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Third Test: Australia vs. the British and Irish Lions
Date: Saturday, August 2nd, 2018 Accor Stadium Kick-off: 11:00 BST
During this Lions tour, it has been one of the most popular topics of conversation in Australia. What significance does rugby union have here?
It’s not a new sport in Australia because it’s a minority sport. In a crowded sporting landscape, the Wallabies have a reputation for fighting for their place.
However, it seems as though the sport is under unprecedented pressure as the National Rugby League expands, Australian Rules Football has become ingrained in society, and the Wallabies are struggling to win over a fractious public.
However, there is hope.
With the upcoming Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029, there is hope both short- and long-term. It’s a golden age when you factor in the Brisbane Olympics in 2032 and the Lions’ tour.
The heartfelt backs-to-the-wall display in the second Test in Melbourne demonstrated there is plenty of life in Wallaby rugby in the near future.
In the shadow of the Sydney Opera House, Australian legend Michael Hooper explains that “we are fair weather fans in this country.”
Consistentness is now a must for Hooper. The Wallabies have lost matches and fans for too long because they have flattered deception. The MCG performance must be unmatched. This weekend in Sydney is significant.
Hooper continues, “I believe they’ve demonstrated that they can perform on the biggest stage in our country.”
The inconsistencies we have, which was a criticism during my time with the Wallabies, are probably a criticism. We can give a very strong performance before a subpar performance.
You don’t see the valleys and troughs we’ve seen over the past ten years and a little bit, and what we want to see in the next two years [before the World Cup] is just a consistent improvement, a trend upwards.
There is no reason the Wallabies can’t be a force.
Jon Fisher, the assistant coach for the Queensland Reds, has spent the last 18 months coaching the team, which has included stints at Bristol, Northampton, and London Irish.
He claims that despite the pressure, the union manages to hold its ground. The NRL has 16 professional teams from Australia, and the AFL has 18 professional teams. Compared to four professional rugby union franchises, this is.
When you are on the ground here and witness the true reality of the AFL and rugby league, he tells Rugby Union Weekly, “In my experience, from what I see daily, Australian rugby union is in fantastic health.”
“This club game is in poor health,” the statement read. You simply have these two other sports that the Australian sporting public is more passionate about.
There are many reasons why the Wallabies find it challenging, of course. There is no reason why they can’t be a force given the player quality they have, and they don’t have the depth of South Africa, France, or England.
“It will change at some point,” the author predicted.
However, it is unquestionable that many of the grassroots’ best, biggest, and most effective athletes don’t end up playing rugby union.
The level of talent in these two sports can be seen in this country, Fisher said, “if you go down to the Gabba or the Suncorp Stadium and watch the Brisbane Broncos or Brisbane Lions play,” Fisher continued.
“If there were 50 to 100 players in the AFL and rugby league, they would play rugby union if they were raised in the northern hemisphere.
The Lions will return, the statement read.
In addition to playing in all three Test matches against the Lions in 2001, Prop Nick Stiles also played throughout a fantastic era of Wallaby rugby at the turn of the century.
Since then, he has worked with the Melbourne Rebels, Japan, and a distinguished coaching and management career.
The money the AFL and NRL have to target the youth and educate them before they become rugby fans is a major threat to the future of the sport, he says.
That’s what we’re experiencing right now.
A meek first-Test appearance in Brisbane, which caused former Wallabies like Stiles to squirm, and the lack of belief in Australian rugby from top to bottom, both showed this Lions series.
Despite all the talk of long-term growth and development, there is a lingering impression that the sport here should not have missed out on this Lions tour.
You can just see the enthusiasm of the fans as they come out and support the team, added Stiles, adding that when the Wallabies do win, and they do so with winning runs.
The impact of a whitewash on the Australian fan worries me. This golden generation has undergone a lot of development.
We must use this window to correct it. We must get it, folks. If this is a whitewash, that’s the issue.
There is no denying that the Lions will play rugby in Australia once more despite the inconsistent format of the tour matches and the lack of fervour in comparison to the hotbeds of rugby like South Africa and New Zealand.
This is made possible by the money raised, the incredible stadiums, and the greatness of Australia’s sporting nation.
“I believe that history is important,” Stiles says.
“I’ve heard a few things about the Lions not winning in 12 years, but I just think there’s too much history involved.”
So I don’t see that actually occurring. It’s too big a beast to be destroyed in a year.
Melbourne was a thrilling match in a magnificent stadium with plenty of controversy and talking points. There is plenty on the line, despite the fact that Saturday may be dead rubber.
The Wallabies have little time to waste if the sport’s golden decade is going to re-enter public consciousness by 2027, while the Lions are desperate to seal their legacy and make history by winning 3-0.
If you can wear your country’s colors. It’s crucial, Hooper adds.
I adore this nation and the sport that it inspires. Without a doubt, this nation is extremely motivated to pursue sport.
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