Latest news with #GordenTallis
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy legend Gorden Tallis reveals State of Origin secret that could inspire the Wallabies ahead of first Test against the British and Irish Lions
A chance meeting with footy legend Gorden Tallis in a Brisbane street this week has British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell on edge ahead of the first Test against the Wallabies on Saturday night. Joe Schmidt 's men are widely expected to be outclassed due to a raft of injuries and their formidable opposition. Tallis warned Farrell - a former rugby league star with Wigan - that Australia will embrace the underdog tag. 'I actually met Gorden Tallis today and we were reminiscing on a few things,' Farrell, who is also Ireland's head coach, told reporters on Friday. 'The 1994 World Club Challenge final (which Wigan won against the Brisbane Broncos) was huge. '(But) this seems a little bit bigger. This is huge. This would mean the world to me (beating the Wallabies). 'I actually saw him in the street, walking down the street. I went, 'Gordie, what are you doing here?' 'So we had a good 20 minutes (chat). It was great to catch up again. 'He used to say that everyone used to talk about Queensland being underdogs (during each Origin series). 'He said 'we never, ever saw it that way,' and Australia will be exactly the same.' Lions tyro Henry Pollock has boldly declared the series will be a 3-0 whitewash - but Farrell knows the Wallabies will be ready to silence their critics. 'You guys (reporters) have pointed out to me that they are underdogs for this series,' he said. 'I'm sure that they'll want to prove a point in regards to that type of thinking. They'll be fighting tooth and nail, won't they?' Meanwhile, for the first time in Wallabies history, players will wear their surnames on the back of their jerseys on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium. They are echoing Test cricket's lead of moving with the times to make the sport more accessible to viewers. Schmidt has handed Tom Lynagh his first Test start in the No.10 jersey - 36 years after his famous father Michael also took on the Lions. The visitors won the series 2-1 on their last tour to Australia in 2013, avenging a 2-1 series loss to the Wallabies in 2001.
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
It feels like the Lions are walking into a Wallabies ambush in Brisbane
Andy Farrell had a chance encounter with an old sparring partner when he was walking the streets of Brisbane earlier this week. The British and Irish Lions head coach got a pleasant surprise when he spotted Gorden Tallis, an icon of Australian rugby league. The pair had many battles in their playing days. Farrell v Tallis. The 'Man of Steel' vs the 'Raging Bull'. Andy Farrell had a chance encounter with an old sparring partner when he was walking the streets of Brisbane earlier this week. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Tallis is fondly remembered for his storming displays in State of Origin, the gripping three-game slugfest between New South Wales and Queensland. You'll find plenty of his impressive feats on YouTube, namely an iconic tackle on Brett Hodgon. It's well worth a watch. Queensland, as it happens, recently secured an unlikely 2-1 series win against their bitter foes, despite being widely written off as one of the worst teams in the state's illustrious history. A worrying omen for the highly-fancied Lions perhaps? Gorden Tallis is fondly remembered for his storming displays in State of Origin. Pic:'He used to say that everyone used to talk about Queensland being underdogs,' Farrell told a packed press conference on Thursday, recalling his impromptu meeting with Tallis. 'He said 'we never, ever saw it that way,' and Australia will be exactly the same.' Gorden Tallis locks horns with Andy Farrell and Tony Smith in 2000. Pic: Phil Cole/ALLSPORT Right there is a timely reminder of the sporting mentality of this nation. Rugby union has fallen on hard times in Australia. In truth, the game has been in a steady decline since 2003, Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal in the World Cup final proving something of a flashpoint. Rugby league and AFL have stormed ahead. The 52,000-capacity Suncorp Stadium will be packed to the rafters and the atmosphere will be electric before kick-off. Jonny Wilkinson nails a drop goal during the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. Pic: Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images The Lions have brought a legion of travelling supporters and the cash injection from this series is thought to be in the region of 250 million Australian dollars for the local economy. Yet there is a sense that this series has not grabbed the wider Australian public. The Lions is scarcely mentioned in news bulletins, radio or in newspaper articles across the country. For these Wallabies players, these looming games against the much-vaunted tourists isn't just about pride. There is far more on the line for the hosts than bragging rights. There is far more on the line for the hosts than bragging rights. