If the Wallabies are searching for a blueprint to tackle the British and Irish Lions within the second Check in Melbourne on Saturday night time, they may do worse than embracing the spirit of their First Nations-Pasifika [FNP] colleagues who produced the standout efficiency from an Australian staff on the tour so far.
“You want to take it to them, head on,” FNP captain Kurtley Beale advised reporters following his aspect’s 24-19 defeat by the guests. “I believe there have been patches there once we had the momentum and the Lions had been taking a backfoot step and it created alternatives for us.
“The boys, they love the physicality, and in rugby, you want physicality for the backs to play off.”
Physicality was one thing the Wallabies lacked severely throughout the first Check in Brisbane, which allowed the Lions to skip out to a 17-5 lead, a place from which they had been by no means headed.
However led by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Charlie Gamble and even the wayward Taniela Tupou, the FNP staff recovered from an early 14-0 deficit to push the Lions proper to the ultimate buzzer at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night time.
Salakaia-Loto, particularly, was very good. The Queensland lock had a contact of the purple mist earlier than kick-off when he advised Stan Sport’s Michael Hooper, “I am seeking to do it for a fourth time”, an indication that he wished to ship yet one more message to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt after he was neglected of the broader Check squad to face the Lions.
Eighty minutes later, Salakaia-Loto had finished simply that. The Queenslander now with two mightily spectacular performances in opposition to the Lions, three in whole, after he was the standout performer within the disappointing AUNZ Invitational lineup from 10 days in the past.
Salakaia-Loto’s 10 runs for 18 metres had been solely bettered by Lions back-rower Josh van der Flier, whereas his 11 tackles had been second just for the FNP aspect by the tireless Gamble.
At one stage, Salakaia-Loto may very well be seen mouthing “who’s subsequent” as he tried to whack no matter unlucky Lions ball-carrier got here his manner.
“Lukhan’s been excellent all all through the entire week, round that mindset, he drove that for us the entire week,” FNP coach Toutai Kefu mentioned post-match. “And his efficiency was, I believed, excellent once more.”
Requested whether or not he although Schmidt ought to recall Salakaia-Loto, Kefu added: “Lukhan’s thrown his hand up, I believed the final two video games he is performed have been fairly good, undoubtedly I might take a look at investing in him and bringing him into the squad.”
Tupou, in the meantime, loved his greatest night time for a while, as he mixed set-piece dominance with a number of sturdy carries, significantly within the build-up to Seru Uru’s first-half strive.
He did nevertheless nonetheless concede two penalties, although one among which was all the way down to overeagerness in defence, which is not precisely the worst factor, that perspective to stand up and nail a ball-carrier earlier than the road has been sorely lacking from the front-rower’s sport this season.
“Taniela is a work-in-progress. I believed his set-piece was world class, when he is on tune there’s most likely not many higher,” Kefu mentioned. “If we are able to simply get him aligned and he is had a stop-start go along with accidents and that, and he is performed two video games now in opposition to the Lions, one for the Waratahs and one for us, I believe if he can keep on observe there is a pathway again to that Wallaby No. 3 I believe.
“If I used to be Joe Schmidt, yeah, I might [bring him in]. I believe there is a function for him. I am unsure; possibly off the bench or possibly to start out the sport after which come off.”
Gamble, in the meantime, was a worthy man-of-the-match, an award he may have simply gained following the Lions-Waratahs sport earlier within the month, an honour that went to the guests’ scrum-half Alex Mitchell.
However there was no doubting Gamble’s influence on Tuesday night time’s sport as he once more disrupted the Lions’ breakdown and made an ideal 18 of 18 tackles.
“Excellent, I believed he was improbable. He drove that defensive type of space for us all week, I believe he led the best way there,” Kefu mentioned of Gamble.
Whereas Gamble’s path to the Wallabies is blocked by Fraser McReight and Carlo Tizzano, his performances in opposition to the Lions have absolutely rocketed him into rivalry ought to both of these gamers be minimize down by damage all through the Check season.
“It is a exhausting one, the 2 gamers above him are fairly good,” Kefu added on Gamble. “I am an enormous fan of Tizzano, he got here off the bench and did effectively within the first Check, and McReight might be extra of a footballer than each of them. So it relies on what you are searching for I s’pose, but when Charlie performed he would not allow you to down.”
The place the AUNZ Invitational staff regarded all at sea of their 48-0 drubbing in Adelaide, the FNP staff saved issues easy, centered on the “connection piece” after which constructed their sport plan on physicality.
How they took the combat as much as the Lions, and likewise swarmed in when there was an early scrap between Gamble and Scotland winger Darcy Graham, have to be embraced by the Wallabies if they’re to show the tables in Melbourne, whereas Beale urged Rugby Australia directors to think about extra fixtures for the FNP staff sooner or later.
“This can be a improbable idea that should proceed, it must proceed, whether or not that is a warm-up sport for the Wallabies in years to return or build up [to a series], a sport in opposition to the Maori All Blacks, no matter it’s,” Beale mentioned.
“I believe greater image and it is undoubtedly wanted in our sport.”
