Lions ready to roar
Tourists hope to wrap up series today
THE British and Irish Lions expect Australia to throw everything bar the kitchen sink at them in today’s second Test but the tourists are also hoping to show what they can do in attack, flyhalf Jonny Sexton said yesterday.
The Lions held on for a 23-21 victory in the first Test in Brisbane last week and Sexton thinks they have a point to prove at Docklands Stadium.
“I don’t think we really got to implement our game plan last week,” the Irishman told reporters. “We’ll look to attack them this week.”
The Lions played some brilliant, attacking rugby in their tour matches and the threat Sexton poses to defences with front-football has in large part earned him the flyhalf role over England’s Owen Farrell for the Test matches.
Today, he will have a different halfback partner in Ben Youngs after the Englishman was preferred to hulking Welsh scrumhalf Mike Phillips.
“It’ll be different, but they have a lot of similarities,” the 27-year-old said.
“They’re obviously different in size, but they’re both pretty abrasive.
“They both want to play a quick game. It’s not going to take that much getting used to. I’ve had a good few days with Ben. Hopefully we’ll click.’’
Sexton undertakes the placekicking duties for both Leinster and Ireland but the form with the tee of Welsh flyhalf Leigh Halfpenny has made that part of his game largely surplus to requirements so far for the Lions. “It’s different,” he said. “I worked all year with this in the back of my mind. It just hasn’t happened. Every minute I’ve been on the pitch, Leigh has been on the pitch. You can’t argue with his stats.”
Sexton’s opposite number today will again be James O’Connor, who will be making only his third start at flyhalf for the Wallabies.
Despite O’Connor not having the best of matches in Brisbane last week, Sexton believes he remains a threat.
“He’s a handful when he’s got ball in hand and he’s running at guys,” he added.
“I thought he did well, obviously missed a couple of shots at goal but I don’t think he was planning to take the kicks. He’s played a lot of positions; he’ll only get better going forward.”
Sexton said he would love to wrap up the series 2-0 today, if only for fellow Irishmen and Lions stalwarts Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell, who have never tasted a series victory. — Reuters