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The Advertiser
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
The biggest crowd in 20 years watched the Brumbies play the Lions. Is it a rugby revival?
Ryan Lonergan hopes the biggest Brumbies crowd in almost two decades can kickstart a rugby revival in the ACT, wondering if the legacy of a British and Irish Lions tour is the shot "rugby in Canberra has been waiting for". Because you only had to close your eyes for the briefest of moments to believe. The noise. The vibration. The unbridled joy that comes with hope. Rugby union was back to its glory days in Canberra on Wednesday night, even if that belief and hope faded in the second half as the all-star British and Irish Lions beat the ACT Brumbies 36-24 in front of 23,116 fans. It was the biggest rugby crowd in Canberra since since more than 27,000 watched the ACT play the NSW Waratahs in 2005 - the year after the Brumbies' last title with the greats still lacing up the boots. The Brumbies and rugby was at its peak back then, but it's been a lean decade since the Lions were last in town. So crowd and hype aside the result was sweet revenge for the Lions, who were stunned by the Brumbies when they last came to Canberra in 2013, and pushed to the brink 12 years prior. Rugby in the capital - and in Australia more broadly - has struggled since then. But the sight of grown men bouncing out of their seats for a cuddle and the look in their eyes when Corey Toole flew over the line before half-time told a different story. There is a soul there, hidden away and only emerging occasionally. The hope is that the excitement was enough to convince people to come back next year when the Brumbies return to the field. That's obviously easier said than done, given the fanfare that comes with the Lions and the tourists that follow. The reality is the afterglow of the Lions will wear off, and Super Rugby crowds won't dramatically increase. But at some point there has to be a step in the right direction, and Lonergan hopes Canberra moved that way on Wednesday. "Running out in front of all of those people is something I will never forget," Brumbies captain Lonergan said. "I hope everyone enjoyed it in the stands. Disappointed we couldn't get the result but it was a quality game. Maybe it's something rugby in Canberra has been waiting for, you know? Maybe it's going to kickstart us back up, and hopefully our numbers grow next year. "I can say it was just one of the most enjoyable games I've played here in Canberra, purely because of the atmosphere." Perhaps the surprising part was that some touring journalists felt the game lacked atmosphere and was "flat" in energy from the crowd. Imagine had they been at some of the Super Rugby contests over the past decade or so. Rugby was alive for this game. Granted, with a crowd of event-goers as well as rusted-on rugby fans, but it was alive. And for a couple of moments in the first half, the fans genuinely believed lightning could strike twice. But it couldn't, could it? Not when Lions coach Andy Farrell had wheeled out a squad expected to mirror that for the opening Test against the Wallabies on July 19, while Stephen Larkham was missing eight front-line stars. But the Brumbies weren't going to die wondering. Tuaina Taii Tualima crashed over for the opening try inside the opening five minutes. Toole picked as good a time as any to answer a question about his defensive nous and sent a reminder to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt that he is waiting in the wings, while the red jersey to Tom Hooper and Lachie Lonergan might as well have been a red rag to a bull. The class of the Lions would eventually shine through. Ollie Chessum levelled the ledger before James Lowe put the tourists ahead in front of a small sea of red at the southern end, one that will grow by thousands by the time rugby's greatest roadshow arrives in Brisbane. But their cheers for tries and chants of 'Lions' paled in comparison to the roar reverberating around Canberra Stadium when Toole returned serve at the other end of the ground. Toole's try just before the break gave everyone hope, and made the Lions a little nervous. But an error from the drop-out moments later came back to haunt the Brumbies - and what should have been a 12-10 half-time scoreline became 19-10 in the blink of an eye. The Brumbies were never seriously within striking distance, and coach Stephen Larkham felt his side spent "80 per cent of the game" in their defensive half. That was probably an accurate reflection of what happened, but every time the game threatened to blow out, the Brumbies answered and restored respect. Toole scored a second try in the second half and hooker Liam Bowron burrowed over from close range late in the game when the Brumbies' finally got an attacking chance. In the end, the Lions scored five tries to the Brumbies' four, the major difference being the 11 points from the boot of Finn Russell. In fact, the Lions took a penalty shot at goal in the second half to make sure they smothered any chance of a Brumbies comeback. Why was that moment important? Because it was the first penalty attempt the Lions had taken after four games on tour. Talk about respect, even though the Wallaby-less Brumbies were severely under-strength. "Coming out of the game without the win is disappointing, it's not about playing against the Lions, it's the opportunity to beat the Lions, and we didn't do that," Larkham said. "But there were some really good performances out there, I think the guys stepped up exceptionally well. "If you look back 12 years ago and even further back to 2001, guys come out of this game and this experience a better player and I'm hoping it leads to opportunities down the track for players such as Ryan [Lonergan]." It says a lot about Larkham and the Brumbies that they walked away disappointed rather than buzzing from the experience, even though they played in front of the sort of crowd that evokes memories of the Brumbies heyday. The crowd figure marked the biggest turnout for a Brumbies home game since their stunning upset of the Lions 12 years ago. Forget lightning striking twice for a second, rugby bosses were wondering