaches and the players that we have have been involved in Test matches and they've spoken heavily throughout the week that it is a Test match," Sinclair said.
"A lot of us haven't had those sort of weeks and those experiences, but we're treating it that way and we want to put in a performance. We don't want to get beaten by 50."
"We've talked about the Olympics is every four years, but the Lions is every 12 years so many players don't get an opportunity to play against them, so we're extremely fortunate to be able to be in this position.
"The boys are just excited."
Win or lose, it will be the retiring Sinclair's last match for the Waratahs and says the honour ranks as the highlight of his career.
"I actually played the curtain raiser in 2013 for Northern Suburbs at the old stadium so that was pretty cool.
"To captain this state and to do it against the British and Irish Lions, it will be my greatest rugby memory for sure."
Not content with two half-century scorelines, the British and Irish Lions are promising the NSW Waratahs no let-up.
After piling on more than 50 points against both the Western Force and Queensland Reds, the rampant tourists tackle the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday intent on shifting up yet another gear.
With a huge squad of almost double the amount of players needed for the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19, the Lions hopefuls are hungry to impress coach Andy Farrell and push for a place in the match-day 23.
"That's the ultimate goal, isn't it, for everyone here. They want to play in those Tests and the only way to do that is to play well in these in all these games leading up to it," said Irish lock Tadhg Beirne, who will captain the Lions at Allianz Stadium.
"If you're not producing in these games, you're not giving yourself a fighting chance.
"Everyone here wants to be in that 23 so everyone's going to put their best foot forward."
That could spell trouble for the undermanned Waratahs, who are missing several Wallabies on duty for Sunday's season-opening international against Fiji in Newcastle.
Bookmakers are giving the Tahs no hope, offering the hosts 40 points start in head-to-head betting.
In a chilling warning to Dan McKellar's side, fellow Irish second-rower James Ryan says the Lions are out to improve on their eight-try victories over both the Force and Reds in the past week.
"It's about just getting better again,' Ryan said on Friday.
"We thought we took a step forward on Wednesday in terms of our performance, discipline and some of our defensive work was better against the Reds than maybe it was against the Force.
"So we want to just push on the standard now again. You know the Tests are coming up in the next couple of weeks, so it's just about getting better tomorrow night.
"That's the main thing."
Captaining NSW in the absence of Wallabies star Jake Gordon, lock Hugh Sinclair says the Waratahs are embracing their big underdogs' tag.
"We've been lucky that a lot of the (Waratahs) coaches and the players that we have have been involved in Test matches and they've spoken heavily throughout the week that it is a Test match," Sinclair said.
"A lot of us haven't had those sort of weeks and those experiences, but we're treating it that way and we want to put in a performance. We don't want to get beaten by 50."
"We've talked about the Olympics is every four years, but the Lions is every 12 years so many players don't get an opportunity to play against them, so we're extremely fortunate to be able to be in this position.
"The boys are just excited."
Win or lose, it will be the retiring Sinclair's last match for the Waratahs and says the honour ranks as the highlight of his career.
"I actually played the curtain raiser in 2013 for Northern Suburbs at the old stadium so that was pretty cool.
"To captain this state and to do it against the British and Irish Lions, it will be my greatest rugby memory for sure."
Not content with two half-century scorelines, the British and Irish Lions are promising the NSW Waratahs no let-up.
After piling on more than 50 points against both the Western Force and Queensland Reds, the rampant tourists tackle the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday intent on shifting up yet another gear.
With a huge squad of almost double the amount of players needed for the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19, the Lions hopefuls are hungry to impress coach Andy Farrell and push for a place in the match-day 23.
"That's the ultimate goal, isn't it, for everyone here. They want to play in those Tests and the only way to do that is to play well in these in all these games leading up to it," said Irish lock Tadhg Beirne, who will captain the Lions at Allianz Stadium.
"If you're not producing in these games, you're not giving yourself a fighting chance.
"Everyone here wants to be in that 23 so everyone's going to put their best foot forward."
That could spell trouble for the undermanned Waratahs, who are missing several Wallabies on duty for Sunday's season-opening international against Fiji in Newcastle.
Bookmakers are giving the Tahs no hope, offering the hosts 40 points start in head-to-head betting.
In a chilling warning to Dan McKellar's side, fellow Irish second-rower James Ryan says the Lions are out to improve on their eight-try victories over both the Force and Reds in the past week.
"It's about just getting better again,' Ryan said on Friday.
