Farrell's Lions won in a tour that showed interest is as big as ever

The 42

2 days ago

A GRAND TOTAL of 453,237 people attended the Lions' nine games in Australia over the past five weeks.
The first Test in Brisbane was completely sold out, while the crowd of 90,307 for the second Test at the MCG was a remarkable sight to behold. Those lucky enough to be there in Melbourne witnessed an epic match they'll never forget.
The third Test in Sydney was also a sell-out and though the biblical rain dissuaded a few thousand people from turning up, a crowd of just over 80,000 in that kind of weather was impressive. Many of them got soaked to the bone for their efforts.
The warm-up games attracted lots of people. The Brumbies had their biggest crowd for 17 years when the Lions were in Canberra, while Adelaide delighted in welcoming its biggest-ever crowd for a rugby game when the tourists took on the AUNZ XV.
The Waratahs and the Reds have average attendances of 15,000 but welcomed crowds of more than 40,000 for their Lions games. The Western Force's average attendance is even lower at around 7,000, but they had 46,656 in for the visit of the Lions.
The big Irish, English, Welsh, and Scottish diasporas obviously helped to swell these numbers, but plenty of Aussies were clearly engaged. There is still a hardcore rugby union-loving community Down Under.
Millions more people watched this Lions campaign on TV in 135 countries around the world.
Though the numbers have yet to be confirmed, this tour has made record profits for both the Lions and Rugby Australia.
And while it would be great if it were all about romanticism and tradition and engaging with the community, these numbers are the bottom line for the organisations who bring these Lions tours together.
Lions captain Maro Itoje with the series trophy. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
The IRFU and its counterparts in England, Scotland, and Wales make up the Lions. So they will benefit from this tour. World Cups cost them huge amounts of money. Lions tours make money for them.
Advertisement
The evidence of this tour of Australia suggests that the Lions are even bigger than ever. This thing is a beast that people simply cannot resist, even if only to proclaim how little they care about it. The Lions will always have its detractors but it has many, many more supporters who love these tours.
The vast majority of people fortunate enough to be in Australia for this tour will have fond memories. This is a wonderful country to trek around. Maybe the best in the world for a tour.
But, of course, the actual rugby really is the key part of all of this.
Andy Farrell's Lions could never really win in some people's eyes. Given where the Wallabies were after the 2023 World Cup, the tourists were heavy favourites for the series. They won the series but lost the last Test. Having openly declared their goal of winning 3-0, they made a rod for their backs.
Farrell's men fell short of their target with a relatively poor performance in the third Test but that has happened in many series before. Getting yourself up for the third game after clinching the series a week before is tricky.
The Lions boss was asked on Saturday night if it's psychologically impossible for players to truly get themselves back to the same place again having already clinched the series.
'I hope not, I hope not,' said Farrell.
'Otherwise, we are not being true to ourselves in everything we talked about. I certainly hope not.
'Subconsciously, I guess I will never know the answer to that question.'
He was similarly indecisive when asked whether the Lions players were a bit physically worn out when the third Test rolled around. Many felt that Farrell should have added more fresh energy to his team with players who hadn't yet featured in the Tests.
Andy Farrell embraces Finn Russell. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
'I don't know, everything is in hindsight, isn't it?' said Farrell.
'We built the week up pretty good, I thought. There were a few days off. Training application on Tuesday and Wednesday was pretty good, as was yesterday.
'It's just the story of the game that got away from us in the end.
'Who am I to know… these lads have been playing for how many months? They were certainly up for the game, but the best team won.'
And it's as simple as that. The Wallabies were better in the third Test and deserved their win. The Lions were better overall over the course of the series and deserved to win that.
What will live longest in the memory is that thrilling second Test in Melbourne when the Lions came back from 18 points down to win it at the death with the ultimate Andy Farrell team try. 14 phases of ball retention and good decision-making and work rate off the ball and skill execution. It was truly the synthesis of Farrell's coaching.
Hugo Keenan put an unforgettable finishing touch on a stunning team try to clinch the series. That's the moment people will remember, and rightly so. It was one of the great Lions moments.
This was a brilliant Lions tour for Irish rugby, even if everyone didn't like it. It's a huge point of pride for 18 Irish players to be involved. This was a hard-earned reward for Ireland's excellence in recent years. They have dominated the other Lions nations. The Irish system isn't perfect, but to have such representation in players and staff is a major achievement.
The 2025 crop might not be remembered as the greatest Lions team ever, and this series might not be remembered as the greatest we've seen, but it was engaging and often enthralling. It was fun and ferocious.
The Wallabies earned respect after being disrespected. The Lions deserved to win the series and go home with the spoils. Everyone who enjoys the Lions has had a fun few weeks. Some, including the players and staff, have even had the time of their lives.
And now we'll move on.