how they could catch lightning in a bottle. Brumbies crowds have hovered around the 8000 mark for years. Their biggest home crowd of the Super Rugby season - which saw them reach a fourth consecutive semi-final - was boosted by the Ilona Maher factor during a double-header with the Wallaroos and USA. Finding a way to reconnect with rugby fans will be high on Roff's agenda after being appointed Brumbies chairman, with chief executive Phil Thomson poised to leave his post at the end of the week and bring down the curtain on an association with the club which dates back to its inception. As for winning back the crowds? The Lions game could be enough to convince at least a few onlookers to come back again next year. Maybe you'll have to forgive the die-hards for dreaming, but this week felt like people were excited about rugby in Canberra again. You can't help but be swept up in the hype of a Lions tour. Lington Ieli would go unnoticed by some Brumbies fans in the street, but he went toe-to-toe with the Lions. Cameron Orr flew in from Seattle last week. Lachie Hooper hadn't played Super Rugby. But he played against the Lions - and did it alongside his brother. They'll be telling that story out in Bathurst for years. Who said romance in rugby was dead? AT A GLANCE British and Irish Lions tour game: BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 36 (Ollie Chessum, James Lowe, Marcus Smith, Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier tries; Finn Russell 4 conversions; Russell penalty) bt ACT BRUMBIES 24 (Tuaina Taii Tualima, Corey Toole, Hudson Creighton, Liam Bowron tries; Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni conversions) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 23,116. Man of the match: Jamison Gibson-Park. Ryan Lonergan hopes the biggest Brumbies crowd in almost two decades can kickstart a rugby revival in the ACT, wondering if the legacy of a British and Irish Lions tour is the shot "rugby in Canberra has been waiting for". Because you only had to close your eyes for the briefest of moments to believe. The noise. The vibration. The unbridled joy that comes with hope. Rugby union was back to its glory days in Canberra on Wednesday night, even if that belief and hope faded in the second half as the all-star British and Irish Lions beat the ACT Brumbies 36-24 in front of 23,116 fans. It was the biggest rugby crowd in Canberra since since more than 27,000 watched the ACT play the NSW Waratahs in 2005 - the year after the Brumbies' last title with the greats still lacing up the boots. The Brumbies and rugby was at its peak back then, but it's been a lean decade since the Lions were last in town. So crowd and hype aside the result was sweet revenge for the Lions, who were stunned by the Brumbies when they last came to Canberra in 2013, and pushed to the brink 12 years prior. Rugby in the capital - and in Australia more broadly - has struggled since then. But the sight of grown men bouncing out of their seats for a cuddle and the look in their eyes when Corey Toole flew over the line before half-time told a different story. There is a soul there, hidden away and only emerging occasionally. The hope is that the excitement was enough to convince people to come back next year when the Brumbies return to the field. That's obviously easier said than done, given the fanfare that comes with the Lions and the tourists that follow. The reality is the afterglow of the Lions will wear off, and Super Rugby crowds won't dramatically increase. But at some point there has to be a step in the right direction, and Lonergan hopes Canberra moved that way on Wednesday. "Running out in front of all of those people is something I will never forget," Brumbies captain Lonergan said. "I hope everyone enjoyed it in the stands. Disappointed we couldn't get the result but it was a quality game. Maybe it's something rugby in Canberra has been waiting for, you know? Maybe it's going to kickstart us back up, and hopefully our numbers grow next year. "I can say it was just one of the most enjoyable games I've played here in Canberra, purely because of the atmosphere." Perhaps the surprising part was that some touring journalists felt the game lacked atmosphere and was "flat" in energy from the crowd. Imagine had they been at some of the Super Rugby contests over the past decade or so. Rugby was alive for this game. Granted, with a crowd of event-goers as well as rusted-on rugby fans, but it was alive. And for a couple of moments in the first half, the fans genuinely believed lightning could strike twice. But it couldn't, could it? Not when Lions coach Andy Farrell had wheeled out a squad expected to mirror that for the opening Test against the Wallabies on July 19, while Stephen Larkham was missing eight front-line stars. But the Brumbies weren't going to die wondering. Tuaina Taii Tualima crashed over for the opening try inside the opening five minutes. Toole picked as good a time as any to answer a question about his defensive nous and sent a reminder to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt that he is waiting in the wings, while the red jersey to Tom Hooper and Lachie Lonergan might as well have been a red rag to a bull. The class of the Lions would eventually shine through. Ollie Chessum levelled the ledger before James Lowe put the tourists ahead in front of a small sea of red at the southern end, one that will grow by thousands by the time rugby's greatest roadshow arrives in Brisbane. But their cheers for tries and chants of 'Lions' paled in comparison to the roar reverberating around Canberra Stadium when Toole returned serve at the other end of the ground. Toole's try just before the break gave everyone hope, and made the Lions a little nervous. But an error from the drop-out moments later came back to haunt the Brumbies - and what should have been a 12-10 half-time scoreline became 19-10 in the blink of an eye. The Brumbies were never seriously within striking distance, and coach Stephen Larkham felt his side spent "80 per cent of the game" in their defensive half. That was probably an accurate reflection of what happened, but every time the game threatened to blow out, the Brumbies answered and