"We thought we took a step forward on Wednesday in terms of our performance, discipline and some of our defensive work was better against the Reds than maybe it was against the Force.
"So we want to just push on the standard now again. You know the Tests are coming up in the next couple of weeks, so it's just about getting better tomorrow night.
"That's the main thing."
Captaining NSW in the absence of Wallabies star Jake Gordon, lock Hugh Sinclair says the Waratahs are embracing their big underdogs' tag.
"We've been lucky that a lot of the (Waratahs) coaches and the players that we have have been involved in Test matches and they've spoken heavily throughout the week that it is a Test match," Sinclair said.
"A lot of us haven't had those sort of weeks and those experiences, but we're treating it that way and we want to put in a performance. We don't want to get beaten by 50."
"We've talked about the Olympics is every four years, but the Lions is every 12 years so many players don't get an opportunity to play against them, so we're extremely fortunate to be able to be in this position.
"The boys are just excited."
Win or lose, it will be the retiring Sinclair's last match for the Waratahs and says the honour ranks as the highlight of his career.
"I actually played the curtain raiser in 2013 for Northern Suburbs at the old stadium so that was pretty cool.
"To captain this state and to do it against the British and Irish Lions, it will be my greatest rugby memory for sure."
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The Advertiser
38 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Fiji have midfield missile aimed at Wallabies' Suaalii
Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil." Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil." Playing more than 160 VFL games before taking on roles with the Wallabies, All Blacks and now coach of Fiji, Mick Byrne has seen some talented athletes in his time. But the memory of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sticks in his mind as Byrne plots a way to shut down the Wallabies superstar in Sunday's Test in Newcastle. He recalled meeting Suaalii when he was an assistant to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, with the schoolboy making an immediate impression on the pair. "I remember when 'Cheik' and I first met him when I was at the Wallabies and a young schoolboy came in, before he signed with rugby league, and we knew then that he was a tremendous athlete," Byrne said of the NRL recruit, who will line up for his fourth Test. "I think he offers a dimension to the game that not many athletes can .... it's a bit like Izzy (Israel Folau) in his day as well, that aerial skill set as well as being really well balanced across the ground. "Like a lot of international players we come up against, we've got to keep our eye on him, but I think as a player he just offers another sort of dimension, being that aerial skill set that we'll have to be aware of as well." Byrne named a strong line-up to try to contain Suaalii and the Wallabies, who are looking to make amends after losing their last clash against Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Byrne has since replaced Simon Raiwalui as coach, but has been able to include 13 players who were part of that historic match in France, posting their first win over Australia in 69 years. That includes the entire forward pack apart from flanker Elia Canakaivata. Fiji have their own midfield weapon in Josua Tuisova, who was key to their success in Saint Etienne, with Byrne looking to get some punch from the inside centre. Weighing 113kg, Tuisova's nicknames are "Human Bulldozer" and "The Bus". "Josh shifts the ball well and he's got great feet and he's a big, strong player," Byrne said of Tuisova, who plays for Racing 92 in France's Top 14. "We've got the opportunity to use him to get across the gain line early ...so being able to have Josh there is awesome for us because he does give us pretty good go-forward." While the World Cup win has bolstered belief, Byrne said the changes to the Wallabies since then presented a different challenge as his team looked to notch a third win in Australia, with the last in 1954. "The last start was two years ago, so different coaching regime, different players on the field, and I like the way (Australia coach Joe Schmidt) has got the Wallabies playing and now they're playing great footy," Byrne said. "So they're a completely different proposition to previous and we've got to be ready for that as they've got threats across the field. "I think it'd be great to beat Australia in Australia, to get a victory on Australian soil."
