If Wallabies are looking for a blueprint to take on the British and Irish Lions in their second Test in Melbourne on Saturday night, they can do worse than embracing the spirit of their First Nations (FNP) colleagues who have produced outstanding performances from Australian teams on their tours so far.
FNP captain Kurtley Beale told reporters after a 24-19 defeat on his side by visitors. “I think there was a patch there when we had momentum and when the Lions were taking a step deeper.
“Boys, they love physicality, and in rugby you need physicality for your back to play.”
Physicality was something the Wallabies were so lacking during their first Test in Brisbane that the Lions were able to skip to a 17-5 lead.
However, the FNP team, led by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Charlie Gamble and even the whimsical Taniela Tupou, recovered from an early 14-0 deficit and pushed the lion into the final buzzer of Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night.
Saracaia Lot in particular is amazing. Queensland Rock had a touch of Redmist when he told Stansport’s Michael Hooper “I want to do the fourth thing” before kickoff.
Eighty minutes later, Saracaia Lot did just that. Queenslander now has two strong, impressive performances against the Lions, three in total after being an outstanding performer in the disappointing Aunz Invitational Linup 10 days ago.
Saracaia Lotto’s 10-meter 10-run was only good by Lions backrower Josh van der Freier, but his 11 tackles were second by a tireless gambling on the FNP side.
At one stage, Sarakaia Lotto could be seen uttering “next person” as the unfortunate Lions ball carrier tried to bang what was on his path.
“Lucan has been outstanding all week, and he has driven it for us for a week with that mindset in mind,” FNP coach Tuttai Kef said after the game. “And I thought his performance was once again outstanding.”
When Schmidt was asked if he should remember Sarakaia Lot, Kef added:
Meanwhile, Tupou enjoyed his best night for a while. He combined the set piece advantage with some powerful carry.
However, he still admitted two penalties, one of which had an excessively low defence, which is not the worst. This season, the attitude of standing up and nailing the ball carrier before the line is so lacking in the upstream game.
“Taniera is an ongoing work. I thought his set pieces were world class. “If we could align him and he made a stop start with injuries, then I think he’s got a way back to that Wallaby No. 3 if he’s now playing two games for us with the Lions and one with Warata.
“If I were Joe Schmidt, yeah, I think he has a role.
Meanwhile, Gambling was an award that could have easily been won following the Lions Waratah match at the beginning of the moon, and was awarded to visitor Scrum Half Alex Mitchell.
However, there was no doubt as the effects of gambling on Tuesday night’s game once again disrupted the Lions’ injury, perfecting 18 of the 18 tackles.
“Exceptional, I thought he was great. He drove that defensive territory for us all week. I think he headed out there,” Kef said of gambling.
The gambling path to the Wallabies has been blocked by Fraser McRyit and Carlo Tizzano, but his performance against the Lions certainly rocked him to the competition if cut by injuries throughout the Test season.
“It’s difficult and the two players above him are pretty good,” Kefu added on Gamble. “I’m a huge Tizano fan. He got off the bench and did well in his first Test. McWright is probably a footballer for both. So it depends on what you’re looking for, but if Charlie plays, he won’t let you down.”
When the Aunz Invitational team saw all the ocean in a 48-0 drubbing at Adelaide, the FNP team kept things simple and focused on the “connection pieces” before building a game plan on physicality.
The way they took the fight to the Lions and flocked to when there was an early scrap between Gambling and Scottish winger Darcy Graham, must be accepted by the Wallabies to turn the tables in Melbourne.
“This is a great concept that needs to continue and whether it’s a Wallabies warm-up game for the next few years (until the series), a Māori game against the All Blacks, whatever it is,” Beale said.
“I think it’s a bigger picture, and that’s definitely necessary in our game.”