Wallabies' task to surf Sea of Red to relevancy
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Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Lynagh bringing his own swagger to Lions
Fullback Tom Wright says there's been a "passing of the torch" as he adjusts to playing alongside rookie flyhalf Tom Lynagh, who is leading the Wallabies into battle against the British and Irish Lions. Wright has spent much of his Test career alongside Noah Lolesio in the No.10 jersey, while the pair have also played five years of Super Rugby Pacific together at the ACT Brumbies. Lolesio was ruled out of the Lions series having undergone neck surgery after an injury during the Test against Fiji, with Lynagh making his starting debut in the opening loss to the Lions in Brisbane. Ahead of the must-win match at the MCG on Saturday night, Wright said Queensland playmaker Lynagh had settled in and brought his own "swagger". "Tommy's brought his own little swagger that he's got at the Reds," Wright said of Lynagh, whose father Michael was a Wallabies great. "I've admired that about his game for a little while - he's got like a slight sort of subtle confidence about himself. "I think we're going to see more and more of that ooze out of him the more comfortable he becomes in that starting 10 jersey. "Tommy has is an incredible skill set that we've all got to back and continue to pour confidence into him because we believe in him and the skill set that he does have and the game plan that he's sort of driving from within." Wright said he felt for his good friend Lolesio, who may have played his last Test for Australia after opting to move his career to Japan. He said the 25-year-old had showed his class by spending time with Lynagh in the Wallabies camp and passing on his knowledge. "Noah was trying to add his two cents worth around what he sees and feels and helping Tommy," Wright said. "It was a cool sort of passing of the torch, at least for the short term at least, with his neck injury. "We've got real belief in Tommy though and what he can bring to this side for sure." Meanwhile the Wallabies' backline believe they will be more prepared for the aerial assault from Lions playmaker Finn Russell. Wright hoped they could make more use of their time and space with the ball to launch a counterattack. Young winger Max Jorgensen's first-half try came when he plucked the ball from Lions fullback Hugo Keenan in an aerial contest. "We know the aerial raid that's coming again, ball on foot, and the way that we can nullify that, get numbers behind the ball again," the 28-year-old said. "We saw a couple of instances where we're able to shift the ball away from that sort of aerial threat or crumbs and find a little bit of space ... so if we're good enough to take those opportunities again, that would be nice."
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- News.com.au
First Nations and Pasifika team show Wallabies how to stand up to the British and Irish Lions
Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson says his side has been delivered a 'blueprint' on how to 'dominate' the British and Irish Lions by the First Nations and Pasifika XV. Despite being beaten 24-19 by the Lions on Tuesday night at Marvel Stadium, the First Nations and Pasifika outfit had the tourists on the back foot, mainly through some stinging defence and physicality. Wilson said it was a performance the FNP team should be 'proud' of, and an effort and style that the Wallabies needed to replicated against the Lions at the MCG on Saturday night. Australia, beaten 27-19 by the Lions in Brisbane last Saturday, must win this weekend to keep the three-Test series alive. 'A lot of us were there watching (at Marvel Stadium) and just seeing the way (First Nations and) Pasifika went after them, the line speed, the big hits in defence, it was a great blueprint about how to really try and physically dominate them (the Lions),' Wilson said. 'It was awesome to see those boys. They obviously had a great week together. They connected and then went out there and did a performance which they should be so proud of.' Helping the Wallabies' bid to be more physical than they were at Suncorp Stadium will be the presence of imposing forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, who were sidelined last weekend with calf injuries. 'You get a lot of confidence when you have two people with their experience and their presence come into your side … and they're two real leaders in the group, and having them back in such a big match is really exciting for us,' Wilson said. He said fellow back-rower Valetini would be particularly inspired playing in his hometown of Melbourne. ''Bobby' loves playing for Australia. He's missed two games this year, (and) he hasn't missed many over the last five or six years, so he's really excited,' Wilson said. 'He's had a really good week of prep, his body's looking good, and I know he loves playing here in Melbourne, so he'll be fired up.' Playing in front of 90,000 fans at the MCG will also inspire the entire Wallabies squad. 'It's super special. For Australian sport, there's no bigger stadium,' Wilson said. 'You grow up here watching Boxing Day Tests, the AFL grand finals … it's always sold out, packed. 'It doesn't get much better than that, so I guess the feeling of probably running out here in front of 90,000-plus people is truly special, and hopefully we can go out there and put a good performance in.' Wilson said the 'pressure' was on both teams despite it only being a must-win affair for the Wallabies. 'They want to wrap up the series and we want to keep the series alive, so there's no doubting there's a lot on the line for both teams and that's something that really excites you, playing professional sport,' he said.
The Age
15 hours ago
- The Age
Wilson's MCG dream finally realised
As far as cricket tragics go in the Wallabies squad, there are none greater than captain Harry Wilson. It is fitting that the man who once belted a 35-ball century at school, grew up playing with three-Test opener Nathan McSweeney, and faced Marnus Labuschagne ahead of a Springboks Test last year, will lead Australia out at the MCG this weekend for the biggest rugby match of his life. Until Wednesday, Wilson had never set foot on the iconic ground. His only memory was a family visit 15 years ago to the ground's museum. But on Saturday, he'll captain the Wallabies in front of more than 90,000 fans, desperate to keep the series alive in a must-win second Test against the British and Irish Lions. 'You grow up watching the Boxing Day Tests and AFL grand finals. They're always sold out and packed. It doesn't get much better than that,' Wilson said on Friday at the Wallabies captain's run. 'The feeling of running out here in front of 90,000 plus people is truly special. Hopefully, we go out there and put in a good performance.' The last time the Wallabies played at the MCG, against the All Blacks in 2023, Wilson wasn't in the squad. Allan Alaalatoa, who captained the side that day, has his own cricket link — named after Australian legend Allan Border. On Friday, Wilson admitted he was still finding his bearings. 'Even just walking out of the change rooms, I had no idea where to go,' Wilson said. 'Walking out on a massive oval like this, you do pinch yourself. It's something we definitely will have to take in and enjoy the moment because you don't always get to play in special venues like this.' When the Wallabies run out, it'll be seven months to the day since Sam Konstas lit up the MCG during the Boxing Day Test with a flurry of ramp shots against Indian pace bowling star Jasprit Bumrah.
