The British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia needed a turning point, something to generate excitement in a unique and special sporting event that, so far in 2025, had lacked that extra spark. The fact that this moment arrived in a half-filled Marvel Stadium, on a Tuesday night, with a team assembled with little more than a week’s notice, was surprising. So, the First Nations-Pasifika XV team, led by Wallabies veteran Kurtley Beale, and coached by a legend and Lions series winner, Toutai Kefu, injected the energy that this tour desperately needed and sent a clear message to the Wallabies team looking to tie the Test series on Saturday night. The aggressive defensive alignment that the FNP team deployed against the Lions was not without risks. With a score of 14-0 in the first 15 minutes, Kefu’s team seemed to be the last Australian team to be surpassed by the Lions. However, the interception by end Triston Reilly completely changed the course of the match and, 22 minutes later, the teams went into halftime tied at 14. With a little more possession in the second half and some composure in the final minutes, the FNP team could have achieved something truly remarkable. Instead, they were able to hold their heads high after falling by 24-19.
The performance of second-row Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, in particular, caught the eye, while Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt also praised Darcy Swain, the player he left out of his test team to make way for Josh Canham. Schmidt also arrived at his press conference on Thursday with a statistic that may have gone unnoticed by most, or at least one that, according to him, moderated the way the FNP team had shaken the Lions in the second quarter.Many of us were there watching and observing the way Pasifika attacked them, the speed of the line, the big hits in defense. It was a great model on how to really try to dominate them physically.
Harry Wilson
Line speed, secure alignment, and pressure at breakdowns are non-negotiable for the Wallabies at the MCG on Saturday night. But as Wilson said, the FNP’s plan has given Australia reason to believe, helped by the return of Rob Valetini, two-time John Eales Medal winner, and 2023 World Cup captain Will Skelton. There’s no way they can be held to a 79-meter run in the first part, as was the case in Brisbane, again. The Wallabies are immediately a bigger and more combative team, on both sides of the ball. Embracing the strength and intensity of the FNP, but being smart in the process, is the key for Australia on Saturday night. Combining both elements, we could be headed for a final in Sydney next week.I thought the First Nations-Pasifika team did a fantastic job, but after 31 minutes, they conceded 13 line breaks,” Schmidt said on Thursday. “If we do that in a test match, we could be much further behind than the FNP team was on Tuesday night.
Joe Schmidt