restored respect. Toole scored a second try in the second half and hooker Liam Bowron burrowed over from close range late in the game when the Brumbies' finally got an attacking chance. In the end, the Lions scored five tries to the Brumbies' four, the major difference being the 11 points from the boot of Finn Russell. In fact, the Lions took a penalty shot at goal in the second half to make sure they smothered any chance of a Brumbies comeback. Why was that moment important? Because it was the first penalty attempt the Lions had taken after four games on tour. Talk about respect, even though the Wallaby-less Brumbies were severely under-strength. "Coming out of the game without the win is disappointing, it's not about playing against the Lions, it's the opportunity to beat the Lions, and we didn't do that," Larkham said. "But there were some really good performances out there, I think the guys stepped up exceptionally well. "If you look back 12 years ago and even further back to 2001, guys come out of this game and this experience a better player and I'm hoping it leads to opportunities down the track for players such as Ryan [Lonergan]." It says a lot about Larkham and the Brumbies that they walked away disappointed rather than buzzing from the experience, even though they played in front of the sort of crowd that evokes memories of the Brumbies heyday. The crowd figure marked the biggest turnout for a Brumbies home game since their stunning upset of the Lions 12 years ago. Forget lightning striking twice for a second, rugby bosses were wondering how they could catch lightning in a bottle. Brumbies crowds have hovered around the 8000 mark for years. Their biggest home crowd of the Super Rugby season - which saw them reach a fourth consecutive semi-final - was boosted by the Ilona Maher factor during a double-header with the Wallaroos and USA. Finding a way to reconnect with rugby fans will be high on Roff's agenda after being appointed Brumbies chairman, with chief executive Phil Thomson poised to leave his post at the end of the week and bring down the curtain on an association with the club which dates back to its inception. As for winning back the crowds? The Lions game could be enough to convince at least a few onlookers to come back again next year. Maybe you'll have to forgive the die-hards for dreaming, but this week felt like people were excited about rugby in Canberra again. You can't help but be swept up in the hype of a Lions tour. Lington Ieli would go unnoticed by some Brumbies fans in the street, but he went toe-to-toe with the Lions. Cameron Orr flew in from Seattle last week. Lachie Hooper hadn't played Super Rugby. But he played against the Lions - and did it alongside his brother. They'll be telling that story out in Bathurst for years. Who said romance in rugby was dead? AT A GLANCE British and Irish Lions tour game: BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 36 (Ollie Chessum, James Lowe, Marcus Smith, Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier tries; Finn Russell 4 conversions; Russell penalty) bt ACT BRUMBIES 24 (Tuaina Taii Tualima, Corey Toole, Hudson Creighton, Liam Bowron tries; Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni conversions) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 23,116. Man of the match: Jamison Gibson-Park. Ryan Lonergan hopes the biggest Brumbies crowd in almost two decades can kickstart a rugby revival in the ACT, wondering if the legacy of a British and Irish Lions tour is the shot "rugby in Canberra has been waiting for". Because you only had to close your eyes for the briefest of moments to believe. The noise. The vibration. The unbridled joy that comes with hope. Rugby union was back to its glory days in Canberra on Wednesday night, even if that belief and hope faded in the second half as the all-star British and Irish Lions beat the ACT Brumbies 36-24 in front of 23,116 fans. It was the biggest rugby crowd in Canberra since since more than 27,000 watched the ACT play the NSW Waratahs in 2005 - the year after the Brumbies' last title with the greats still lacing up the boots. The Brumbies and rugby was at its peak back then, but it's been a lean decade since the Lions were last in town. So crowd and hype aside the result was sweet revenge for the Lions, who were stunned by the Brumbies when they last came to Canberra in 2013, and pushed to the brink 12 years prior. Rugby in the capital - and in Australia more broadly - has struggled since then. But the sight of grown men bouncing out of their seats for a cuddle and the look in their eyes when Corey Toole flew over the line before half-time told a different story. There is a soul there, hidden away and only emerging occasionally. The hope is that the excitement was enough to convince people to come back next year when the Brumbies return to the field. That's obviously easier said than done, given the fanfare that comes with the Lions and the tourists that follow. The reality is the afterglow of the Lions will wear off, and Super Rugby crowds won't dramatically increase. But at some point there has to be a step in the right direction, and Lonergan hopes Canberra moved that way on Wednesday. "Running out in front of all of those people is something I will never forget," Brumbies captain Lonergan said. "I hope everyone enjoyed it in the stands. Disappointed we couldn't get the result but it was a quality game. Maybe it's something rugby in Canberra has been waiting for, you know? Maybe it's going to kickstart us back up, and hopefully our numbers grow next year. "I can say it was just one of the most enjoyable games I've played here in Canberra, purely because of the atmosphere." Perhaps the surprising part was that some touring journalists felt the game lacked atmosphere and was "flat" in energy from the crowd. Imagine had they been at some of the Super Rugby contests over the past decade or so. Rugby was alive for this game. Granted, with a crowd of event-goers as well as rusted-on rugby fans, but it was alive. And for a couple of moments in the first half, the fans genuinely believed lightning could strike twice. But it couldn't, could it? Not when Lions coach Andy Farrell had wheeled out a