SYDNEY – The British and Ireland Lions are questioning whether Waratha intentionally watered Sydney’s field after fleeing Allianz Stadium with an 11-point victory that was less than fighting on Saturday night.
Tourists were expected to miss the regulars of the NSW side of the Wallaby and boast rookie props in one Super Rugby game on the bench, but instead headed for a third victory on the tour.
The Lions have been extremely difficult to deal with Waratah’s fierce play on injuries led by No. 7 Charlie Gamble.
Lions coach Andy Farrell placed it on “overplaying,” but said the host may have watered the grass at Allianz Stadium to affect the handling on his side.
“The pitch was so wet, so I was asking (Walatha coach) Mike Cat after the game. He was laughing. But that’s a good tactic from them, right,” Farrell said.
Pressing whether Waratah thought he had intentionally changed the condition of the surface, Farrell added:
Farrell appears to have returned the allegations when it was pointed out that Sydney was hit by more than 70mm of rain earlier in the week and was attacked by a “bomb” cyclone.
“No, we know it all. We know it all,” he said. But I was here for two days too. It’s brilliant. It was glory, pitch, pitch was fine. And again, we are not complaining. ”
Speaking about Farrell’s comments, Waratah captain Hugh Sinclair and coach Dan McKellar shrugged the allegations.
“No, no, no, not at all,” McKellar said.
“Did you see the weather on Tuesday, it was a f— ing cyclone,” Sinclair added.
“Andy probably sunbathed in Brisbane on Tuesday, but he wasn’t comfortable in Sydney. That’s certainly true,” McKellar continued.
When asked once more whether Waratha had watered the pitch, McKellar said: “No, I’m overthinking about worrying about the water on the pitch.”
The surface of Sydney is usually blatant this evening this year, but the grass itself is poised to be peeled off and repotted due to drainage issues that have plagued the venue three years ago since its reconstruction in 2022.
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