There was a perhaps telling line uttered by Andy Farrell about eight minutes into his post-match press conference after the British and Irish Lions’ first Test win in Brisbane. The Lions boss had bounded through the bowels of Suncorp Stadium, scribbling a few thoughts in a notebook as he emerged to face the assembled media and then scolding those who had questioned the selection of Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry. “I’d read all of that,” he said, with an air of a parent chiding a naïve child, accompanied by an “I told you so” grin. “It was quite interesting, wasn’t it?”
Certainly, in that selection, Farrell had been vindicated, but there were to be no hubristic declarations otherwise. Part of the reason that he has excelled as a leader in both codes is the manner in which he measures his utterings, both public and private. While talking up the Lions’ first-half performance, Farrell underscored how unacceptable their second-half drop-off had been; while making clear that his side would celebrate first Test victory, already there were plenty of forward-looking hints to next week. They will need to be better with the Wallabies likely to lift their level at the MCG.
