The conversation that primed 'immense' Lions back-row display

It seems a quiet word from British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell behind the scenes with his back-row went a long way to extracting what he later described as an ‘immense’ performance from the unit in the first Test win over the Wallabies.

Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan were central to the Lions’ 27–19 win over Australia in Brisbane, a performance built on intensity, accuracy and a hint of ‘chip on the shoulder’ defiance.

Beirne, in particular, had gone into the game under pressure. The 33-year-old admitted afterwards that he had felt the external noise, with critics calling for his omission after what he described as sub-par recent form.

“I felt the pressure. I’m not going to lie… A lot of people calling for your head out there,” he said. “Faz has put a lot of trust in me, and it was an honour to be selected.”

Farrell’s approach to the challenge was typically understated. A quiet word with his back-row trio behind closed doors appears to have struck the right tone. “He said a few things to us,” said Beirne. “He put a little bit of pressure on us without putting pressure on us, as Andy does. But it gives you motivation.”

That back-channel motivation translated into visible output.

Curry topped the Lions’ tackle count in the first half and brought the sort of gainline aggression that reminded people why he remains one of the most disruptive defensive operators in the sport.

Beirne, meanwhile, was a presence in all facets – jackaling inside the opening minute, stealing a lineout and organising defensively. “I had to put in a performance today. All of us did,” he said. “Everyone around me put in great performances… We were able to make each other look good.”

Conan quietly rounded out the trio. The Leinster No.8 brought the ballast and breakdown nous expected of him.

The win was particularly sweet for Beirne, who played just “an accumulated 12 minutes” in the opening two Tests of the 2021 series.

“I’m 33 now, I’m not going to be on another Lions tour, let’s be realistic… These are huge games and I want to be involved in all of them.”

The Wallabies are expected to bring back key reinforcements, including the fit-again Rob Valetini and Will Skelton. “They’re going to elevate their performance,” said Beirne. “The challenge becomes even more difficult… They know if they lose, they’ve lost the series.”