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
‘A really sharp pain': Martin Johnson on the eternal regret of losing a Lions series
Martin Johnson captained teams to World Cup victories, Six Nations and Grand Slam titles, European Cup wins and multiple English league championships. The imposing English forward even led the British and Irish Lions to a series win in South Africa in 1997. But when he is walking the dog on a quiet afternoon, the memory that will often pop into his head is the one that got away: the 2001 Lions series in Australia. 'The number one regret in my career,' Johnson says. 'Because I always say in rugby, most of the time when you get beaten, you get beaten right? You come off the field and they've been better than you, and you know. And when you win it's because you've been better. 'In '01 they beat us ... but we had a chance you know? When you've got a chance to win a Lion series, you've got to take it. And we didn't.' Which is to say, Lions tours live long in the memory. Perhaps longest. Johnson will be back in Australia in coming weeks for another Lions tour, his first since retiring in 2005, after signing on as a pundit for Stan Sport. He is confident the Lions can get the job done but is wary of the breezy confidence in the UK and Ireland, where many have believed for a while the Lions will whitewash the Wallabies in the three-Test Test series. As with every Lions tour in Australia since 1989 - when the 12-year cycle began - Johnson believes the series will be a 2-1 result, and the Wallabies shouldn't be written off. 'I've spent a lot of my time in the last few weeks and months telling people in this country (England) do not underestimate playing in the Southern Hemisphere, in places like Australia, against very smart rugby players,' Johnson said. 'That sort of thought (of a whitewash) has been there and people just echo it, people who don't really know the detail; 'Oh we're going to do this and do that', and I'm going 'whoa whoa whoa' this is a Lion's tour.' Pain of 2001 Lions tour After being a shock pick to be a 27-year-old captain of the tour to South Africa in 1997, Johnson earned his spot in the Lions' pantheon by leading the team to a series victory. Four years later the Johnson-led Lions were on the cusp of a second series win, after winning the first Test in Brisbane and leading at halftime in the second Test in Melbourne. 'We're 40 minutes away from winning the series and it turned around, I've never been in a Test match that turned so much from first half to second half as that game,' Johnson said, of the Wallabies' rally from 11-6 down to win 35-14. 'Now you're in a dog fight in the last Test, and that game went to and fro, and we lost it.' The agony was embedded for Johnson, too, after Justin Harrison stole a lineout from his grasp in the dying minutes. 'We should have changed it (the lineout call),' Johnson says. 'I've never really watched that game through. But like any Test match, it's good and bad moments, and taking your opportunities.' Johnson returned to Sydney with England two years later and lifted the Rugby World Cup at the same venue, which helped ease the pain. But not erase it. 'It helps, but '01 still sits there. Your losses, they're more sharp, because it's a really sharp pain when you lose,' Johnson said. 'I was fortunate to win stuff as well. You have both sides and I always say, people say you won this you and won that and I say 'yeah but I lost them all, too'. I lost Lions series, Six Nations Tests, World Cup quarterfinals, European Cup finals … every game imaginable, I've lost. So we've had both sides of it and that's the great thing of sport isn't it. It makes the wins special.' Lessons for the Lions The 2001 tour was also one that helped shape the highly professional Lions machine that motors around the world every four years. After an almost semi-pro trip in 1997, Johnson says the subsequent tour of Australia - led by intense coach Graham Henry - was 'hectic', with barely a minute to spare, on or off the field. It contributed to a divided Lions squad. 'In 97 we were just dipping our toes in professionalism, by 2001 things had changed a heck of a lot, just in everything,' Johnson said. 'I remember 2001 distinctly ... just being there's no there's not a minute to do anything. We were having management meetings in airport departure lounges, because we were training, travelling, so much more than in 1997. We weren't used to handling it … it was all hectic and there was never time to catch your breath. Lots of lessons were learned.' The Wallabies threat Having played, and often beaten, the Wallabies during their 'golden era' at the turn of the century, Johnson has a hardwired respect for Australian rugby. 'People ask you what it's like to play against the All Blacks or the Springboks or the Wallabies, and if I give a national trait that carries through with Australian rugby, I always say they are very smart players,' Johnson says. 'In two ways; they're very, very good with their hands, and can all pass-catch. And with smart coaching, as well, they will negate their weaknesses and try and exploit yours better than any other team. In 2003 that wasn't a great Wallaby scrummage, as we know, and yet they nearly won a World Cup. That takes some smarts.' Johnson coached England for 2008-11 as well, and so can appreciate the Wallabies' upset victory at Twickenham in November last year. It re-affirmed his view of the Wallabies' traits: smart and skilled. 'The win at Twickenham you saw exactly that, didn't you?' Johnson said. 