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher If Australia suffer a 3-0 whitewash, it would be disastrous for the professional game in their country. It would be another nail in rugby union's coffin in Oz. The next few weeks is a golden opportunity to reinvigorate this sport. An upset today or, dare they dream, a series win would be shot of life for the entire organisation, especially with a home World Cup in 2027. It should serve as a powerful motivator for the home side. On paper, the Lions should win this opening Test comfortably. Farrell's team is stacked with proven, Test match animals across a stellar matchday 23. If you want to get a real sense of the quality of this Lions side, look at the players who failed to make the cut: Pierre Schoeman, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan, Fin Smith and Owen Farrell. The injured trio of Blair Kinghorn, Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose are all set to come back into contention for the second game in Melbourne, too. That's quite the playing roster. On paper, the Lions should win this opening Test comfortably. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan Australia, meanwhile, are without the destructive Will Skelton and powerful flanker Rob Valetini, arguably their best player for the past two years. They have rolled the dice at No10, with the 22-year-old Tom Lynagh starting his first international game. Nick Champion de Crespigny is another debutant on the blindside flank. They look a weight class below the Lions in the tight five. But Test rugby can bring out another side in previously unheralded players. Especially Australians. This is a proud rugby nation. This is a country which has won two World Cups and finished second in two other tournaments. The Lions are overwhelming favourites but history is not on their side. The 2013 series win in Australia remains the only triumph in the professional era. This tours don't come easy. And it's not like the Wallabies don't have quality in their ranks. In Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, they have a genuine superstar. The former rugby league prodigy has taken the 15-man game by storm. Like Israel Folau, another cross-code convert, did in 2013, he is set to have a huge impact in this series. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is a genuine superstar. Pic:The hosts have genuine gas in the wide channels, with Tom Wright and Max Jorgensen offering so much threat. Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost are two seriously underrated locks while Fraser McReight is a top-class openside flanker who will attack the breakdown with ferocity all evening. The Wallabies captain and No8 Harry Wilson is another character who doesn't get enough plaudits. There's plenty of impact on the bench with Ulster-bound prop Angus Bell, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott and Andrew Kellaway all primed to make a big impact. And then there's the Joe Schmidt factor. Known for his obsessive work ethic, forensic analysis and intense methods during his time with Leinster and Ireland, the Kiwi has cut a more relaxed figure in this gig. Schmidt answered an SOS to the Wallabies a few years back after Eddie Jones' disastrous second stint in the job. He has galvanised the entire operation and it's a credit to the New Zealander that that this team looks competitive ahead of this series. Schmidt is a serious operator. He transformed Irish rugby. He brought Leinster to another level and continued in the same vein when the national tame came calling for his services in 2013. Joe Schmidt is known for his obsessive work ethic, forensic analysis and intense methods. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher Some of the revisionism of his trophy-laden tenure in Ireland has jarred. It must have stung Schmidt as well. It feels like a lot of the praise which has been heaped on Farrell, his successor, has come at the expense of Schmidt. He has already helped mastermind an All Blacks win against Ireland in a 2023 World Cup quarter-final. No doubt, he has a masterplan to down the Lions in the coming weeks. If the Wallabies come out firing, knock the Lions off their rhythm and make this a dogfight, then all bets are off. Expect a few trademark Schmidt strike moves and a few moments of genius from Suaalii. Lest we forget, it's not like the Lions have looked invincible either. Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, James Lowe and Hugo Keenan have been picked on pedigree and not recent form. No doubt, the Pumas defeat in Dublin sowed a few seeds of doubt as well. The closer we get to this Test opener in Brisbane, the more it feels like the Lions are walking into an ambush. Farrell got an early warning this week. Another Schmidt masterclass is on the cards.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Lions coach Andy Farrell isn't buying into the hype of a series sweep against Australia
BRISBANE, Australia — The growing hype about a British and Irish Lions series sweep over Australia isn't something Andy Farrell is buying into. The Lions head coach only had to walk the streets of Brisbane and have a chance encounter with Australia and Queensland Origin rugby league legend Gorden Tallis in the days leading up to Saturday's first test to be reminded of what to expect.
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Lions coach Andy Farrell isn't buying into the hype of a series sweep against Australia
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The growing hype about a British and Irish Lions series sweep over Australia isn't something Andy Farrell is buying into. The Lions head coach only had to walk the streets of Brisbane and have a chance encounter with Australia and Queensland Origin rugby league legend Gorden Tallis in the days leading up to Saturday's first test to be reminded of what to expect.
