Wallabies have ‘one of the best in the world’ as Lions great laughs off ‘red-hot favourites’ tag
British & Irish Lions legend Dean Richards hails Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt.
Legendary former British & Irish Lion Dean Richards has made his series scoreline prediction as Andy Farrell’s side prepare for Saturday’s opener against Australia.
The ex-England captain, a bedrock of the Lions’ famous 2-1 series win over the Wallabies in 1989, believes Farrell’s men can emerge victorious down under this summer.
But he warned the Lions not to underestimate an Australia side who will go into the series as underdogs having beaten Fiji unconvincingly in their only warm-up game on July 6.
The Wallabies are still recovering from a difficult couple of years and an embarrassing World Cup group-stage exit in 2023.
Admirer of Joe Schmidt
Yet Richards is a confirmed admirer of Joe Schmidt – labelling him “one of the best coaches in the world” – and says the New Zealander will have his troops primed for battle in Brisbane this weekend.
Richards told Planet Rugby: “The one thing you tend to understand about Australia is that their preparation for a game will be right down to the minutest detail, it really will.
“Joe Schmidt laid the foundations with Ireland and Andy Farrell has taken them on further by introducing some of his rugby league tactics.
“These include the shapes he’s brought in to get the best of the space on the field, the use of the full-back and what the full-back does to support the 10.
“But Schmidt is a really bright and intelligent coach who gets the best out of his sides and again, goes into the minutest detail.
“The Wallabies will be prepared and will have shown nothing at all in that recent warm-up game against Fiji.
“Anybody who thinks that makes us red-hot favourites to win the series 3-0 is kidding themselves.”
Richards acknowledged the importance of the opening Test ahead of the second Test in Melbourne on Saturday week.
“Australia will be ready and the biggest challenge for us will almost certainly be the first Test this weekend,” reasoned the former number eight.
“If they catch us cold then obviously the second Test is huge, but it will be anyway because the second Test is always the most important Test of the series.
“Given the talent in this Lions squad, and the way Finn Russell has been playing, this could be a 3-0 series whitewash to our boys.
“But I’m not predicting that because the Australians are no mugs and have one of the best coaches in the world.
“Much depends on injuries, availability and the leadership of the captain, head coach and team manager.
“On top of that, competition for places in every game is vital and if every spot is up for grabs every weekend then the hunger and desire will be there.
“In 1989 there was massive competition for places and we won the series 2-1.
“Then in 1993, for the tour to New Zealand, it was totally different because there was the Test team and the midweek team.
“But there was probably only three or four guys from the midweek team who could have played Test rugby.
“With this current Lions crop, though, the talent pool runs deep so I’d edge towards them winning the series – probably 2-1.”
Richards feels the influence of Scotland fly-half Finn Russell, fresh from helping Bath to their first league title in 29 years, could be huge for the Lions.
One of world’s best
He explained: “Finn’s been accused of overplaying in the past, but he’s got a bit of pragmatism in his game now, which is making him one of the world’s best.
“He still occasionally overplays but so what?
“What he brings to a game is fantastic and I wasn’t his biggest fan three or four years ago because of the lack of pragmatism.
“But with what he’s got now makes him absolutely top drawer.
“I’d put him up there with Richie Mo’unga because of the way they both play.”
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