squad expected to mirror that for the opening Test against the Wallabies on July 19, while Stephen Larkham was missing eight front-line stars. But the Brumbies weren't going to die wondering. Tuaina Taii Tualima crashed over for the opening try inside the opening five minutes. Toole picked as good a time as any to answer a question about his defensive nous and sent a reminder to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt that he is waiting in the wings, while the red jersey to Tom Hooper and Lachie Lonergan might as well have been a red rag to a bull. The class of the Lions would eventually shine through. Ollie Chessum levelled the ledger before James Lowe put the tourists ahead in front of a small sea of red at the southern end, one that will grow by thousands by the time rugby's greatest roadshow arrives in Brisbane. But their cheers for tries and chants of 'Lions' paled in comparison to the roar reverberating around Canberra Stadium when Toole returned serve at the other end of the ground. Toole's try just before the break gave everyone hope, and made the Lions a little nervous. But an error from the drop-out moments later came back to haunt the Brumbies - and what should have been a 12-10 half-time scoreline became 19-10 in the blink of an eye. The Brumbies were never seriously within striking distance, and coach Stephen Larkham felt his side spent "80 per cent of the game" in their defensive half. That was probably an accurate reflection of what happened, but every time the game threatened to blow out, the Brumbies answered and restored respect. Toole scored a second try in the second half and hooker Liam Bowron burrowed over from close range late in the game when the Brumbies' finally got an attacking chance. In the end, the Lions scored five tries to the Brumbies' four, the major difference being the 11 points from the boot of Finn Russell. In fact, the Lions took a penalty shot at goal in the second half to make sure they smothered any chance of a Brumbies comeback. Why was that moment important? Because it was the first penalty attempt the Lions had taken after four games on tour. Talk about respect, even though the Wallaby-less Brumbies were severely under-strength. "Coming out of the game without the win is disappointing, it's not about playing against the Lions, it's the opportunity to beat the Lions, and we didn't do that," Larkham said. "But there were some really good performances out there, I think the guys stepped up exceptionally well. "If you look back 12 years ago and even further back to 2001, guys come out of this game and this experience a better player and I'm hoping it leads to opportunities down the track for players such as Ryan [Lonergan]." It says a lot about Larkham and the Brumbies that they walked away disappointed rather than buzzing from the experience, even though they played in front of the sort of crowd that evokes memories of the Brumbies heyday. The crowd figure marked the biggest turnout for a Brumbies home game since their stunning upset of the Lions 12 years ago. Forget lightning striking twice for a second, rugby bosses were wondering how they could catch lightning in a bottle. Brumbies crowds have hovered around the 8000 mark for years. Their biggest home crowd of the Super Rugby season - which saw them reach a fourth consecutive semi-final - was boosted by the Ilona Maher factor during a double-header with the Wallaroos and USA. Finding a way to reconnect with rugby fans will be high on Roff's agenda after being appointed Brumbies chairman, with chief executive Phil Thomson poised to leave his post at the end of the week and bring down the curtain on an association with the club which dates back to its inception. As for winning back the crowds? The Lions game could be enough to convince at least a few onlookers to come back again next year. Maybe you'll have to forgive the die-hards for dreaming, but this week felt like people were excited about rugby in Canberra again. You can't help but be swept up in the hype of a Lions tour. Lington Ieli would go unnoticed by some Brumbies fans in the street, but he went toe-to-toe with the Lions. Cameron Orr flew in from Seattle last week. Lachie Hooper hadn't played Super Rugby. But he played against the Lions - and did it alongside his brother. They'll be telling that story out in Bathurst for years. Who said romance in rugby was dead? AT A GLANCE British and Irish Lions tour game: BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 36 (Ollie Chessum, James Lowe, Marcus Smith, Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier tries; Finn Russell 4 conversions; Russell penalty) bt ACT BRUMBIES 24 (Tuaina Taii Tualima, Corey Toole, Hudson Creighton, Liam Bowron tries; Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni conversions) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 23,116. Man of the match: Jamison Gibson-Park. Ryan Lonergan hopes the biggest Brumbies crowd in almost two decades can kickstart a rugby revival in the ACT, wondering if the legacy of a British and Irish Lions tour is the shot "rugby in Canberra has been waiting for". Because you only had to close your eyes for the briefest of moments to believe. The noise. The vibration. The unbridled joy that comes with hope. Rugby union was back to its glory days in Canberra on Wednesday night, even if that belief and hope faded in the second half as the all-star British and Irish Lions beat the ACT Brumbies 36-24 in front of 23,116 fans. It was the biggest rugby crowd in Canberra since since more than 27,000 watched the ACT play the NSW Waratahs in 2005 - the year after the Brumbies' last title with the greats still lacing up the boots. The Brumbies and rugby was at its peak back then, but it's been a lean decade since the Lions were last in town. So crowd and hype aside the result was sweet revenge for the Lions, who were stunned by the Brumbies when they last came to Canberra in 2013, and pushed to the brink 12 years prior. Rugby in the capital - and in Australia more broadly - has struggled since then. But the sight of grown men bouncing out of their seats for a cuddle and the look in their eyes when Corey Toole flew over the line before half-time told a different