Why Australia cannot be written off in Test series against British and Irish Lions | Rugby Union News

What state is Australian rugby before the three testing test against the British and Irish lions?

After a ruinous World Cup campaign and the acrimonious exit of Eddie Jones, recovery shoots settle in the fall, but the progress of Wallabies remain on a knife edge, the lions capable of returning them to crash to the canvas with a test of series of tests.

While we are waiting to see if it is a redemption and a return to the upper rugby table for Australia, we analyze why this series Lions could prove one for the ages for the Wallabies …

Schmidt’s intelligences could be fatal in lions

The strongest weapon in Australia may not be on the ground but in the stands.

Head coach Joe Schmidt, an experienced operator on the international scene, brings a rugby intellect that few can match. His ability to exploit the weaknesses of the opposition and his experience in the biggest roles of the game could prove to be crucial against a team of freshly assembled lions in the heat of the test match arena.

The former Australian international Matt Burke thinks that Schmidt will have a turn or two in his sleeve, transforming the Wallabies of a passive defensive outfit into an outfit that confronts the lions head on.

“This is speed and execution and understand what pressure is,” said Burke, winner of the 2001 Lions series with 81 Wallabies Caps, said Sky Sports.

“When you play at this level, the pressure is time and space. You must be able to choose your moments, and there are very few in the test matches with the defensive systems at stake for the moment, it is difficult to find a space. To be able to manipulate these areas will be a real key characteristic in the way Wallabies will play.

“Interestingly, when they played Fiji, they were very passive in defense, they let the Fijians run on them. I expect there to be a big change in this space, I expect them to go hard in lions, just as the Waratahs have done and remove the space and do not allow the Lions to play.”

Well-being factor?

Australian rugby is on a long road to recovery from a disastrous rugby world cup in 2023, where a first defeat against Fiji in 69 years saw the Wallabies undergoing an outing at the pool stadium for the first time.

Burke, winner of the World Cup in 1999, believes that the intermediate years were used, the Wallabies reconnecting with the Australian public under the supervision of Schmidt.

“There is a lot of joy, a lot of optimistic discussions around rugby right now,” said Burke. “Joe Schmidt has chosen a very good team for this Lions series.

“They had the blow against the Fiji last week which was always going to be difficult – you have to get these pints out of the armor, so to speak.

“And people support; there is a sea of red here for the moment, but there is a great support in green and gold.”

Super rugby shoes of recovery

The foundations of the Renaissance of Australia as a leading rugby nation were forged in the match of the national club.

Nine members of the Wallabies team were part of the Act Brumbies team which finished third in 2025 Super Rugby Pacific – a season that has seen a clear rise in the performance of Australian franchises.

The lions have proven to be too strong for the Western force, the Reds of Queensland, Waratahs and Brumbies in their warm -up games, but tourists certainly did not have things on their own path, having overcome obstacles and more difficult challenges.

“Super Rugby Pacific was really good this year,” added Burke. “Two Kiwi teams challenged the final, but the Australian teams have contributed and well contributed.”

Suaalii a series away from celebrity

The Australian team responsible for taming the Lions may seem lower on paper compared to starry tourists assembled from four nations – but in Joseph -Aaukuso suaalii, the Wallabies have a potential superstar to compete with any world rugby player, not to mention the lions.

A former LNR prodigy, Suaalii returned to Rugby Union in 2023, and its ascent was as meteoric as it is remarkable.

Despite no super rugby experience at the time, he was plunged into the test arena last November – offering a game performance player during the start of Australia 42-37 against England at Twickenham.

The baptism of the late Suaalii, Baptism of Fire, saw him confront adversaries such as Sione Tuipulotu and Bundee Aki – players now carrying red in the Lions camp.

Since then, even injuries have not been able to stop the 21 -year -old ascending trajectory. After a catchy recruit season with the NSW Waratahs, he won a place in the Super Rugby team of the season and became a central figure in the configuration of Schmidt’s Wallabies.

Now completely recovered from a fractured jaw suffered earlier in the year, Suaalii should be unleashed in the Lions series. With the sports immortality to be won, it could provide that the X-Factor Australia had desperately desperate.

“O’Connor brings confidence and belief”

The hopes of Australia overthrow the lions were bumped by the loss of half of the Noah Golesio first -choice fly after having undergone an operation of the neck 11 days from the start of the test series.

James O’Connor obtained a sign of the head as a replacement for Lolesio, with the veteran ready to make his first appearance for Wallabies in three years and to form an experienced nucleus to balance the young edge of the team.

In addition to the propeller James Slipper, O’Connor is one of the two players of the Australian team with an experience of test match against the Lions, after having marked the only trial of the Wallabies in the decisive match of the 2013 series.

The former lunch of the Lions fly, Dan Biggar, thinks that O’Connor, who recently helped to guide the crusaders towards the title of Super Rugby, could be a revolutionary asset for the Schmidt team.

“You look at the two squads and they are not a million kilometers away,” the lions said twice from Biggar Sky Sports. “The only area that we have highlighted a small gulf in class is half-return, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell.

“With James O’Connor who returns, although he is not a 10 test in the sense that Owen Farrell is a test match animal, he brings experience, he brings know-how, he was there, saw it, has worn the t-shirt of countless times.

“He knows the team, knows the players and at the back of the super rugby victory with the crusaders, he will bring some confidence and belief to the Wallabies.”

The British and Irish lions face Australia during the first test of the series this Saturday – you can watch every match live on Sky Sports or Stream with now.

After having opened their tour with defeat against Argentina in Dublin, the team of Andy Farrell has since won five consecutive victories in Australia against Western Force, Queensland Reds, Nsw Waratahs, Act Brumbies and an Aunz Invitational XV.

This Saturday, the Lions play Australia in the long -awaited opening test, live Sky Sports Action – renowned Sky sports the lions – And Main Sky Sports event From 10 a.m. (kick -off from 11 a.m.).

Sky Sports is the home of the British and Irish lions tour in 2025 in Australia, with each warm -up match and the entire three test series against the Wallabies presented exclusively live.