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Pleasant pitstop in Adelaide culminates with Lions' last warm-up
THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL known as Illuminate Adelaide is running at the moment in the capital of South Australia.
Light shows and music bring energy to the city after dark. It's the Australian winter now, so sundown is not long after 5pm. The bright colours are welcome. There is a lovely atmosphere around the city as families enjoy the interactive parts of the festival.
Andy Farrell is hoping for a few moments of illumination himself when his Lions take on the AUNZ Invitational XV on Saturday [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports] in their final warm-up game before meeting the Wallabies in the first Test next weekend.
The Lions will move onto Brisbane on Sunday and they're all looking forward to having a full week of preparation in one place without a midweek game to worry about. Farrell insisted he wasn't 'whingeing' when he brought up the tough schedule again on Thursday, but he is eager for the singular focus of the Test week.
For everyone else, it has been a pleasure to get this three-night pitstop in Adelaide. South Australia certainly isn't known as rugby union country. They don't get many Wallabies Tests here. The last one was in 2022 when they beat the Springboks and Marika Koroibete, who plays for the AUNZ side, made a phenomenal try-saving tackle on Makazole Mapimpi. The time before that was in 2004.
A lights show at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
So while this Lions game isn't a Test, the rugby locals in Adelaide are happy to have them in town. Their last visit was back in 1888, so the folk in Adelaide have been waiting a while.
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Aussie Rules is king in these parts. The city of around 1.35 million people has two AFL clubs, Port Adelaide Football Club and Adelaide Football Club, both of whom play games at the Oval. There's also an A-League soccer team, Adelaide United.
Australia play cricket Tests at the Adelaide Oval and there are two local professional basketball teams, as well as the Adelaide Giants of the Australian Baseball League, and ice hockey's Adelaide Adrenaline. They used to have the Australian Grand Prix in Formula One here, but that moved to Melbourne in 1996.
Adelaide is young. Founded in 1836, it is impressively neatly planned, with the descent of our plane from Canberra giving a great view of the regular rectangular grids of buildings in between dead-straight streets. There are wide boulevards and lots of parks around the city centre, as well as the River Torrens flowing through it. Adelaide Oval, where the Lions game takes place, is a short stroll from the CBD.
Thursday evening's Lions press conference was at the enchanting St Peter's College, which is certainly the nicest school most of the travelling media have ever seen. It looks like Hogwarts from Harry Potter, only more polished. Its Memorial Hall, built for alumni who lost their lives in World War I, is monumental. The sports facilities are elite.
Once the drama of the Lions team naming, Blair Kinghorn's injury, and Jamie Obsorne's call-up had died down, it was time to sample the local cuisine and wine. Good Gilbert was exceptional, as was their recommendation of the Hains & Co bar downtown.
Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Friday meant a chance to visit the calming Botanic Gardens and to get out on the fantastic running trails along the River Torrens, leading all the way to the ocean at Henley Beach. Staring out at the St Vincent Gulf and onwards to Antarctica was one of those moments when you realise this job brings you to cool places.
The Lions did their usual captain's run at the Adelaide Oval, which will welcome lots of visiting supporters. The last few days have been the first time in which touring Lions supporters have been noticeable. It will be Test week before they truly make their presence felt, but there has been an uptick in Adelaide.
The city will benefit hugely from the Lions' visit, with hotels, restaurants, and bars cashing in. Local authorities said they anticipated 15,000 visitors from abroad and other Aussie states just for this game. A fanzone has been set up on the riverbank and they're expecting a big crowd at the 53,500-capacity Adelaide Oval. Anyone with a match ticket gets free transport on the buses and trams.
Opportunity now beckons for the Lions in Adelaide in this final audition for the first Test and they'll be expecting a powerful challenge from an AUNZ side that contains lots of power and class. This game should be the engaging culmination of a very pleasant visit to Adelaide.
AUNZ INVITATIONAL XV: Shaun Stevenson; AJ Lam, Ngani Laumape, David Havili (co-captain), Marika Koroibete; Tane Edmed, Folau Fakatava; Aidan Ross, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen; Angus Blyth, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (co-captain); Shannon Frizell, Pete Samu, Hoskins Sotutu.
Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu'a, George Dyer, Matt Philip, Joe Brial, Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Jock Campbell.
LIONS: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van Der Merwe; Fin Smith, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Stuart; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Henry Pollock, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Finlay Bealham, Scott Cummings, Josh van der Flier, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell.
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
