Going for gold: How Eales and the Wallabies stunned the Lions in Australia
Before each Test, Eales would find a random fan in the stands wearing a Wallabies jersey, focus on them and sing the Australian national anthem with them. In the MCG, Eales was spoiled for choice after Rugby Australia had hastily procured thousands of gold scarves for fans ahead of the Test.
'I think it (the crowd) definitely had an effect, that's where that push started because there was so much red (in Brisbane), for everyone, the word was wear gold,' Eales said.
'There were 10 to 20,000 flimsy gold scarves that were handed out, whatever they could get their hands on in a space of a week, but it made a difference when you saw those flecks of gold out there and you knew the crowd was behind you.
'There were many times ... you can be in a far corner of the world and just have a patch of the crowd that is clearly cheering for you, and gold stands out in the crowd, and that can be just as much of a boost because you feel that real sense of responsibility for that group of people...it's very special.'
In January, Eales had an opportunity to spend time with the Wallabies in camp and asked if the current crop of players can replicate the heroics of his class of 2001. The two-time World Cup winner is confident that a series victory under Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is possible.
'For sure they can (win the series), no one has a mortgage on the results and no series is decided before it's played,' Eales said.
'You can speculate about what might happen, but this Wallaby team is going to play with a lot of passion, but passion is only useful to a certain point, especially when you're playing at the top level, because everyone has passion, but it has to be passion with purpose and strategy, a purpose and a plan.
'I think what we've got now that we didn't have say two years ago, to the same extent, is that there's a building confidence in the way the team wants to play and it hasn't always worked, but you can see that it is building, and the team is building in confidence.'
Eales is not only excited by the potential of a long-awaited series against the Lions in Australia, but the legacy that a victory could provide for generations ahead.
'I don't think anyone doesn't support the Wallabies because they're an Australian team that does grab people's attention, but it's probably not as much a part of a psyche across Australian sport as it was 24 years ago, but that can change really quickly.'
'A team can be elevated to a higher level, and people pay attention. Australians love winners, but they also love the intrigue of a story, and the Lions will bring some of that intrigue.'
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Ordinary Open start from Aussie battalion at Portrush
Blustery, challenging conditions at Royal Portrush have blown the early Australian challenge at the 153rd British Open slightly off-kilter, with big guns Cameron Smith and Jason Day having their struggles on the opening morning in Northern Ireland. Yet on a day when heavy rain and worsening weather suggested the two major winners had enjoyed the kindest of the conditions at the County Antrim links, Smith's one-over 72 and Day's two-over 73 could still end up looking rosier come the end of Thursday. Still, halfway through the opening day, there were 33 players in the under-par red figures, led by surprise frontrunners, world No.354 Jacob Skov Olesen and China's Li Haotong, as well as Britain's former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who all shot four-under 67s. Even more ominously for the field, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished with a three-under 68, just a shot adrift. So, both Smith, the 2022 Open champion, and Day, the 2015 PGA winner, are already playing catch-up. They both hit miserable drives off the opening tee, struggled to three-over across the first nine holes before at least rallying in pedigree fashion after the turn. Smith smiled that he had shown a bit of "Queensland spirit" over the final nine holes, after his awful, scuffed 150-yard drive at the first had set an early dispiriting tone. "I think I tried to hit that one underground - and almost missed it. Not the greatest start to a major championship I've ever had," he sighed. A double-bogey at the ninth left him in strife, but he pulled back two shots to par on the homeward stretch, sinking a 30-footer at the short 16th to give him a real shot in the arm. "I did a really good job of hanging in there," Smith said. Day was not so happy about his effort. "To work hard coming into this week and then to go out there and have poor process is not acceptable, especially in my eyes," said the 2023 Open's joint runner-up at Hoylake. "I've got to do a better job of it and hopefully come back tomorrow and do it again, play better." The in-form Lucas Herbert started brightly and was among the early leaders at two under, but four bogeys over the last eight holes left him with a three-over 74. Ryan Peake's big adventure in his first major went somewhat awry as he ended with a six-over 77. The Australian former motorcycle gang member, who turned his life around through golf after spending time in prison for assault, has been the centre of much attention at Portrush this week after gaining his place thanks to a fairytale win at the New Zealand Open. Partnering former champion Phil Mickelson on Thursday, 31-year-old Peake admitted to being a bit star-struck and ended up getting the six-time major winner to sign his glove and give him his ball after the round. "Lefty'' Mickelson conjured up some of his old magic in a one-under 70, the highlight being his holed bunker shot for par at the third hole after he'd left his first effort in the sand. However, Peake struggled, admitting: "Very disappointed with the round. "Not what I want, pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there." Among the rest of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, Adam Scott, the day after celebrating his 45th birthday, was two over after 11 holes, Marc Leishman three over after 13 and Elvis Smylie three over 10. Blustery, challenging conditions at Royal Portrush have blown the early Australian challenge at the 153rd British Open slightly off-kilter, with big guns Cameron Smith and Jason Day having their struggles