Legendary British and Irish Lions back-rower Lawrence Dallaglio has issued a mea culpa following Saturday’s series-clinching win by Andy Farrell’s team in Melbourne.
The class of 2025 dug itself out of a deep hole, bouncing back from an 18-point deficit to grab last-minute glory thanks to Hugo Keenan’s try.
That score sealed the 29-26 victory for the tourists that looked unlikely when the Wallabies jumped 23-5 ahead during the first half at the MCG.
So inspired was Dallaglio by what unfolded, he has now admitted he was wrong all along by modern-day rugby’s fascination with its starters and finishers mentality.
“A master selector…”
The ex-England skipper, who toured with the Lions in 1997, 2001 and 2005, began playing in an era where subs were subs who stayed on the sideline and the starting XV instead played all of the match unless injured.
We now live in changed times and with the replacements now often referred to as finishers by coaches, their contribution is regularly treasured, but it took until Saturday’s drama at the MCG for the penny to drop with Dallaglio.
Writing in his Sunday Times column, he confessed: “I have never been much of a fan of this starters and finishers talk that has taken over the modern game – but how I was proven so wrong.
“Andy Farrell has proved himself to be a master selector, and the way he used his bench was pitch-perfect.
“Ellis Genge, James Ryan, Jac Morgan – these guys came on and were just absolutely immense. And they needed to be because the Lions were in real trouble.
“Rewind to the first half, and at 23-5 down, with Will Skelton and Rob Valetini destroying the tourists, things were not looking good…
“Joe Schmidt drew up a fantastic game plan that had the Lions on the ropes. But they found a way to dig themselves out of it.
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“Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne yet again were relentless, Dan Sheehan looks like the best player on either team in this Test series, and what about the much-maligned James Lowe? That offload for the pivotal Beirne try was one that very few players in the world can produce. That’s what I mean by it being a team effort. Everyone had to contribute.”
Dallaglio went on to pay tribute to the Lions’ unified force. “This squad’s unity has been questioned; a lot has been written and said about the blow-ins that have come on tour to hold tackle bags and then go home again.
“But Andy Farrell stuck to his guns and let me tell you this, a divided group doesn’t come back from 18 points down to win a Test match on enemy soil. They just don’t…
“That will hopefully silence the haters. For all the moaning and finger-pointing and gripes about this tour and the quality that was being served up, here was a Test match that will go down in history as one of the greatest ever.
“It’s the greatest comeback in Lions history – by some distance. For that alone, Andy Farrell and his men deserve our eternal respect.”
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