'I know Australia': Andy Farrell insists Lions wary of Wallabies 'psyche'
British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell is confident the Wallabies will overcome their woes and “get it right” in time for the 2025 tour which he believes will be “huge” for Australian sport.
Englishman Farrell, who’s overseen Ireland’s path to the top of world rugby, was on Thursday unveiled as the man to take the reins of one of the British Isles’ most esteemed sporting roles for the three-Test series on Wallabies’ turf.
And though Australian rugby has been in complete turmoil amid the farce over coach Eddie Jones’s short, woeful reign and an unprecedentedly early World Cup exit, Farrell is sure they’ll rebound big-time for the series.
“I know Australia more than most – the Australian psyche, personnel, what it’s like to tour there,” said Farrell as he reflected on a career as a dual rugby league and union star player and coach, which has seen him tackling Aussie opposition since 1994 when he helped Wigan beat the Broncos in Brisbane in the World Club Challenge.
“I’ve grown up in Australia quite a bit as far as my career is concerned, and I know what this tour will mean to Australians.
“When a tour comes round in Australia only once every 12 years in and you’re lucky enough as a Wallabies player to be part of that, it’s got to be extra special.
“So this is going to be a huge moment for Australia. I know the journey over the last wee while as far as Australian rugby is concerned needs a little bit of repair … but I know that they’re gonna get it right because it means so much.
“2025 is going to be a massive year for Australian sport with the Lions coming over.”
Farrell, who’ll continue to coach Ireland, was asked about Australia’s rugby struggles and how they are currently still without a coach after Jones’s resignation.
But he felt they would “get it right” because of the quality of the names of possible Wallabies’ coaches being touted and because he knew first-hand “the type of personnel and quality of player and athlete that they’ve got.”
He hasn’t forgotten Ireland’s hard-fought 13-10 win over Australia in November 2022 in Dublin.
“It was one of the toughest games that we’ve we faced in our last few years, certainly at home,” he said.
Former Welsh wing wizard Ieuan Evans, part of the panel which selected Farrell, said the rugby league legend’s appointment had put the Lions in a great position to win back-to-back series in Australia.
In 2013, Farrell, now 48, was assistant to Lions’ coach Warren Gatland as they carved out a 2-1 win, but now he’s taking the reins from the New Zealander who’s been at the helm for the last three tours.
Eleven years ago, Farrell gave his celebrated, tub-thumping speech before the Sydney decider, urging his players to hit new heights “because there is no tomorrow”. The Lions responded to his call with a 41-16 win.
“I’ve probably grown up a little bit since then – I’m probably not as dramatic!” Farrell smiled on Thursday.
“2013 lit something inside me that made me think, ‘I need to get back involved with this’. So to be chosen as head coach is magical,” he said.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
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