story. There is a soul there, hidden away and only emerging occasionally. The hope is that the excitement was enough to convince people to come back next year when the Brumbies return to the field. That's obviously easier said than done, given the fanfare that comes with the Lions and the tourists that follow. The reality is the afterglow of the Lions will wear off, and Super Rugby crowds won't dramatically increase. But at some point there has to be a step in the right direction, and Lonergan hopes Canberra moved that way on Wednesday. "Running out in front of all of those people is something I will never forget," Brumbies captain Lonergan said. "I hope everyone enjoyed it in the stands. Disappointed we couldn't get the result but it was a quality game. Maybe it's something rugby in Canberra has been waiting for, you know? Maybe it's going to kickstart us back up, and hopefully our numbers grow next year. "I can say it was just one of the most enjoyable games I've played here in Canberra, purely because of the atmosphere." Perhaps the surprising part was that some touring journalists felt the game lacked atmosphere and was "flat" in energy from the crowd. Imagine had they been at some of the Super Rugby contests over the past decade or so. Rugby was alive for this game. Granted, with a crowd of event-goers as well as rusted-on rugby fans, but it was alive. And for a couple of moments in the first half, the fans genuinely believed lightning could strike twice. But it couldn't, could it? Not when Lions coach Andy Farrell had wheeled out a squad expected to mirror that for the opening Test against the Wallabies on July 19, while Stephen Larkham was missing eight front-line stars. But the Brumbies weren't going to die wondering. Tuaina Taii Tualima crashed over for the opening try inside the opening five minutes. Toole picked as good a time as any to answer a question about his defensive nous and sent a reminder to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt that he is waiting in the wings, while the red jersey to Tom Hooper and Lachie Lonergan might as well have been a red rag to a bull. The class of the Lions would eventually shine through. Ollie Chessum levelled the ledger before James Lowe put the tourists ahead in front of a small sea of red at the southern end, one that will grow by thousands by the time rugby's greatest roadshow arrives in Brisbane. But their cheers for tries and chants of 'Lions' paled in comparison to the roar reverberating around Canberra Stadium when Toole returned serve at the other end of the ground. Toole's try just before the break gave everyone hope, and made the Lions a little nervous. But an error from the drop-out moments later came back to haunt the Brumbies - and what should have been a 12-10 half-time scoreline became 19-10 in the blink of an eye. The Brumbies were never seriously within striking distance, and coach Stephen Larkham felt his side spent "80 per cent of the game" in their defensive half. That was probably an accurate reflection of what happened, but every time the game threatened to blow out, the Brumbies answered and restored respect. Toole scored a second try in the second half and hooker Liam Bowron burrowed over from close range late in the game when the Brumbies' finally got an attacking chance. In the end, the Lions scored five tries to the Brumbies' four, the major difference being the 11 points from the boot of Finn Russell. In fact, the Lions took a penalty shot at goal in the second half to make sure they smothered any chance of a Brumbies comeback. Why was that moment important? Because it was the first penalty attempt the Lions had taken after four games on tour. Talk about respect, even though the Wallaby-less Brumbies were severely under-strength. "Coming out of the game without the win is disappointing, it's not about playing against the Lions, it's the opportunity to beat the Lions, and we didn't do that," Larkham said. "But there were some really good performances out there, I think the guys stepped up exceptionally well. "If you look back 12 years ago and even further back to 2001, guys come out of this game and this experience a better player and I'm hoping it leads to opportunities down the track for players such as Ryan [Lonergan]." It says a lot about Larkham and the Brumbies that they walked away disappointed rather than buzzing from the experience, even though they played in front of the sort of crowd that evokes memories of the Brumbies heyday. The crowd figure marked the biggest turnout for a Brumbies home game since their stunning upset of the Lions 12 years ago. Forget lightning striking twice for a second, rugby bosses were wondering how they could catch lightning in a bottle. Brumbies crowds have hovered around the 8000 mark for years. Their biggest home crowd of the Super Rugby season - which saw them reach a fourth consecutive semi-final - was boosted by the Ilona Maher factor during a double-header with the Wallaroos and USA. Finding a way to reconnect with rugby fans will be high on Roff's agenda after being appointed Brumbies chairman, with chief executive Phil Thomson poised to leave his post at the end of the week and bring down the curtain on an association with the club which dates back to its inception. As for winning back the crowds? The Lions game could be enough to convince at least a few onlookers to come back again next year. Maybe you'll have to forgive the die-hards for dreaming, but this week felt like people were excited about rugby in Canberra again. You can't help but be swept up in the hype of a Lions tour. Lington Ieli would go unnoticed by some Brumbies fans in the street, but he went toe-to-toe with the Lions. Cameron Orr flew in from Seattle last week. Lachie Hooper hadn't played Super Rugby. But he played against the Lions - and did it alongside his brother. They'll be telling that story out in Bathurst for years. Who said romance in rugby was dead? AT A GLANCE British and Irish Lions tour game: BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 36 (Ollie Chessum, James Lowe, Marcus Smith, Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier tries; Finn Russell 4 conversions; Russell penalty) bt ACT BRUMBIES 24 (Tuaina Taii Tualima, Corey Toole, Hudson Creighton, Liam Bowron tries; Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni conversions) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 23,116. Man of the match: Jamison Gibson-Park.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Lions secure another win against gritty Brumbies
