Murray Kinsella Reports from Brisbane

AS WAS THE case 12 years ago, Suncorp Stadium is going to be packed to the rafters tomorrow for the first Test between the Wallabies and the Lions.

All 52,500 tickets for the Brisbane venue have now been snapped up, adding to the excitement about Saturday’s opening encounter.

The flow of Lions fans into ‘Brissy’ over the last 24 hours has been noticeable. Those who came from abroad have had fun up and down the East Coast in recent days but now they’re match-ready. The expats who live in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and elsewhere are arriving too.

All along Caxton Street, which is next to the stadium and turns into a street festival on game days, the pub owners and restaurateurs are getting ready for the madness that awaits before and after this opening Test. 

Downtown in King George Square, the official fanzone was visited by a few Lions players, who were part of an emotional ceremony at the Botanic Gardens yesterday, receiving their Test jerseys from family members.

Suncorp Stadium itself was abuzz today too as people came and went, getting the last jobs nailed down before the big show.

And after the Lions went through their captain’s run, assistant coach Johnny Sexton remembered the events of the first Test at Suncorp in 2013. He was in the tourists’ number 10 shirt that day when they won 23-21.

Kurtley Beale had two late chances to win it off the tee for the Wallabies but was wide both times, slipping as he took the second shot at goal.

“The occasion, the atmosphere, the crowd, that’s the thing that always lives with you,” said Sexton, who works with the Lions’ kickers and will be hoping they have no issues like Beale did.

Johnny Sexton at Suncorp Stadium today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“Obviously, when Kurtley slipped and missed the kick, the euphoria that we felt, but again it just shows the margins of professional sport and top-level sport like we’re going to witness tomorrow.

“It’s going to come down to something small like that and hopefully we’ll be on the right side of it.”

After the whirlwind of their initial weeks on tour in Australia, this week has seen the Lions well and truly knuckle down.

Sexton is happy to report that the tourists have been cranking up the intensity each day.

“This is what we came for, this is the week we waited for,” said Sexton.

“A lot of the time, you’re getting one-day prep for games, you’re doing a bit of a captain’s run to get ready, there was a hell of a lot of meetings in between. This week, it felt a bit more normal.

“We need to learn the lessons from the last six games and just take them into tomorrow and make sure that we bring the best version of this team because that’s what is going to be needed to beat this Australian team.”

Sexton was insistent on that point. Whatever the bookies say, however pessimistic some in the Australian media might be, whoever is missing through injury, the Lions are convinced Joe Schmidt’s side will pitch up ferociously.

“We’re just concentrating on tomorrow and trying to put a great performance out there,” said Sexton.

“That’s what will be needed: a great performance, not a good performance, to beat this Australian team. They’re a proud nation, they’re a top-class team, they’re well-coached, and we need to get the best version of ourselves out there.”

The Wallabies after their team photo earlier. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Finn Russell will be wearing the Lions’ number 10 shirt tomorrow, with Marcus Smith in the support role off the bench, while the Wallabies have gone for 22-year-old Tom Lynagh ahead of the more experienced Ben Donaldson.

This will be Lynagh’s first Test start and Sexton said the Reds playmaker has the goods to be a success.

“He doesn’t have that much international experience, obviously a few games off the bench, but he seems like he has a real steady head on him and he’s a mature guy for his age,” said the former Ireland out-half.