Lions coach Farrell says Wallabies will be a force to be reckoned with
After taking the Lions close in Melbourne last week, the Wallabies handed the visitors their only loss of their nine-match tour of Australia on Saturday with a convincing 22-12 victory in Sydney.
Farrell had no complaints about the defeat, even if it cost his side a 3-0 series sweep, and he thought the Wallabies could be a real power when they host the World Cup in 2027.
"I said to (Australia coach) Joe (Schmidt) before the game there on the pitch, that I think special things are going to happen for this team over the next 18 months," Farrell told a post-match press conference.
"By the time the World Cup comes around, they'll be a force to be reckoned with, like everyone's seen in the past, they've got some special athletes and some special players, and that's no surprise to us after how they performed over the last couple of weeks."
A decade of struggles on and off the pitch have knocked Australia down the pecking order in the rugby world and the twice world champions made a pool stage exit at the World Cup for the first time in 2023.
Farrell, though, scoffed at the idea that they were no longer worthy of their place in the Lions touring cycle along with New Zealand and South Africa.
"We all know how hard it is to be successful on the Lions tour against a good side like Australia, and they are a good side, and they proved that over the series," he said.
"I mean, everyone has their ups and downs. I've looked at the progress over the last 18 months. It's been through the roof and you look at that side that's been out there over the last ... three weeks, they're a hell of a team."
Asked about whether he was disappointed not to make it a clean sweep by winning Saturday's final test, Farrell said there were obviously frustrations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Ireland to keep tackle height below sternum after data shows fewer injuries
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Ireland v Australia - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 30, 2024 Australia's Rob Valetini in action as he is tackled by Ireland's Bundee Aki REUTERS/Lorraine O'sullivan/File Photo The Irish Rugby Football Union will keep the legal tackle height below the sternum in the 2025-26 season after preliminary data showed a reduction in overall injury rates during the last two seasons, the IRFU said on Tuesday. The ruling body joined a World Rugby trial of lowering tackle height below the base of the sternum in the community game in 2023, with the aim of reducing injuries, especially head impact exposure and concussion risk. The rule was put to trial across Ireland in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, and analysis of the large volume of data collected is continuing. "Preliminary findings show decreases in overall injury rates across the domestic game in Ireland. We also see decreases in tackle-related injuries and the rate of head impacts during the trial," the IRFU said in a statement. The English and Scottish rugby unions have introduced similar rules to lower the tackle height. "We are one of the only Unions in a position to compare five seasons of injury data before the trial with the two trial seasons," said Caithriona Yeomans, the IRFU's medical manager for the domestic game. "We are looking at the injury data, alongside video analysis and stakeholder feedback to fully understand the impact of this trial, however preliminary findings are encouraging.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore Doctor hounded ex-girlfriend, threatened to share her intimate photos, abducted her off street Singapore Beauty industry consumers hit by 464% rise in prepayment losses in first half of 2025 Business Singapore retail sales up by 2.3%, driven by sales of motor vehicles Singapore Over 5,900 vape products found in car at Woodlands Checkpoint Singapore Locally developed VR tool can detect pre-dementia with almost 90% accuracy Singapore 13 taken to hospital after accident involving SBS buses, car in Tampines Sport Singapore National Olympic Council launches book series honouring local athletes Over 1,000 former amateur and professional rugby union and rugby league players have joined a long-running concussion lawsuit against the sports' governing bodies for allegedly failing to put in place reasonable measures to protect the players' health and safety. REUTERS
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Ireland to keep tackle height below sternum after data shows fewer injuries
The Irish Rugby Football Union will keep the legal tackle height below the sternum in the 2025-26 season after preliminary data showed a reduction in overall injury rates during the last two seasons, the IRFU said on Tuesday. The ruling body joined a World Rugby trial of lowering tackle height below the base of the sternum in the community game in 2023, with the aim of reducing injuries, especially head impact exposure and concussion risk. The rule was put to trial across Ireland in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, and analysis of the large volume of data collected is continuing. "Preliminary findings show decreases in overall injury rates across the domestic game in Ireland. We also see decreases in tackle-related injuries and the rate of head impacts during the trial," the IRFU said in a statement. The English and Scottish rugby unions have introduced similar rules to lower the tackle height. "We are one of the only Unions in a position to compare five seasons of injury data before the trial with the two trial seasons," said Caithriona Yeomans, the IRFU's medical manager for the domestic game. "We are looking at the injury data, alongside video analysis and stakeholder feedback to fully understand the impact of this trial, however preliminary findings are encouraging.' Over 1,000 former amateur and professional rugby union and rugby league players have joined a long-running concussion lawsuit against the sports' governing bodies for allegedly failing to put in place reasonable measures to protect the players' health and safety.
Independent Singapore
14 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Redditor asks: Which one of the 4 grand slams is your all-time favourite?
Photo: Freepik Tennis enthusiasts are anticipating the competitive tennis competitions every single year, especially the four most prestigious tournaments, commonly known as the Grand Slams. These tournaments, namely the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, are the peak of professional tennis, and they offer athletes the most ranking points, a huge amount of prize money, and lots of media attention. Each Grand Slam event is unique on its own, some being played on hard, clay, and grass courts, and these tournaments challenge athletes to prove their versatility and endurance. With this, a Redditor curiously asked tennis fans a question: 'Which one of the 4 Grand Slams is your all-time favourite?' This question started a discussion and gained interesting responses from other people's thoughts and experiences. There has been a mix of responses from other Redditors. Some commented that their favourite is the Australian Open. One remarked: 'Australian Open is the biggest for me, was the first tournament I really followed all the way through, hard court is the best surface to watch in my opinion, and I think the atmosphere is great. Also, it seems to me more for the common man than Roland Garros and Wimbledon, which are so posh, idk.' Another one responded: 'Australian Open – brings some real good matches and keeps up with allowing people to watch, follow, and enjoy tennis. Plus, the crowds are a healthy balance of RG and US Open with the right amount of rowdiness and respect.' One more shared that the Australian Open is a favourite because it 'feels like home': 'I've been to all 4, and Australia is my favourite, no contest. It's probably bc I'm Southern Californian and Melbourne feels like home, so I'm biased.' More so, there were Redditors who stated that it is Wimbledon for them. One declared: 'Wimbledon is the OG, nothing can compare to the iconic history and traditions at Wimbledon… Also purely on the tennis level, being on grass is very entertaining and always surprising, we have year after year seen amazing matchups and crazy games.' However, this gained a response from another Redditor that players are 'slipping and falling' on grass courts 'I feel bad for them. It must definitely be the troublesome surface to play on, in my opinion,' the response concluded. There were some who rooted for the US Open and the Roland Garros as well. A Redditor stated that he/she loved the atmosphere at the US Open, and that he/she has fond memories of watching the event growing up. Another commented: 'I think I'm the only one always saying US Open. The giant stadiums, general vibe, and the (recent) unpredictability makes me love it.' As for the Roland Garros, a response declared that he/she likes the tournament because he/she is Spanish. Furthermore, another stated: ' The singing and the whole vibe of the crowd is why Roland Garros is my favourite to attend (plus you're in Paris when the day is done). I've been to all 4 and never would have guessed that RG would be the most fun.' () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