Go to latest Drennan match report: Fight from the Brumbies but Lions show class The British and Irish Lions have completed their expected Test dress rehearsal by defeating the Brumbies 36-24 in front of 23,116 in Canberra. Bigger venues, crowds and expectations will await Lions in the Test series against the Wallabies, but they frequently stuttered against a weakened Brumbies. Canberra has traditionally been a difficult stopover for the Lions, losing in 2013 and needing a late penalty to win in 2001. And so it proved again at GIO Stadium. The Brumbies were without nine of their Wallabies and refused to be upstaged by the Lions for much of the evening, typified by their captain and halfback Ryan Lonergan, who must be considered for his first international cap sooner rather than later. After the game Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said that he was disappointed to lose against the Lions, but pleased that the performance would set a platform for Lonergan and others to go onto higher honours in the game. 'Coming out of the game without the win is disappointing, it's not about playing against the Lions, it's the opportunity to beat the Lions, and we didn't do that,' Larkham said. 'But there were some really good performances out there, I think the guys stepped up exceptionally well. 'If you look back 12 years ago and even further back to 2001, guys come out of this game and this experience a better player and I'm hoping it leads to opportunities down the track for players such as Ryan (Lonergan).' The Waratahs had provided the Brumbies with a blueprint for upsetting the Lions: make the breakdown a contest and maintain relentless physicality. For most of the night, the Brumbies applied their fierce local rivals' best work against an even stronger Lions side. There was patience and poise from the Brumbies in their mauling. Stephen Larkham had once tasked current Waratahs coach Dan McKellar with developing the best maul in the world for the Brumbies and his invention took apart some of world's elite forwards. Tuaina Taii Tualima acrobatically dived over Lions' bodies to score his first try after just four minutes, but followed by a poor and uncharacteristic miss from Ryan Lonergan with a straightforward conversion. After such a strong start, Brumbies inside centre David Feliuai running into contact deep in his own half threw a wild offload, the ball went forward and breakaway Ollie Chessum was able to score the Lions first try. Brumbies fullback Andy Muirhead did brilliantly to stop a certain try from James Lowe somehow getting his left shin under the ball, denying the Irish winger a try. Ryan Lonergan also reminded the onlooking Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt he isn't going away with an outstanding steal at the ruck. Lowe redeemed himself after 28 minutes scoring in the same left-hand corner after Muirhead had denied him earlier, diving over after the Brumbies' defence was opened by swift ball movement from the Lions. The Brumbies had refused to be intimidated as previous Super Rugby opponents, typified by veteran second row Caderyn Neville making a vital steal at the ruck, deep in the Lions half, leading to the fastest man in Canberra Corey Toole racing over for his side's second try. With the siren gone, a quick offload from Tom Curry set up replacement Marcus Smith to set the score at 10-19. Hooker Lachlan Lonergan had started the game brilliantly for the Brumbies, but two early attacking lineouts missed deep in the Lions proved costly. The Brumbies were starved of ball for much of the game, so when they had opportunities they needed to take them. The impressive Irish centre Garry Ringrose threw a brilliant dummy to cut through the home defence, then took a perfectly threaded kick from Smith into his hands to score his first try. The Brumbies refused to whither in the cold and after Toole dragged Gibson-Park down in his in-goal area, a stable five-metre scrum set up Hudson Creighton to charge over for try. The Lions dominated possession, with replacement Josh van der Flier missing out on a try after a long deliberation from the TMO that ruled he had been held up. Russell's decision to kick a penalty after so much possession on 61 minutes highlighted the Lions' evident nerves. The Brumbies' bravery throughout the night didn't falter, but it became impossible to match the fresh Lions bench, with van der Flier charging through for a try from a rolling maul to essentially kill off the game. Replacement Brumbies hooker Liam Bowron burrowed over for a late Brumbies try that delighted their biggest crowd in 17 years. With the clock in the red, Ollie Chessum was held up over the line thanks to frantic Brumbies defence. It summed up the night, the Brumbies refused to go away and make up the numbers for their vaunted opponents. The stage is nicely set for the Test series. Lions coach Andy Farrell was relieved at the win, but will nervously wait for updates on Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn, who hurt his knee in Canberra. 'He's in good spirits, so you wouldn't know with Blair, he's always in good spirits anyway,' Farrell said. 'He got a bang on the knee, so he carried on for quite a bit, but there was no need to keep him going.' Latest posts 10.55pm Signing off … bring on the Anzacs That's all from me, thanks for your company. Looks like it was a good night to be distracted from the other game going on. Keep an eye out for Dr Dre's updated match report later on, and some follow-up news and analysis tomorrow morning. Next up is the AUNZ game in Adelaide and I will be heading down there tomorrow. Check out this story we published today, via an interview with Ian Foster. The former All Blacks coach reckons the trans-Tasman team could have a genuine future, and play many more games together. I wholeheartedly agree. Have a great night. 