'When they had a chance to score tries, some very, very smart handling and bang they're scoring tries. 'So I've been constantly knocking back people's expectations of a comfortable (Lions) victory in Australia, because Lions tours are tough. They are hard.' Johnson said can see another decider unfolding in Sydney on August 2. 'I have picked 2-1,' Johnson said. 'I was talking with [Wallabies great] Michael Lynagh the other day, about when you're playing you'd take the ugliest Test series in history as long as you win it. But when you get a little bit older you, you're sort of like 'let's have a great series for everyone' you know? 'Something to remember and we can say 'wow we were privileged to be there in '25'.' Is Pollock the new Healey? Johnson laughs when you ask what the 2001 version of Martin Johnson would have made of flashy young English backrower Henry Pollock. The 20-year-old was picked for the Lions after an eye-catching season for Northampton, where he became fodder for countless headlines and social media posts via athletic tries and showmanship. More flowed after Pollock's impressive game against the Western Force, which featured a few try assists and a scuffle. 'It's easy to be a grumpy old man isn't it? He went to school fairly local to me here so my I've known about him coming through his school stuff, I've just been aware of him. No one has ever timed the Lions selection better than him,' Johnson said. 'I was doing an event on Saturday, and he became a big topic of discussion. [Former England forward] Ben Kay was there and he said 'look he's great, because he gets people talking about rugby', which is very true. 'He seems to be polarising but I saw some of the things he did against the Western Force and there was some real savvy rugby there. There's also going to be some mistakes and as he plays at the higher level, the intensity, he's going to find out about that. But I'm sure he's going to be able to adapt to it. It's just how quick.' Johnson said while it's easy to judge someone from afar, the only thing that counted was whether he was earning the respect of the Lions squad. He compared Pollock to his provocative former Leicester, England and Lions teammate Austin Healey, who was always a target of fury for rival fans. 'There's the perception of 'oh he's this and he's that',' Johnson said. 'Most of it, he wasn't really - he wouldn't have lasted as long in the teams he played with if he was not a good guy to play with. Loading 'You know that ACT midweek in '01, when we could have got beaten, who dragged the team back? He was one of the guys who dragged it back to win that game, and that matters. 'Henry Pollock, it'll be interesting because there's an expectation around him, that he might feel he has to live up to. But he's a young guy on a Lions tour, and there's plenty of experience around him.'
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘A really sharp pain': Martin Johnson on the eternal regret of losing a Lions series
Martin Johnson captained teams to World Cup victories, Six Nations and Grand Slam titles, European Cup wins and multiple English league championships. The imposing English forward even led the British and Irish Lions to a series win in South Africa in 1997. But when he is walking the dog on a quiet afternoon, the memory that will often pop into his head is the one that got away: the 2001 Lions series in Australia. 'The number one regret in my career,' Johnson says. 'Because I always say in rugby, most of the time when you get beaten, you get beaten right? You come off the field and they've been better than you, and you know. And when you win it's because you've been better. 'In '01 they beat us ... but we had a chance you know? When you've got a chance to win a Lion series, you've got to take it. And we didn't.' Which is to say, Lions tours live long in the memory. Perhaps longest. Johnson will be back in Australia in coming weeks for another Lions tour, his first since retiring in 2005, after signing on as a pundit for Stan Sport. He is confident the Lions can get the job done but is wary of the breezy confidence in the UK and Ireland, where many have believed for a while the Lions will whitewash the Wallabies in the three-Test Test series. As with every Lions tour in Australia since 1989 - when the 12-year cycle began - Johnson believes the series will be a 2-1 result, and the Wallabies shouldn't be written off. 'I've spent a lot of my time in the last few weeks and months telling people in this country (England) do not underestimate playing in the Southern Hemisphere, in places like Australia, against very smart rugby players,' Johnson said. 'That sort of thought (of a whitewash) has been there and people just echo it, people who don't really know the detail; 'Oh we're going to do this and do that', and I'm going 'whoa whoa whoa' this is a Lion's tour.' Pain of 2001 Lions tour After being a shock pick to be a 27-year-old captain of the tour to South Africa in 1997, Johnson earned his spot in the Lions' pantheon by leading the team to a series victory. Four years later the Johnson-led Lions were on the cusp of a second series win, after winning the first Test in Brisbane and leading at halftime in the second Test in Melbourne. 'We're 40 minutes away from winning the series and it turned around, I've never been in a Test match that turned so much from first half to second half as that game,' Johnson said, of the Wallabies' rally from 11-6 down to win 35-14. 'Now you're in a dog fight in the last Test, and that game went to and fro, and we lost it.' The agony was embedded for Johnson, too, after Justin Harrison stole a lineout from his grasp in the dying minutes. 