Rugby: Lions humiliate Australia with former players; Pollock shines. Analysis and keys.

The British & Irish Lions started their tour of Australia strongly, surpassing the Western Force with a score of 54-7. Meanwhile, the Wallabies continue their preparation for the one-off test match against Fiji.

Teams Analysis

The atmosphere is charged with anticipation for the expected series of tests. Much has been said about the naturalized players of the British & Irish Lions, including players born in Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. On Saturday night, the announcer at Optus Stadium delighted in referring to the two Lions born and bred in Australia who faced the Force as “our ex-Australian at number 14, Mack Hansen… another Australian at number 12, Sione Tuipulotu”. Although the teasing may be losing steam, it is also a display of camaraderie. However, individuals like the aforementioned announcer also need to remember to look at their own backyard. The most sensitive point for Australian rugby is how they let Tuipulotu and Hansen leave in the first place. The fact that both have represented Scotland and Ireland respectively, and now the Lions, is a complete disgrace for Australian rugby and its talent pathways. Furthermore, Tuipulotu was not in a powerful team like the Brumbies or Reds, nor even the underperforming Waratahs, but was developed in Melbourne, in a position where Australia does not exactly abound in talent: the center of the field. Hansen’s loss is a bit more understandable, given that the Brumbies had good resources in the back line; but he was also offered to other franchises and never received an offer that made him reject the proposals from the Irish province Connacht. Rugby Australia at least has Peter Horne as head of performance these days, so similar talent losses in the future should be less frequent. The saying that “you can’t keep them all” also holds weight, but the fact that Tuipulotu and Hansen are touring in red at the moment, and that both will surely participate in the test series against the Wallabies, should make Australian rugby fans feel uncomfortable in their seats, even if they laugh at the announcer’s antics at the same time.

The young Lions tourist, Henry Pollock, is possibly the most prominent name in rugby at the moment. The 20-year-old Englishman burst onto the scene during the northern hemisphere winter, culminating in his Six Nations debut and then several sensational performances for Northampton on their way to the European Champions Cup final. On Saturday night in Perth, Pollock tore apart the Western Force, setting up a try, before finishing with a stat sheet of 13 runs for 74 meters, with two clean breaks, four defenders beaten, and the only pass that put Tomos Williams over the line for the first of his two tries. Pollock was superb against the Force, the irony is that he plays much in the mold of an Australian forward, more than the English flanker of the old school anyway. It remains to be seen if he keeps a starting spot for the test series, but he is a clear asset for the Lions coach, Andy Farrell, given his energy and skill set, and the fact that he can play across the back line.

Taniela Tupou will play for the Waratahs against the Lions this weekend in Sydney, after being released from the Australia camp in Newcastle. It’s a decision that will be well received by Waratahs coach Dan McKellar, and also by the 40,000 spectators who should prepare for a beating at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night; the Force team that held the Lions for 40 minutes on the weekend was infinitely stronger than the one NSW will present this week, particularly up front. The pillar Tom Robertson was the center of the Force’s resistance, after he tested the famous Lions pillar, Tadgh Furlong; the way the hosts didn’t receive a penalty in the first half for their dominance in the set piece is a question only Ben O’Keeffe can answer. What makes Robertson’s performance more impressive is that he had spent the entire Super Rugby season in the tighthead position, instead of in the number 1 jersey he wore on Saturday night. That is the same versatility that the veteran Wallabies pillar, James Slipper, has, giving Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt another option in the front row that he probably didn’t think he had.

Is there a world where Robertson and Slipper occupy the prop positions on the bench against the Lions behind the regular starters Angus Bell and Allan Alaalatoa? Absolutely. But Schmidt also needs Tupou to find some form, and quickly, a good 50-minute match on Saturday night against the Lions, instead of a cameo in the second half against the Fijians, is the perfect place to do it.

Along with Robertson, winger Dylan Pietsch was the other clear standout for the Force against the Lions in Perth. The former sevens player played little in Super Rugby this season after tearing his quadriceps, but he looked in excellent form, smashing tackles at will and really being a problem for the tourists every time he touched the ball. The other area where Pietsch created headaches for Farrell and his Lions coaching team was at the restart, the winger flying to disrupt the tourists on more than one occasion. That is an area of strength for Australia’s star signing, former Roosters center Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who demonstrated his aerial prowess in his impressive debut in test rugby, and professional, at Twickenham last November. Pietsch’s eye-catching performance will not have gone unnoticed by Schmidt, having a jumper on each side of the field at restarts would be a real advantage for the Wallabies.

Upcoming Challenges

The Lions’ next match, against the Reds in Brisbane on Wednesday night, will be their toughest test before facing the Wallabies again at Suncorp Stadium two and a half weeks later. Queenslanders on Monday named a team that includes nine Wallabies players with international matches, plus two forwards with international matches with the All Blacks, as well as rising young talents Joe Brial and Kalani Thomas. Farrell will also name his Lions team on Monday, his challenge is much more difficult given that he must also consider Saturday’s match against the Waratahs a few days later. Fly-half Finn Russell is the only player to keep his starting position from last weekend against the Force. Farrell knows his team will have to dig much deeper into the contest to wear down the Reds than he did against the Force. Meanwhile, Queensland coach Les Kiss will be desperate to underline his rise to the Wallabies position by showing his coaching acumen.