on the opening morning in Northern Ireland. Yet on a day when heavy rain and worsening weather suggested the two major winners had enjoyed the kindest of the conditions at the County Antrim links, Smith's one-over 72 and Day's two-over 73 could still end up looking rosier come the end of Thursday. Still, halfway through the opening day, there were 33 players in the under-par red figures, led by surprise frontrunners, world No.354 Jacob Skov Olesen and China's Li Haotong, as well as Britain's former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who all shot four-under 67s. Even more ominously for the field, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished with a three-under 68, just a shot adrift. So, both Smith, the 2022 Open champion, and Day, the 2015 PGA winner, are already playing catch-up. They both hit miserable drives off the opening tee, struggled to three-over across the first nine holes before at least rallying in pedigree fashion after the turn. Smith smiled that he had shown a bit of "Queensland spirit" over the final nine holes, after his awful, scuffed 150-yard drive at the first had set an early dispiriting tone. "I think I tried to hit that one underground - and almost missed it. Not the greatest start to a major championship I've ever had," he sighed. A double-bogey at the ninth left him in strife, but he pulled back two shots to par on the homeward stretch, sinking a 30-footer at the short 16th to give him a real shot in the arm. "I did a really good job of hanging in there," Smith said. Day was not so happy about his effort. "To work hard coming into this week and then to go out there and have poor process is not acceptable, especially in my eyes," said the 2023 Open's joint runner-up at Hoylake. "I've got to do a better job of it and hopefully come back tomorrow and do it again, play better." The in-form Lucas Herbert started brightly and was among the early leaders at two under, but four bogeys over the last eight holes left him with a three-over 74. Ryan Peake's big adventure in his first major went somewhat awry as he ended with a six-over 77. The Australian former motorcycle gang member, who turned his life around through golf after spending time in prison for assault, has been the centre of much attention at Portrush this week after gaining his place thanks to a fairytale win at the New Zealand Open. Partnering former champion Phil Mickelson on Thursday, 31-year-old Peake admitted to being a bit star-struck and ended up getting the six-time major winner to sign his glove and give him his ball after the round. "Lefty'' Mickelson conjured up some of his old magic in a one-under 70, the highlight being his holed bunker shot for par at the third hole after he'd left his first effort in the sand. However, Peake struggled, admitting: "Very disappointed with the round. "Not what I want, pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there." Among the rest of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, Adam Scott, the day after celebrating his 45th birthday, was two over after 11 holes, Marc Leishman three over after 13 and Elvis Smylie three over 10. Blustery, challenging conditions at Royal Portrush have blown the early Australian challenge at the 153rd British Open slightly off-kilter, with big guns Cameron Smith and Jason Day having their struggles on the opening morning in Northern Ireland. Yet on a day when heavy rain and worsening weather suggested the two major winners had enjoyed the kindest of the conditions at the County Antrim links, Smith's one-over 72 and Day's two-over 73 could still end up looking rosier come the end of Thursday. Still, halfway through the opening day, there were 33 players in the under-par red figures, led by surprise frontrunners, world No.354 Jacob Skov Olesen and China's Li Haotong, as well as Britain's former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who all shot four-under 67s. Even more ominously for the field, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished with a three-under 68, just a shot adrift. So, both Smith, the 2022 Open champion, and Day, the 2015 PGA winner, are already playing catch-up. They both hit miserable drives off the opening tee, struggled to three-over across the first nine holes before at least rallying in pedigree fashion after the turn. Smith smiled that he had shown a bit of "Queensland spirit" over the final nine holes, after his awful, scuffed 150-yard drive at the first had set an early dispiriting tone. "I think I tried to hit that one underground - and almost missed it. Not the greatest start to a major championship I've ever had," he sighed. A double-bogey at the ninth left him in strife, but he pulled back two shots to par on the homeward stretch, sinking a 30-footer at the short 16th to give him a real shot in the arm. "I did a really good job of hanging in there," Smith said. Day was not so happy about his effort. "To work hard coming into this week and then to go out there and have poor process is not acceptable, especially in my eyes," said the 2023 Open's joint runner-up at Hoylake. "I've got to do a better job of it and hopefully come back tomorrow and do it again, play better." The in-form Lucas Herbert started brightly and was among the early leaders at two under, but four bogeys over the last eight holes left him with a three-over 74. Ryan Peake's big adventure in his first major went somewhat awry as he ended with a six-over 77. The Australian former motorcycle gang member, who turned his life around through golf after spending time in prison for assault, has been the centre of much attention at Portrush this week after gaining his place thanks to a fairytale win at the New Zealand Open. Partnering former champion Phil Mickelson on Thursday, 31-year-old Peake admitted to being a bit star-struck and ended up getting the six-time major winner to sign his glove and give him his ball after the round. "Lefty'' Mickelson conjured up some of his old magic in a one-under 70, the highlight being his holed bunker shot for par at the third hole after he'd left his first effort in the sand. However, Peake struggled, admitting: "Very disappointed with the round. "Not what I want, pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there." Among the rest of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, Adam Scott, the