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'Entirely different to what the referees asked for': All Blacks assistant on South African TV director's influence
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Stadium PA takes multiple digs at the British & Irish Lions in Perth
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The British & Irish Lions may have secured a 54–7 win over the Western Force in Perth, but not before being on the receiving end of some tongue-in-cheek digs from the Optus Stadium announcer.
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During pre-match team announcements, the voice over the PA system gleefully claimed several Lions as honorary locals – whether they liked it or not – Nine Wide World of Sports report.
“Our former Aussie at No. 14, Mack Hansen,” the announcer boomed, to raucous laughter from the home crowd. He didn’t stop there.
“Another Aussie at No. 12, Sione Tuipulotu… At 11, the Kiwi now Irishman, James Lowe… and at prop, the former South African schoolboy, now Scotsman, Pierre Schoeman.”
The warm-up trolling came just hours after Lions assistant Richard Wigglesworth had brushed off remarks about the squad’s southern hemisphere flavour – but clearly no such topic was off-limits in Perth.
Reacting after the match Tuipulotu said: “I knew there would be some good humour coming back home to Australia. These are all things that we’ve got to take in our stride. To not announce the elephant in the room, I am from Australia. I was born here. I don’t know how funny that gag is to everyone.
“I’m loving my rugby playing for the Lions and I’m really passionate about it. Andy’s brought that group together so well and to play under a coach like him I can see why Ireland have been so successful in the past.”
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It added a light-hearted start to a match the Lions ultimately dominated. Newly minted skipper Dan Sheehan crossed inside five minutes, with James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Garry Ringrose all joining the party as the Lions racked up eight tries.
Tomos Williams bagged two before limping off injured, while Henry Pollock stayed busy — setting one up, scoring another and provoking a melee.
Mack Hansen, Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly kept the scoreboard ticking, Alex Mitchell finished things off.
