Lions Tour Aussie takes: Need Skelton for South Africa, lock in Jorgensen

The British and Irish Lions series has come and gone, and what a crescendo we were served in Sydney on Saturday night. 

The Wallabies bashed, brawled, and scrapped their way to the biggest winning margin in the series, a full 10 points of breathing space, holding the Lions to their lowest score on tour at just 12 points, finishing the game at 22-12. 

Although several factors favoured the Wallabies, the lightning delay two minutes into the second half, the monsoonal rains that made it the wettest of wet rugby games, and the fact that the series was already decided meant the Lions were missing their killer edge. 

Rassie Erasmus on the No.8s and Evan Roos ahead of the Rugby Championship

Rassie Erasmus on the No.8s and Evan Roos ahead of the Rugby Championship

Nevertheless, the Wallabies played tough, won the collisions, and nailed most of their detail, and all this and more came from some of the best performances of Will Skelton, Taniela Tupou, Max Jorgensen, and Tom Hooper’s careers in a gold jersey, which didn’t hurt either. 

The Wallabies did themselves proud and, in turn, gave the Wallaby faithful reason for hope and joy. However, some hard decisions lie ahead for Joe Schmidt, and some hard truths must be accepted as well. 

Joe Schmidt must secure Skelton  

Skelton was a one-man army at Accor Stadium, Sydney had the lightning, Skelton brought the thunder. He was a man possessed in contact, hitting rucks with purpose, making carries through contact, and making sure every Lions player knew they were in a Test match. 

At halftime, Skelton was interviewed by former Wallabies second rower Justin Harrison. When asked what needed to be done in the second half, Skelton said they couldn’t take any backwards steps. 

“Mate, we gotta keep fighting, keep fighting for each other, keep fighting for the jersey.. we don’t take no itshay,” Skelton said. 

It was a raw comment, full of emotion and pride. He was still wired from bashing Lions for 40 minutes, and if you could feel the energy through a TV screen, imagine what the 14 Wallabies next to him felt, invincible. 

If the Wallabies want any hope in South Africa, they need a leader who can back up his words with action; who won’t back down from an Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, or RG Snyman. 

If Skelton can be persuaded to stick around just for the South African leg of The Rugby Championships, then he will have done plenty to set the Wallabies on the path to a stronger Test season. 

Credit First Nations and Pasifika for Taniela Tupou’s resurgence

Tupou rolled back the clock on Sydney, carrying powerfully, making breaks and bending opposing props to his will. Schmidt managed to get 60 minutes out of the big man, something which has not happened in years. 

His numbers were stellar as well, six carries for 19 metres, two defenders beaten, one line break and 5/5 tackles made .

Tupou is one of the most loved, marketed, and simultaneously maligned Wallabies of the last four years. 

An injury-riddled 2022-23, as well as a poor 2024 and 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, has meant many fans have wanted the ‘Tongan Thor’ out of the Wallabies squad, an understandable yet shortsighted selection callout. 

According to scrum guru Mike Cron, the Wallabies’ scrum coach, he’s the most powerful athlete he’s ever trained, and you don’t turf that sort of talent out. 

Tupou shone whilst playing for the FNP team, getting through 50 minutes of running rugby earlier this month, and it was clear that he was happy in that environment. 

That is no coincidence. Tupou had another average Super season this year, but four days in camp with Pasifika greats, and all of a sudden, he plays big minutes and performs. That is all about the environment. 

Proud Tongan man and former Western Force player, Sam Wykes, recently said in an interview that the Wallaby environment in recent times hasn’t understood how to get the best out of some of their Pasifika talent. 

“It’s not so much about the X’s and O’s, it’s about connection… if you have some of those guys (the FNP coaches) to help with that connection piece, I have no doubt he’s (Tupou), playing like that week in week out,” Wykes told the Off the Ruck podcast. 

“That’s what we need to work on here in Australia… how do we get the right people around guys like Taniela, so we can get the best out of him all the time.” 

The connection piece spoken of here is the missing link for Tupou as he matures; the Wallabies’ coaches must dig deeper to build this trust with Tupou heading into TRC and beyond when he goes to French club Racing 92. 

Max Jorgensen is already becoming the superstar 

The 20-year-old is an absolute freak; his speed off the mark, his ability to retain velocity on an S-line and strength through the hips have meant he’s scored some of the Wallabies’ most iconic tries of the last 12 months, and that only continued on Saturday night. 

Many people thought he was rushed into the Wallaby camp in 2023, but by all accounts, what the then-19-year-old was doing in camp was too good to pass on, and now we are seeing what he did at the school level in the Test arena, which is insanity. 

Jorgensen has bulked up in the past year, and it’s clear to see he is now ready for Test level, so much so that he has all but locked down one of the wing spots in the starting XV. 

Whilst all the hype has been on Waratah clubmate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Jorgensen has truly been the one making every post a winner during this Lions series, and it must be said, he has truly outshone his backline partner, being a core reason for the Wallabies’ relative success.

Jorgensen’s athletic ability is duly matched by his rugby IQ, a lethal combination which will see him play many a Test for the Wallabies, and although it is a fair while off, he is only contracted until the end of 2026, Rugby Australia must start planning for that now, to lock this super star down for Rugby World Cup 2027 and beyond. 

The perfect storm for a Wallabies’ victory 

While nothing should be taken away from the Wallabies, with the win being definitive, and without controversy, it must be said key factors were in their favour, and the lack of a series decider robbed the Lions of their killer instincts. 

The wet weather favoured the bigger Wallabies pack, allowing the likes of Tupou and Skelton to enjoy minimal lateral movement in defence whilst barging into defenders with loose grass underfoot.

The torrential rain meant the Lions were slower off the line in defence and were unable to show off their superior skills. 

Schmidt admitted in the post-match press conference that the 20-minute-plus lighting intermission perhaps allowed Tupou and Skelton to have enough in the tank for five extra minutes each once the game resumed. 

From the sideline, it looked like that figure was probably north of 10 minutes, with Tupou and Skelton both getting lengthy breaks after stellar first 40 minutes. 

This was also pivotal as the Lions lost both their starting locks to headknocks, captain Maro Itoje midway through the first half and James Ryan only two minutes into the second. The loss of their lineout generals really took the teeth out of the Lions’ bite in two very telling blows. 

The dead rubber would also have made it difficult for the triumphant Lions to get up for the game mentally after celebrating their win across Melbourne and then Sydney. 

This is probably more so a miscalculation from Andy Farrell, by not picking the likes of Josh van der Flier, Henry Pollock, Pierre Schoeman, and Mack Hansen, he failed to reinvigorate the group and add new meaning for the players as a group. 

This was something Joe Schmidt was forced to do with so many of his key starters injured after the second Test. 

Again, there’s no asterisk over this win, but there are reasons why the Wallabies secured the win with the biggest margin of the series in game three in Sydney. 

The British & Irish Lions tour has some of the best fans in the world

In the pubs, on the streets, and at the stadiums, the song, colour, passion, and rugby love were clear to see and hear from all the Lions fans. 

Meeting and talking with the Lions supporters sitting around us in the clubs, trains, and at the games, they were all fanatical fans fueled by Guinness and were always ready to chat about rugby. 

Many were so surprised by how non-mainstream rugby is here in Australia, but their love and passion for the game was infectious, so let’s hope it’s rubbed off on some Aussies here at home. 

Dear Lions fans, fly home safely, see you all in November when we come north (when we beat you all individually), and yet again in another 12-years-time for the next British and Irish Lions tour Down Under.