'We should have changed it (the lineout call),' Johnson says. 'I've never really watched that game through. But like any Test match, it's good and bad moments, and taking your opportunities.' Johnson returned to Sydney with England two years later and lifted the Rugby World Cup at the same venue, which helped ease the pain. But not erase it. 'It helps, but '01 still sits there. Your losses, they're more sharp, because it's a really sharp pain when you lose,' Johnson said. 'I was fortunate to win stuff as well. You have both sides and I always say, people say you won this you and won that and I say 'yeah but I lost them all, too'. I lost Lions series, Six Nations Tests, World Cup quarterfinals, European Cup finals … every game imaginable, I've lost. So we've had both sides of it and that's the great thing of sport isn't it. It makes the wins special.' Lessons for the Lions The 2001 tour was also one that helped shape the highly professional Lions machine that motors around the world every four years. After an almost semi-pro trip in 1997, Johnson says the subsequent tour of Australia - led by intense coach Graham Henry - was 'hectic', with barely a minute to spare, on or off the field. It contributed to a divided Lions squad. 'In 97 we were just dipping our toes in professionalism, by 2001 things had changed a heck of a lot, just in everything,' Johnson said. 'I remember 2001 distinctly ... just being there's no there's not a minute to do anything. We were having management meetings in airport departure lounges, because we were training, travelling, so much more than in 1997. We weren't used to handling it … it was all hectic and there was never time to catch your breath. Lots of lessons were learned.' The Wallabies threat Having played, and often beaten, the Wallabies during their 'golden era' at the turn of the century, Johnson has a hardwired respect for Australian rugby. 'People ask you what it's like to play against the All Blacks or the Springboks or the Wallabies, and if I give a national trait that carries through with Australian rugby, I always say they are very smart players,' Johnson says. 'In two ways; they're very, very good with their hands, and can all pass-catch. And with smart coaching, as well, they will negate their weaknesses and try and exploit yours better than any other team. In 2003 that wasn't a great Wallaby scrummage, as we know, and yet they nearly won a World Cup. That takes some smarts.' Johnson coached England for 2008-11 as well, and so can appreciate the Wallabies' upset victory at Twickenham in November last year. It re-affirmed his view of the Wallabies' traits: smart and skilled. 'The win at Twickenham you saw exactly that, didn't you?' Johnson said. 'When they had a chance to score tries, some very, very smart handling and bang they're scoring tries. 'So I've been constantly knocking back people's expectations of a comfortable (Lions) victory in Australia, because Lions tours are tough. They are hard.' Johnson said can see another decider unfolding in Sydney on August 2. 'I have picked 2-1,' Johnson said. 'I was talking with [Wallabies great] Michael Lynagh the other day, about when you're playing you'd take the ugliest Test series in history as long as you win it. But when you get a little bit older you, you're sort of like 'let's have a great series for everyone' you know? 'Something to remember and we can say 'wow we were privileged to be there in '25'.' Is Pollock the new Healey? Johnson laughs when you ask what the 2001 version of Martin Johnson would have made of flashy young English backrower Henry Pollock. The 20-year-old was picked for the Lions after an eye-catching season for Northampton, where he became fodder for countless headlines and social media posts via athletic tries and showmanship. More flowed after Pollock's impressive game against the Western Force, which featured a few try assists and a scuffle. 'It's easy to be a grumpy old man isn't it? He went to school fairly local to me here so my I've known about him coming through his school stuff, I've just been aware of him. No one has ever timed the Lions selection better than him,' Johnson said. 'I was doing an event on Saturday, and he became a big topic of discussion. [Former England forward] Ben Kay was there and he said 'look he's great, because he gets people talking about rugby', which is very true. 'He seems to be polarising but I saw some of the things he did against the Western Force and there was some real savvy rugby there. There's also going to be some mistakes and as he plays at the higher level, the intensity, he's going to find out about that. But I'm sure he's going to be able to adapt to it. It's just how quick.' Johnson said while it's easy to judge someone from afar, the only thing that counted was whether he was earning the respect of the Lions squad. He compared Pollock to his provocative former Leicester, England and Lions teammate Austin Healey, who was always a target of fury for rival fans. 'There's the perception of 'oh he's this and he's that',' Johnson said. 'Most of it, he wasn't really - he wouldn't have lasted as long in the teams he played with if he was not a good guy to play with. Loading 'You know that ACT midweek in '01, when we could have got beaten, who dragged the team back? He was one of the guys who dragged it back to win that game, and that matters. 'Henry Pollock, it'll be interesting because there's an expectation around him, that he might feel he has to live up to. But he's a young guy on a Lions tour, and there's plenty of experience around him.'
