The British & Irish Lions begin their tour of Australia when they face Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
Australia are looking to reclaim bragging rights having lost to the Lions when they last toured 12 years ago.
But Lions fans will be travelling down under with more optimism than they did when heading to South Africa last time out, or New Zealand before that.
The Wallabies’ abysmal showing in the 2023 World Cup is still fresh in the memories of many, although the game there has moved on since Joe Schmidt was installed as coach to repair the mess left by Eddie Jones.
Player availability
Few Lions tours have been as acrimonious as the last one. The 2021 series, played in front of empty stands during Covid times, is mostly memorable for the video Rassie Erasmus, the highly successful South Africa coach, made questioning the officiating.
The rugby itself was largely dross as the tourists failed to match up to the double World Cup-winning Springboks.
Surely the 2025 tour will be played in better humour than that one, but you never know. It hasn’t taken long for the Lions to put themselves offside with their hosts.
Ahead of the first game, they have said it is written in the tour conditions that the hosts have to release Test players to feature in the warm-up games.
Schmidt, the Australia coach, says the reading of the terms is subjective, and that they have a few “plates spinning” themselves, thanks very much.
Their first opposition, the Force, finished ninth out of 11 teams in the Super Rugby campaign. So full strength or not, the Lions might still have an easy one off the mark.
Good omen
Saturday’s game in Perth might be the first on tour, but the Lions are already 1-0 down on their results coupon.
They were without a number of potential Test starters for their game in Dublin on Friday night. But the 28-24 loss to Argentina was still a sub-optimal start to Andy Farrell’s tenure as Lions coach.
In criticising the performance, Farrell showed he is expecting high standards at all times. Even if it was their first game together, against the No 5-ranked side in the world.
An opening day defeat might be a good omen. The last time the Lions did that was in 1971, when Queensland beat them in Brisbane.
The subsequent Test series ended in a unique triumph: it was the only time they have ever won a series in New Zealand.
Sharp minds
One obvious positive of the loss to the Pumas was the fact it was a proper hit out. The Lions also played international opposition at the start of their previous tour, when they beat Japan at Murrayfield.
The Japanese might be a vastly improved side in the past decade, but they didn’t provide quite the heft then that Argentina do now.
The tour before that, they only just got past a New Zealand Provincial Barbarians side who had Bryn Gatland, the son of the then Lions coach Warren, in their ranks.
A tough game straight away can only serve to sharpen minds – as well as show the need for sharper skills – for the tourists.
Farrell waits for call
In his full-time day job, Farrell has almost always favoured experience over youth. It was why he made Johnny Sexton – then aged 34 - and then later Peter O’Mahony – who also got the job at 34 - his captains with Ireland.
With that in mind, the fact the squad he has picked for the Lions is light on experience is perhaps a surprise.
Few among the backs, in particular, have been Lions tourists in the past. Duhan van der Merwe made three Test starts four years ago, Bundee Aki, one, while Elliot Daly is on his third tour, and has played five Tests. Other than that, the experience of playing in Lions red is threadbare.
If only there was someone out there who could add a little experience and some aura. Maybe someone who has twice won Test series in Australia with England in the past decade.
Surely the coach has got Owen Farrell’s number? Maybe Farrell Jr could have a role to play yet.
Russell's chance
After three tours’ worth of “Warrenball” – which included a Test series win the last time they were in Australia, the Lions are now set to unveil “Fazball”.
How that is going to look remains to be seen. But the make-up of the squad, as well as Farrell’s utterances so far, suggests there could be a fair bit more flamboyance to the Lions than there ever was under Gatland.
If that is to be the case, then Finn Russell will likely be central to it. The Scotland fly-half has played a part in two previous tours with the Lions, but has the experience of just one substitute appearance in a Test in South Africa last time out.
He arrives in Australia at the peak of his career, having helped Bath become champions of England, and helming a Scotland backline that has been vastly improved in recent times.
The Scots might be well represented in Farrell’s first-choice backline, so Russell should have plenty of scope to succeed.
