Slipper seeks revenge against the Wallabies: Illusion against the Lions

Wallabies prop James Slipper has waited “a long, long time” to have the chance to erase the great disappointment he felt in his last match against the British and Irish Lions. Slipper and player James O’Connor, who is returning to the team, will join retired flanker George Smith as the only Australians in the modern era who have played in two series. Morne Steyn of South Africa is the only other player to have achieved this feat.

James Slipper has been a key player for the Wallabies for almost 15 yearsThe trio was part of the 2013 campaign, with the tourists winning the first match 23-21 in Brisbane before the Wallabies tied with a 16-15 victory in Melbourne. Slipper came off the bench in the third and decisive match in Sydney, but could not prevent the onslaught, with the Lions scoring four tries in a 41-16 victory. That result remains the most points scored by a Lions team in a test match. The memory of that match still haunts 36-year-old Slipper, who holds the record for most matches played by an Australian, with 144 appearances.

We put ourselves in a position to win in both Brisbane and Melbourne, but we were massively disappointed in Sydney in that decisive match.

James Slipper

Slipper said he didn’t realize at the time the magnitude of the occasion, and the privilege of playing, given that some of Australia’s best players like Tim Horan, Stirling Mortlock, Phil Kearns and David Pocock never faced the Lions.

Looking back, you realize how big the occasion is. Individually, I probably went into that series a little naive about how big it is, so it’s a special moment to have another opportunity, as not many people do, George (Smith) was there last time, it’s a great moment for rugby in general.

James Slipper

Coach Joe Schmidt said that Slipper is still improving 15 years after his debut in a test match.

His longevity is something that is quite incredible in the game, and part of what makes Slips a bit special is that he is always challenging himself to improve. He doesn’t think he has reached the best version of himself yet, despite his many, many test matches, almost 150 now. So he will continue to work very hard, and that is the expectation he has of himself and the good thing with Slipper is that he has the same expectation of his teammates.

Joe Schmidt

Slipper was pleased to see O’Connor back in the Wallabies team for the first time since 2022, with the 35-year-old called up after a serious neck injury to starting fly-half Noah Lolesio. O’Connor started at the opening position in all three matches of 2013. Slipper joked that now he would have someone his age to hang out with.

It’s incredible to see him, he had a great year with the Crusaders, and I’m very happy that there’s someone else here who has done it before. I’m always an advocate for including older players, so I have some friends to hang out with, it’s good to have him back.

James Slipper

The options in the first line were further reinforced with the inclusion of the giant Taniela Tupou, who thought he would not be selected after a penalty-filled performance with the Waratahs against the Lions. “The big guy will be fine,” Slipper said about Tupou. “Nela has had her challenges and has expressed them throughout the year, but I think everyone here and everyone on the team knows how important she is to our team. And, you know, in shape and in form, Nela will only be good for us.”