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It’s funny what sticks in the mind from the third Test between the Wallabies and the Lions in Sydney in 2013. There was Wallabies coach Robbie Deans’ haunted and shocked face in the post-match press conference, and a wobbly fan copping a spray from much-missed journo Wayne Smith for blocking the view from the press box (how this tour will be poorer due to absent friends). The third memory was listening to the messages being passed from official Craig Joubert on the sideline to referee Romain Poite about the disruption/damage Lions prop Alex Corbisiero was doing to the tighthead side of the Wallabies scrum.
Those messages, captured on the old SportsEars system, had a huge impact on the Test and arguably Australian rugby as a whole, but it does not appear that the Lions have another Corbisiero among their ranks. England are not a particularly big scrummaging side and Irish great Tadhg Furlong is again missing this weekend from the side to face England as injuries continue to mount. The Lions will no doubt target Australia up front when the series begins, but it is unclear if they have anyone of Corbisiero’s quality.
Ireland and prospective Lions five-eighth Sam Prendergast.Credit: Getty Images
The young Irish five-eighth will start against England in Dublin and appears to have usurped Jack Crowley in the Irish pecking order. Farrell, who picked him in November, might now be outside the Irish camp on Lions duty, but he is clearly a Prendergast fan.
Finn Russell of Scotland will be favoured to lock down a Lions’ play-making berth, as will England’s Marcus Smith, but the odds of Prendergast joining the tour appear to be shortening. He looks to have a great head on young shoulders and provides a contrast to the more mercurial talents offered by Russell and Smith. If Ireland have a good Six Nations with Prendergast at the helm, he’ll probably be bound for Australia.
The hopes of Australia’s own Sione Tuipulotu captaining the Lions tour likely nosedived when he picked up a pec injury that might even jeopardise his much-anticipated reunion with new mate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. The pair’s exchange during the Wallabies’ loss to Scotland in Edinburgh demands a sequel, but pec injuries are notoriously slow to heal.
That leaves Caelan Doris (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales) and Maro Itoje (England) as the frontrunners for the captaincy honour, and all three will be keen to put down a marker during the Six Nations. At this stage, Doris looks the most likely to command his own Lions jersey, being the outstanding No.8 among the Home Nations.
Note: Paul Cully will be picking a Lions Team of the Week after each round of the Six Nations tournament, which will appear on Mondays on smh.com.au.
Watch all the action from the 2025 Six Nations tournament, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.
It’s funny what sticks in the mind from the third Test between the Wallabies and the Lions in Sydney in 2013. There was Wallabies coach Robbie Deans’ haunted and shocked face in the post-match press conference, and a wobbly fan copping a spray from much-missed journo Wayne Smith for blocking the view from the press box (how this tour will be poorer due to absent friends). The third memory was listening to the messages being passed from official Craig Joubert on the sideline to referee Romain Poite about the disruption/damage Lions prop Alex Corbisiero was doing to the tighthead side of the Wallabies scrum.
Those messages, captured on the old SportsEars system, had a huge impact on the Test and arguably Australian rugby as a whole, but it does not appear that the Lions have another Corbisiero among their ranks. England are not a particularly big scrummaging side and Irish great Tadhg Furlong is again missing this weekend from the side to face England as injuries continue to mount. The Lions will no doubt target Australia up front when the series begins, but it is unclear if they have anyone of Corbisiero’s quality.
Ireland and prospective Lions five-eighth Sam Prendergast.Credit: Getty Images
The young Irish five-eighth will start against England in Dublin and appears to have usurped Jack Crowley in the Irish pecking order. Farrell, who picked him in November, might now be outside the Irish camp on Lions duty, but he is clearly a Prendergast fan.
Finn Russell of Scotland will be favoured to lock down a Lions’ play-making berth, as will England’s Marcus Smith, but the odds of Prendergast joining the tour appear to be shortening. He looks to have a great head on young shoulders and provides a contrast to the more mercurial talents offered by Russell and Smith. If Ireland have a good Six Nations with Prendergast at the helm, he’ll probably be bound for Australia.
The hopes of Australia’s own Sione Tuipulotu captaining the Lions tour likely nosedived when he picked up a pec injury that might even jeopardise his much-anticipated reunion with new mate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. The pair’s exchange during the Wallabies’ loss to Scotland in Edinburgh demands a sequel, but pec injuries are notoriously slow to heal.
That leaves Caelan Doris (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales) and Maro Itoje (England) as the frontrunners for the captaincy honour, and all three will be keen to put down a marker during the Six Nations. At this stage, Doris looks the most likely to command his own Lions jersey, being the outstanding No.8 among the Home Nations.
Note: Paul Cully will be picking a Lions Team of the Week after each round of the Six Nations tournament, which will appear on Mondays on smh.com.au.
Watch all the action from the 2025 Six Nations tournament, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.
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