Son of Wallabies gun eyes Lions family history
Murray Wenzel |
A Wallabies son of a gun can etch his own name into Australian rugby history with teammate Tate McDermott adamant Tom Lynagh is ready for the British and Irish Lions cauldron.
After five Lions lead-in games, the once-in-12-year Australian tour will properly kick off at a packed Suncorp Stadium for Brisbane’s first Test on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Lynagh, with just two points across three Test appearances to his name, is fit and figuring strongly after first-choice No.10 Noah Lolesio’s neck injury against Fiji early this month ruled him out of contention.
Lynagh (hand) was unavailable for that Test, but trained freely on Tuesday at Ballymore and is in a three-way fight with Ben Donaldson and recalled veteran James O’Connor to start on Saturday night.
Donaldson deputised impressively after Lolesio’s second-half exit in Newcastle while O’Connor – a mentor of sorts for Lynagh last year at the Reds – is eyeing his first Test appearance since 2022.
If selected, Lynagh will follow in father and World Cup winner Michael’s footsteps – he wore No.10 for the Wallabies against the Lions in 1989 – to create an Australian rugby father-son first.
Arriving at Ballymore from England as a fair-haired 18-year-old in 2021 with no senior rugby experience, Lynagh has proved a steady head and reliable boot under Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss at the Queensland Reds over the last two years.
“When he first arrived he didn’t say anything,” Reds and Wallabies scrumhalf Tate McDermott said.
“Came straight out of boarding school.
“Really shy guy; everyone knew his old man and everyone loved having him. He just wanted to learn.
“They’ve (No.10s) got to be the generals and lead and that’s the biggest thing he’s done in the last 12 months.
“Les has just given him the keys to the kingdom this year and let him run the show.
“He’s incredibly young, still got a hell of a way to go but I’m really excited to see how he goes on Saturday.
“A guy that comes with a lot of expectation, with the last name Lynagh, and the way he’s gone about his work has been brilliant.”
Jake Gordon, preferred at No.9 last year under coach Joe Schmidt, is also fit after missing the Fiji Test and is a chance to replace McDermott in the starting side.
Hulking lock Will Skelton has declared himself ready after his late scratching for the Fiji Test, but sorely missed backrower Rob Valetini (calf) remains under an injury cloud.
“The number of games they’ve played, and they’ve played bloody well,” McDermott said of the Lions.
“The boys are really keen to rip in.”
The Lions’ injury concerns continue with Australia-born Irish winger Mack Hansen (foot) long odds to play in Brisbane after he didn’t train on Tuesday.
Hansen, whose career took off after he left the ACT Brumbies for Connacht four years ago, is in the same boat as fullback Blair Kinghorn (knee).
Garry Ringrose and Luke Cowan-Dickie have already been ruled out of the Test with concussion while fullback Elliot Daly (arm) and scrumhalf Tomos Williams (hamstring) suffered series-ending injuries.
AAP
