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'I’m still shaking with adrenaline... Very mixed emotions'
By Neil Fissler
Tom Lynagh admits that he is living the dream after following in the footsteps of his dad, Michael, and winning his first cap against the Lions in the 27-19 defeat to Andy Farrell’s side at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
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It was 36 years ago when Michael, also a Queensland fly-half, bamboozled the Lions with a stunning display in the first test, and Tom, who was born in Italy when his father played for Treviso, said it was a special moment for his family.
He says that he spent 90 minutes on the morning of the game with Michael, who had only flown into Australia from London the previous evening, and that his message has never changed since he was 13.
“I’ve always wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps, so I’m living the dream now. It’s a proud moment for me and my family. But it’s not just about me, it’s about everyone else involved in the fixture too. It’s a special game to be a part of.
“I went over to see him and had a nice moment. He flew in late last night, so I saw him this morning for about an hour and a half in the hotel, but he normally sends me a text message a couple of hours before the game.
“He always says keep it simple and don’t overplay your hand. That message has never changed from when I was 13. I’m still shaking with adrenaline. It was my first time playing at Suncorp when it was packed out.
“It was an incredible experience. I’ve always dreamed of being involved in this fixture, and it has finally happened,” said the Wallabies fly-half.
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Lynagh’s previous four caps have all come off the bench, and he says he was not nervous after being handed his first test match start and that their second-half performance proves they can still win the series.
“Very mixed emotions. I’m really proud to play for my country and represent who I represent, but it is all about getting the result at the end of the day.
“They were very quick in the first half. They had quick ruck speed, but we didn’t take advantage of it. They played in good areas of the field. But the tide turned in the second half.
“We can take a lot of confidence from that second half when we got in the right areas of the field. There were a lot of things we can take from this game and take into next week.
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“It’s a shame about the result, but we have got another two games to go and can still win the series,” added the former Harlequins youngster.