Junior Wallabies captain handed first start for Reds in AU opener as promising midfielder returns from injury

Proper baller when he is on it. Elite positional understanding.

Possibly the only 7’s player to break in to our national team in modern times.

The lads knackered though. A long session in and out of injury. Farrell doesn't usually carry injured players. Could bite him yet.

He said some half thoughts which I can understand would confuse you or someone not familiar with him but I’m pretty sure he was consistent with what he asked to be reviewed (his assistant also misunderstood what he was saying/terminology used).

A test series is 6 halves of rugby.

It's 1-1 after yesterday's game.

Mine would instead be Alaalatoa was the deserving MOM. Aussies actually won the kicking game thanks to the number of times the Lions turned over the ball from their kicks, especially out on the full, and that the Wallaby midfield should swap positions and they’d be 10x better.

Overall all though this is what I’ve always expected from a Lions team, how you always heard them referred to but never saw through the 21st century, real globetrotting stars and I suppose players just in form/peaking.

This time last year England faltered, especially what must have been a fatigued Itoje at 2.5k minutes, and last night France faltered when the would have expected to command the second half with a fresh pack. Did the Lions tire in their work last night too? Can they last another two tests? I think we need an analysis of their season so far and current fitness.

Ireland came through this time last year though👍

How about asking a thoughtful question like how was that different/did they manage to shut Australia down compared to the end of last year?

In the old days SA was a proud enough rugby country to win on merit. Well, can’t critique them I suppose, who looks a gift horse in the mouth? They are a very formidable group of players, anyone see pack weights on TV?

Not a lot of Internationals on display I don’t think though, yet WR have done the game a disservice yet again. If you want to host the tournaments in these sorts of places guys, what’s wrong with have it played at a different time each year? Just host it when the conditions are best.

I think pledger is destined to be one, Vaenuku has shown real game in other matches, and I like Cole and Oudenryn. Possible some of those forwards are the blossoming type too. Obviously yuo could include a few of the stars that didn’t make the tour as well, but it was really just a few that were able to run the team and lead well this game. A real team effort though to push what you would have to think, despite their Rugby Championship loss, is a better group of players in the South Africans.

How could I forget Pole, he didn’t deserve to spend any time off the field and is one you might include in the above group. I big loss to the team.

The only moral victory was that your young team matched us physically but otherwise, it was a humbling tour.