The Rugby Column

The @Wallabies last night proved to the world they are not “tepid” or “toothless”. They don’t have a “losing mentality”. They are a young, talented team on the up and a force to be reckoned with. Bring on Game 3 🇦🇺💪 #LionsTour #Wallabies #9WWOS

To think just under 2 years ago the @Wallabies were knocked out of the World Cup in the pool stages, and last night they were a play away from defeating the British and Irish Lions is something to behold. Joe Schmidt and his team have turned the #Wallabies around BIG TIME 👏🔥

Would like the First Nations Pacifika team to become a regular team, similar to the Māori All Blacks team.

My ins and outs for the 2nd Test: 🔁 Tate to start, Gordon off bench 🔁 Bell to start, Slipper off bench 🟢 Dylan Pietsch to start at 14 🟢 Rob Valetini returns to start 🟡 Langi Gleeson off bench 🟡 Will Skelton off bench #Wallabies #9WWOS #StanSportAU

#CliveWoodward #FNPvLIO

Epic. Just a fantastic event. Bravo RA for pulling it together. Awesome work to the players and coaches for that effort. Sensational. Oh and Lukhan MUST be in the wallaby team. His case is undeniable.

And they kick it out at full time as well 💀

Why did Van Der Merwe ground that ball? Surely that’s a ‘loser’s mentality’ 😆 14-14 at Half Time, FNP Team GIVING it to the Lions 🔥🙌 #FNPvLIONS #Lions2025

Plenty of positives to take out of 1st Lions Test ✅ Lynagh did well, should back him ✅ Frost and Wilson were huge again ✅ Bench impact was immense ❓1st half we lacked physical presence, but returns of Skelton/Valetini will help ❓ Need to be better at capitalising on chances

What alternate Universe have I woken up in where the Saturday Telegraph has an 8 page wrap around cover ‘Wallabies v Lions Tour Souvenir Edition’

The Wallabies Lions 🦁 first test tonight dominates the front & back pages of Brisbane’s Courier Mail & Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. A Wallabies 🦘win would create even further exposure & interest.

This is pretty sick 🔥 @wwos @StanSportRugby 👏👏👏

Maybe it hasn’t been on air where I live but… Has anyone seen an advert on Channel 9 for @Wallabies v Lions? Like advertising the game is on 9 📺 Just a bit frustrated but want to check it’s not just me. Maybe it is 🤷‍♂️ Anyway… UP THE WALLABIES 🇦🇺💪 #LionsTour

1st Test of the 2025 Lions Series is officially SOLD OUT 🏉🔥 Second time in a row the Wallabies have sold out Suncorp after they did so against South Africa last year 🙌 #Wallabies #StanSportAU

🚨MAJOR @WALLABIES TEAM NEWS - Rob Valetini OUT; Nick Champion De Crespigny to debut 😯 - Tom Lynagh to make his start debut 🔟 - Skelton misses selection; Tizzano on the bench 💣 - Faessler in at hooker with AAA and Slipper in front row 🏉 #Wallabies #StanSportAU #9WWOS

With just 3 caps to his name, Tom Lynagh will become the least experienced flyhalf to play against the Lions in the opening test of a series in 42 years 🤯 Ian Dunn of New Zealand was the last one to have fewer (Debut, 1983) 🇳🇿 #LionsTour #9WWOS #StanSportAU @Wallabies

Tom and Michael Lynagh set to become the FIRST father-son duo to play the British and Irish Lions in a test match 🤯 Historic. Brave from Schmidt. Will it work out? 🇦🇺 #Lions2025 #9WWOS @Wallabies #StanSportAU

Wallabies move up to 6th in the world after the weekend fixtures, as Argentina and Scotland lose in their respective games 🇦🇺🔥 The @Wallabies need to at least maintain this top 6 position in order to avoid being grouped with the top 5 for RWC 2027 😬 #Rugby #9WWOS #StanSportAU