10.45pm Tour games are mostly done, who ya got? Okay, it's poll time. Too early? Maybe, but just go with it. There are still two more tour games to come but that Lions-Brumbies clash was the last of the fixtures against the Super Rugby sides. And with Andy Farrell having played what many view as his Test team tonight in Canberra, we are starting to get a proper picture of what the strongest possible Lions outfit will be on July 19. There will be guys who can win themselves a Test jersey in the AUNZ clash, for sure, but many spots are starting to looked semi-locked in - with the exception of fullback given Blair Kinghorn's injury tonight. So we've have had a pretty good look at the Lions. But we've also had a look at the Wallabies, who only just beat Fiji. To suggest that was a grievous sin though, is doing Fiji a huge disservice. They're a proper Test team, with power and skill. So it may prove better and better as a preparation run as the weeks go by. And then, of course, there's Noah Lolesio's absence due to his neck injury, and clouds over Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. So the question is, are you more or less confident about your original pick for the series? Have at it. 10.28pm Farrell: 'Some good dominance there' And here is the post-match summation of Lions coach Andy Farrell: 'Some great stuff at times, you know, if you look at the story of the game, it was probably field position and game understanding, some good dominance there and scoring some nice tries on the back of that. 'But, yeah, on the flip side, I thought we got a little bit loose at times and kept inviting the Brumbies back in the game and they were good enough to take a few scores themselves. 'I would say all areas we can tidy up on. But the Brumbies were well up for that and they were strong, obviously very aggressive at the breakdown, strong kicking game, etc. So, to get the score that we did or the points that we got, obviously, we wouldn't be happy with the points that we conceded but at the same time, you know, we got held up three times over the line.' 10.25pm Larkham: 'Our effort was outstanding' Here's the post-match verdict from Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham: 'Overall I thought the effort was outstanding. The guys that came off the bench did an amazing job. Everyone contributed. 'There were a couple of lapses .… where we were just a little bit inconsistent coming out of our end, but for the majority of the game we were under the pump. I don't know what the stats are, but it felt like we were in our half of the whole game, pretty much. And we were pretty dogged defensively. A couple of held up tries there and I think we were sort of still in it, you know, close enough at the end of the game there. If we score a try with five minutes to go, we give ourselves a chance of winning it. But yeah, I guess like every other Australian team, we've come up short this time around. And they were pretty good. That's probably their test team.' 9.56pm FULLTIME: LIONS 36 BRUMBIES 24 By Iain Payten That's all she wrote. The Brumbies denied the Lions a try on the hooter, via another Muirhead held-up, but the Lions still got the job done 36-24. It's no repeat of the Brumbies beating the Lions in 2013, but it's still a heck of an effort when you look at the facts of the matter. It was five tries to four, and the Lions - drawn from four nations - fielded their Test-strength team. The Brumbies, meanwhile, had eight Wallabies missing. They let themselves down a bit with discipline and handling, and giving the Lions easy access to their redzone. But it was a strong effort nonetheless. 9.41pm Lions cross for a fifth try and pull away The difference between the Lions' bench, and those of the state teams, has been stark in most of the tour games and so it has proved again tonight. The Lions used their power in contact to get down into the Brumbies' territory, and two penalties saw the visitors kick to the corner and roll in a try to reserve flanker Josh van der Flier. The Brumbies have just found it hard all night to get in the Lions half and build pressure. The Lions have done it easy. LIONS 35 BRUMBIES 17 9.33pm Drennan's view on the hour By Jonathan Drennan 'The Brumbies are living off scraps but they are frustrating the Lions here. Josh van der Flier thought that he had scored a try, and Finn Russell's decision to kick a penalty was roundly booed by the crowd, it said something about the visitor's nerves that this Brumbies time just will not die. 'The Waratahs provided some of the blueprint, create a fight at the breakdown and do not relent. It will be a Lions win here, but there is optimism for Australian rugby fans. This Lions team is excellent, but they have their flaws and can be rattled.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Australia-born Lion Hansen faces 'pinch-me' moment against old team
Australia-born British and Irish Lions wing Mack Hansen will line up against his old club ACT Brumbies (DAVID GRAY) Australia-born Mack Hansen says lining up for the British and Irish Lions on the wing against his old club ACT Brumbies on Wednesday will be a "pinch-me" moment. The 27-year-old, whose mother is Irish, grew up in Canberra and spent three seasons with the Super Rugby club before a move to Connacht in 2021. Advertisement A Test call-up followed from Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, now in charge of the Lions, and Hansen has not looked back. He has started two of the Lions three games in Australia so far and is set to come off the bench against the Brumbies, Australia's strongest provincial side although they are without a slew of top players on Wallabies duty. "It's incredible," said Hansen of being back in Canberra. "It is a bit of a pinch-me moment -- not in my wildest dreams could I imagine I would be back here playing for the Lions, so it is very special. "I've got about 30 friends or family coming, I've had people coming out the woodwork asking for tickets for a while now." Advertisement Hansen will come face-to-face with "two of my best mates" in Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan, who are both in the Brumbies starting XV. "I haven't played against them in a while so it will be a nice switch-up," said Hansen. "It will be an interesting experience, I don't know how I will feel until I'm out on the field." Scrum-half Ryan Lonergan is Brumbies captain for the day and said it would be "super special" to face-off against his boyhood friend. "We've been great mates since we're about 12 really," he told reporters, adding that he was proud of what Hansen had achieved. Advertisement "We had a pretty set back three here at the time and he just took a stab and went overseas and we're all happy for him." The Lions won their two opening tour games with ease, crushing Western Force 54-7 and the Queensland Reds 52-12, but they met resistance from the NSW Waratahs in a grinding 21-10 victory. Farrell has named a strong side led by Maro Itoje to face the Brumbies, with Tommy Freeman and James Lowe starting on the wings. mp/dh
