Australia Seeks Revenge Against the Lions: Schmidt Defines His Strategy
Joe Schmidt’s selection for the second test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions could mark a milestone in his time as Wallabies coach. On the other hand, Andy Farrell, the opposing coach, is not expected to make too many changes to his team.
Australia needs to respond to the physical superiority that the tourists demonstrated in the first hour of the first test in Brisbane, or it risks becoming the first Wallabies team not to take a Lions series to a deciding match.
Rob Valetini, Australia’s best player in the last two years, has recovered from a calf injury and will take his place in the back row, replacing rookie Nick Champion de Crespigny.
The second row Will Skelton has also recovered from an injury and, although his inclusion would undoubtedly strengthen the team, his limitations in the lineout could require an adjustment in the third row to add another jumper.
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Schmidt has received numerous suggestions from media experts this week, and the majority agree that prop Angus Bell should be promoted to start at loosehead prop instead of 36-year-old James Slipper.
Dave Porecki should be available after suffering a concussion against Fiji two weeks ago, and his throwing in the lineout would help reinforce an area of the game where the Wallabies struggled in the first test.
Behind the scrum, Tom Lynagh showed enough in his first test start to warrant another opportunity, although many would like him to do so in tandem with his Queensland Reds teammate, Tate McDermott, who had a good game off the bench in Brisbane.Joe Schmidt will have more players available for the second test.
There have also been calls to move Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from center to the three-quarter line after he struggled to make an impact in Brisbane until it was too late.
That would also allow Len Ikitau to move to his favorite outside center position with Hunter Paisami, another Queensland Reds player, entering the midfield alongside Lynagh.
The Lions coach, Farrell’s, job is a little easier after the initial dominance shown by the tourists in Brisbane, although he is likely to be forced to make a change in his second row.
The second-row Irish player Joe McCarthy limped off with a foot injury early in the second half at Suncorp Stadium and hasn’t trained this week, leaving the door open for Ollie Chessum to move up from the bench.
Marcus Smith was sent for a concussion assessment in the Lions’ victory over the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, but Farrell has confirmed that he passed it and is available for selection on Saturday.
Irish center Garry Ringrose returned from a concussion against FNP and is also in contention, although the center pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones held their own more than well in the first test.
The main speculation will revolve around Owen Farrell, who made his first start of the tour on Tuesday and can play as fly-half or inside centre.
