The British & Irish Lions’ last three-nil series victory in Australia was in 1904, but the heavily fancied tourists already have one eye on replicating that feat. Lions back-rower Henry Pollock, in all the wisdom of his 20 years, boasted this week that a whitewash “is definitely on the table”.
But in the coming feast of rugby, Australia’s forwards will have read the menu differently. They are led by Rob Valetini, perhaps Australia’s only truly world-class player. Last year he won a second successive John Eales Medal – Australian rugby’s most prestigious individual accolade – becoming the third player after Michael Hooper and Israel Folau to achieve the feat.