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Return of the Mack brings extra edge to Lions trip to Canberra
SYDNEY, July 8 (Reuters) - Mack Hansen rolled into Canberra with the British & Irish Lions on Monday but it was far from a trip into the unknown for the Ireland winger, who will play for the tourists off the bench against the ACT Brumbies on Wednesday. The 27-year-old was born, raised and schooled in the Australian capital and played four seasons at the Brumbies before upping sticks and trying his luck in Ireland, the birthplace of his mother. Hansen's rise over the last four years has been little short of meteoric with 12 tries in 28 tests for Ireland, a trip to the World Cup in 2023, and now his selection to the Lions squad taking him back to his hometown. "It's incredible," Hansen told reporters in Canberra on Monday. "It's a bit of a pinch-me moment, not in my wild dreams could I imagine I'd be back here playing for the Lions. So it's very special." Hansen said about 30 friends and family members would be in the crowd at Canberra Stadium on Wednesday, just as he was as a teenager when the Brumbies beat the Lions 14-12 on the 2013 tour. There will be two old friends on the pitch as well in the shape of the Lonergan brothers, Brumbies scrumhalf Ryan and hooker Lachlan. "I grew up playing against them my whole life, so it'll be nice," Hansen said. "They're two of my best mates, especially, and I haven't played against them in a while. So that'll be a nice little switch up." Ryan Lonergan, who will captain the Brumbies on Wednesday, was also be looking forward to catching up with a friend he has not seen since his departure for Ireland. "He was just chasing opportunity, really. We had pretty set sort of back three here at the time," he told reporters on Tuesday. "He just sort of took a stab and went overseas and we're all happy for him. As a good friend you sort of want to see him go and make the most of his opportunity and he's done that. "Still been a character like I know he is. So, super happy for him and excited to see him." Hansen has already played against the Wallabies for Ireland and no longer feels he has anything to prove on the rugby side to the country that let him get away. He is unsure, however, how he will feel running out against the Brumbies. "It's going to be interesting," he said. "I think ... it won't be till afterwards, I'll be able to sort of take it all in."
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Brumbies brothers eye another famous Lions upset
MELBOURNE, July 8 (Reuters) - The Lonergan brothers will look to help the ACT Brumbies pull off another improbable win over the British & Irish Lions on Wednesday, 12 years after cheering from the terraces as the Super Rugby team stunned the touring side in Canberra. Scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, 27, captains the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium while his 25-year-old brother Lachlan, capped eight times for Australia, starts at hooker against Andy Farrell's men. The Brumbies became the first provincial team to beat the Lions in 16 years when World Cup-winning coach Jake White orchestrated a 14-12 win over Warren Gatland's side in 2013. "I still remember it. I think I was sitting over there somewhere when I was a little fella," Ryan Lonergan told reporters on Tuesday, gesturing at the southern end of Canberra Stadium. "Pretty sure (Lachlan) was probably eating a pie or something. "When we got up over the Lions, (it was) such a memorable moment even as a fan. "So to be able to do it tomorrow as a player (would be) super special and the boys are really excited." The Brumbies draw pride from their record against the Lions. In 2001, they came close to beating Graham Henry's side with only a late Matt Dawson conversion lifting the Lions to a 30-28 win. Stephen Larkham was assistant coach to White during the 2013 upset and as the Brumbies' current head coach will guide a similarly understrength team on Wednesday. Most of their best players are at the Wallabies camp with Joe Schmidt, preparing for the July 19 series-opener against the Lions in Brisbane. One Wallaby will be starting for the Brumbies, though, just three days after coming off the bench in the 21-18 win over Fiji in Newcastle. The abrasive Tom Hooper will be starting blindside flanker, while his 21-year-old brother Lachlan, also a loose forward, has a chance to make his Brumbies debut off the bench. "Hoops, he's a machine," Lonergan said of the 24-year-old Wallaby. "So I'm sure he probably would have played 80 (minutes) and he would have been keen to come back and play. "Special night for him as well to be able to play alongside his brother." Long Australia's best-performing team in Super Rugby, the Brumbies will be tasked with softening up a Lions selection that may be the closest to Farrell's side for the first test. On paper, the Brumbies are massively outgunned but their players have taken note of how the lightly-regarded New South Wales Waratahs proved disruptive in a 21-10 defeat by the Lions in Sydney on Saturday. "Nobody gave them a shot and they made it a really uncomfortable night for the lads," said Lonergan. "They went really hard at the breakdown .... sort of made a mess of it there and if you can do that and disrupt their game a bit, I think it goes a long way to putting yourself in the fight."