day after celebrating his 45th birthday, was two over after 11 holes, Marc Leishman three over after 13 and Elvis Smylie three over 10. Blustery, challenging conditions at Royal Portrush have blown the early Australian challenge at the 153rd British Open slightly off-kilter, with big guns Cameron Smith and Jason Day having their struggles on the opening morning in Northern Ireland. Yet on a day when heavy rain and worsening weather suggested the two major winners had enjoyed the kindest of the conditions at the County Antrim links, Smith's one-over 72 and Day's two-over 73 could still end up looking rosier come the end of Thursday. Still, halfway through the opening day, there were 33 players in the under-par red figures, led by surprise frontrunners, world No.354 Jacob Skov Olesen and China's Li Haotong, as well as Britain's former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who all shot four-under 67s. Even more ominously for the field, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished with a three-under 68, just a shot adrift. So, both Smith, the 2022 Open champion, and Day, the 2015 PGA winner, are already playing catch-up. They both hit miserable drives off the opening tee, struggled to three-over across the first nine holes before at least rallying in pedigree fashion after the turn. Smith smiled that he had shown a bit of "Queensland spirit" over the final nine holes, after his awful, scuffed 150-yard drive at the first had set an early dispiriting tone. "I think I tried to hit that one underground - and almost missed it. Not the greatest start to a major championship I've ever had," he sighed. A double-bogey at the ninth left him in strife, but he pulled back two shots to par on the homeward stretch, sinking a 30-footer at the short 16th to give him a real shot in the arm. "I did a really good job of hanging in there," Smith said. Day was not so happy about his effort. "To work hard coming into this week and then to go out there and have poor process is not acceptable, especially in my eyes," said the 2023 Open's joint runner-up at Hoylake. "I've got to do a better job of it and hopefully come back tomorrow and do it again, play better." The in-form Lucas Herbert started brightly and was among the early leaders at two under, but four bogeys over the last eight holes left him with a three-over 74. Ryan Peake's big adventure in his first major went somewhat awry as he ended with a six-over 77. The Australian former motorcycle gang member, who turned his life around through golf after spending time in prison for assault, has been the centre of much attention at Portrush this week after gaining his place thanks to a fairytale win at the New Zealand Open. Partnering former champion Phil Mickelson on Thursday, 31-year-old Peake admitted to being a bit star-struck and ended up getting the six-time major winner to sign his glove and give him his ball after the round. "Lefty'' Mickelson conjured up some of his old magic in a one-under 70, the highlight being his holed bunker shot for par at the third hole after he'd left his first effort in the sand. However, Peake struggled, admitting: "Very disappointed with the round. "Not what I want, pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there." Among the rest of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, Adam Scott, the day after celebrating his 45th birthday, was two over after 11 holes, Marc Leishman three over after 13 and Elvis Smylie three over 10.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I was nervous': Peake speaks about playing with Mickelson
Shooting six over in your first round of a major was not how Australian Ryan Peake saw things panning out on Thursday at Portrush. He jokingly referred to himself as 'Father Christmas', that he just kept giving the golf course mistakes wrapped as presents. But a five-hour walk with six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who gifted him a golf ball and signed his glove for him was an experience he will never forget. The convicted ex-bikie gang member, who spent five years in a WA prison for assault, has been one of the most talked about players in the tournament in the build up to the 153rd Open Championship, such is the intrigue in his story from media outlets around the planet. But the former New Zealand Open winner who, like Mickelson, is a left-hander, admitted to being desperately disappointed in his opening round, which included eight bogeys and two birdies. When he was asked about the experience of playing with Phil, however, it put a smile on his face. 'It was pretty good. I just asked for his golf ball and got him to sign a golf glove for me after. 'I know everyone is going to look at it and say you take the experience in and stuff like that, but obviously very disappointed with the round. Not what I want. So pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there.
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
‘I was nervous': Peake speaks about playing with Mickelson
Shooting six over in your first round of a major was not how Australian Ryan Peake saw things panning out on Thursday at Portrush. He jokingly referred to himself as 'Father Christmas', that he just kept giving the golf course mistakes wrapped as presents. But a five-hour walk with six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who gifted him a golf ball and signed his glove for him was an experience he will never forget. The convicted ex-bikie gang member, who spent five years in a WA prison for assault, has been one of the most talked about players in the tournament in the build up to the 153rd Open Championship, such is the intrigue in his story from media outlets around the planet. But the former New Zealand Open winner who, like Mickelson, is a left-hander, admitted to being desperately disappointed in his opening round, which included eight bogeys and two birdies. When he was asked about the experience of playing with Phil, however, it put a smile on his face. 'It was pretty good. I just asked for his golf ball and got him to sign a golf glove for me after. 'I know everyone is going to look at it and say you take the experience in and stuff like that, but obviously very disappointed with the round. Not what I want. So pretty flat at the moment. Was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there.
