The British & Irish Lions cruised past the Wallabies in Brisbane, underlining the gulf between rugby’s elite and Australia’s current rebuild, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane argues that no amount of hype or history at Suncorp Stadium could disguise the mismatch. Australia’s reliance on Super Rugby talent was exposed by a Lions side dominated by Ireland’s best and bolstered by English and Scottish muscle.
READ: Lions draw first blood in Brisbane
“There is not the quality across positions for the Wallabies to challenge sides positioned higher than their eighth place in the world rankings,” Keohane writes, noting that even a spirited late fightback fell flat when Harry Wilson opted to end the match rather than risk chasing a final score.
Joe Schmidt’s side were physically overwhelmed, particularly at the set piece, and Keohane predicts the series will end 3-0 before Australia are “walloped” again by the Springboks in August.
The Lions’ best player? According to Keohane, it was “the one wearing the Lions No 12 jersey in Sione Tuipulotu”, a player born and raised in Australia.
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
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