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Lions coach Andy Farrell isn't buying into the hype of a series sweep against Australia
The growing hype about a British and Irish Lions series sweep over Australia isn't something Andy Farrell is buying into. The Lions head coach only had to walk the streets of Brisbane and have a chance encounter with Australia and Queensland Origin rugby league legend Gorden Tallis in the days leading up to Saturday's first test to be reminded of what to expect. Tallis said everyone used to talk about Queensland being underdogs. He said, 'We never ever saw it that way.' 'Australia will be exactly the same,' said Farrell, who was captain of the British rugby league team before switching to rugby union. The Lions tour every four years to the southern hemisphere, but the Wallabies only face them every 12–usually a once-in-a-career opportunity. 'If you're in a position where it comes down to this every 12 years and you get to pull the shirt on for the Wallabies and the privilege that goes with that–they'll be fighting tooth and nail,' Farrell said. 'I'm sure they'll want to prove a point.' He wanted to embrace being heavy favorites for the series but said there's no overconfidence at all. 'It's having an inner confidence within our group that we are going to execute the plan when it matters.' Farrell was a defense coach at Ireland before taking over from Joe Schmidt as head coach there in 2020. Schmidt, a New Zealander, is now head coach of an Australia squad that is rebuilding after its worst-ever Rugby World Cup performance in 2023. 'They're well acquainted. You don't go into a series trying not to win it 3-nil–it's a natural target for them,' Schmidt said of those predictions of a Lions sweep. 'But I know Andy Farrell well enough to know he won't be talking about 3-nil. They'll be focused on this test alone, not Melbourne or Sydney I don't think.' While the Lions are unbeaten in five tour games so far in Australia, the Wallabies are coming off a scratchy 21-18 comeback win over Fiji as their only match preparation. They've also got a new halves combination and will be missing some size and power in the forward pack. 'Obviously the skill execution wasn't great against Fiji. We have to be a lot more cohesive and accurate,' Schmidt said. 'We've had one test match. We've got 15 this year. We thought we'd ease our way into the year!' he added, joking about the monumental task ahead for his Wallabies. 'That's the magnitude of it really.' Key confrontations: The halves combinations will be critical to the outcome. The Lions have the advantage in the experienced and assured Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell directing play and working with Jamison Gibson-Park, one of eight Irishmen in the XV. Schmidt has entrusted the playmaking duties to 22-year-old Tom Lynagh, the son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh. The quietly confident Lynagh is starting a test for the first time and working with Jake Gordon. The Lions will be expecting scrum dominance, and for a hard edge, will be relying on a front row featuring Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong and hooker Dan Sheehan and England prop Ellis Genge. For the Wallabies, 144-test veteran James Slipper is starting in his second series against the Lions and looking for revenge. He'll be packing down with Allan Alaalatoa, who has 81 caps, and young hooker Matt Faessler. For the first time since more than a century, there are no Welshmen in the Lions test squad. Recent series: Brisbane is a city where the Lions have had success. In 1989, when Michael Lynagh was Australia's playmaker, the Wallabies won the opening match in Sydney 30-12 before the Lions rallied to take a brutal second test 19-12 in Brisbane, dubbed the 'Battle of Ballymore.' The Lions won the decider back in Sydney, which was famous for an errant pass by Australian winger David Campese that gifted a simple try and lead to the visitors. The 2001 series opener in Brisbane felt more like a home game for the Lions with the Gabba stadium filled with fans wearing red. That helped propel the Lions to a win over the 1999 World Cup champions. But the Australians rallied to win in Melbourne and Sydney to clinch a historic series win. Twelve years ago on the last tour to Australia, the Lions again won in Brisbane–23-21–when Wallabies goalkicker Kurtley Beale slipped and missed a last-minute penalty attempt. The Wallabies won the second test in Melbourne when Leigh Halfpenny missed a late shot at goal that would have clinched the series for the Lions. The Lions dominated in Sydney to clinch the series. Tour so far: The Lions are perfect in Australia since a 28-24 loss to Argentina in a warmup in Dublin. They had wins over Super Rugby franchises Western Force, Queensland Reds, Waratahs, and Brumbies–before last Saturday's 48-0 demolition of an AUNZ invitational XV.
