Wallabies VS Lions TEST 1 PREVIEW with Jeremy Paul! #252

Here. We. Go. From Brisbane join Payno, Hask, The Lord and World Cup Winner Jeremy Paul for a preview of Saturday’s opening test match between the Lions and Australia.

Season 5 is Sponsored by Continental Tyres

00:00:00 🛞 Strap in with Continental Tyres!
00:02:12 🇦🇺 Jeremy Paul on 2001 
00:05:12 🦫 JP and Hask compare Beavers
00:08:12 🎙️The GBRANZ experience!
00:13:00 🐐 Sua’ali’i could become a GOAT?!
00:19:24 🟡 JP dissects the Aussie team
00:26:43 🔴 Hask tries to dissect the Lions team
00:33:44 🦁 Lions Back Row  6 7 8 & Battle up front
00:54:00  ⁉️ Predictions

🇦🇺Sydney Live Show https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/the-good-the-bad-the-rugby-%E2%80%93-live-show/181667?previewId=A6935A80-427F-11F0-B10D-EFE2262313DD

🧡 GBR Tour https://myticket.co.uk/artists/the-good-the-bad-the-rugby

Welcome to The Good, The Bad & The Rugby with journalist and former broadcaster Alex Payne, England and Lions flanker James Haskell, and World Cup Winner Mike Tindall.

#Rugby #Podcast

Welcome along to the good, the bad, and the rugby. We are in Brisbane, everybody. We got We got amazing Lions fans around us. They don’t look great, but they are absolutely full volume. Would you give a very warm welcome to the great Jeremy Paul made ladies of jumbo? It’s a good difference between him and Tins. Tennis was like cauliflower with a face. I believe George Smith’s one of the greatest players ever played with the Wallers. George turned around and said, “Man, going to give up the piss.” And De said, “No, mate. I want you to keep drinking. I’m just going to flop the out.” Can I just ask you about Su Lee? How much cutthrough does he get? They had to change the rules in regular league for him to play at 17. They changed the age. Tom Liner. Wow, what a story. Very first father-son combination to ever play for the Wallabies against the Lions. Yeah. What happens on Saturday? I think this is Australia’s best shot. Australia will be focusing on that second test. That’ll be the one. I think if Australia can come out and we can hold parody for the first 20 minutes, we’re a chance. Into the final moments. Alex Payne trying to keep this side going forward. Haskell takes it on now with just relentless chats largely about himself. And there’s Tindle to add the finishing touch of glamour and World Cup winning stories. That is how you podcast. Hello Dream Team. Welcome along to the good, the bad, and the rugby. We are in Brisbane everybody. We got we got amazing Lions fans around us. Our first live event uh of our tour down in Australia. And as always, we are proudly sponsored by our very good friends at Continental Tires, the official tire partner of England Rugby. Whether on the rugby field or on the road, you can trust Continental Tires for exceptional safety, performance, and grip. But ladies and gents, get your popcorn ready because we’ve got the teams announced. Suncorp Stadium awaits. Uh we’ve got Haskins in the building. Have a little cheer for Haskin if you don’t mind. Thank you. Welcome to both of you. It’s a great It’s a great crowd cuz they don’t look a lot don’t look great, but they are absolutely full volume. Well done. Well done. Never judge a book by its cover. You look great. Good. Uh we’re going to get an even bigger chair for our special guest who stepped into the lion’s den. We’re sort of touring the lion’s den around here. But it is another World Cup winner. Uh which makes Tins feel very comfortable actually because normally he has to deal with Finally. Gold can talk to Gold. Would you give a very warm welcome to the great Jeremy Paul, ladies and gentlemen. Um how are you madam? Fabulous. Um, don’t see a lot of gold out there. Um, no, unfortunately. Give me a bit of actually some bad memories from 01. Like, well, do you because you obviously play. We drove past the Gabber on the way down here, which was O’Driscoll, it was Scott Cornell, it was Davith James and Jason Robinson. You obviously won the series, but you had an awful day at the Gaba, didn’t you? I did. I did. Um, we we don’t usually play we never played at the GABA. Um, because it’s a AFL ground here in Australia. Australian rules is played on a very very big oval and so when you play like rugby and a and a ground that is also used for cricket as well there’s a pitch right in the middle and unfortunately got my leg stuck Martin Johnson illegally uh ripped my head off um and I actually made a YouTube clip like back in 01 right like or not YouTube then but where my head was turned the opposite way and my body was still facing that way and I snapped my ACL So yeah, so unfortunately the whole test match was blamed on me for losing. Um and they didn’t have to drop me. I just got like just went for But how good does he look now? He literally looked to he looked at me walk in and he was like, “Mate, what’s wrong with you, mate? You’re horrible, mate.” And I was like, and he looks doesn’t look a day over 35. Considering he’s got six children firing out sprogs left, right, and center secret is it have lay twice a day. Oh, look. My wife’s when we won the World Cup in 99, she just turned nine. Stop the clock, everyone. Stop the clock. Still got it. Um, but ah, look, I just think it’s living on the coast, Australia. Like, this is a Yeah, this is a great summer’s day in England, but this is winter in Australia. So, we’re blessed. Like, we got such an incredible country and and we love being outside. Brilliant. Let’s be honest, he doesn’t come across as a man who wears stress, does he? Yeah. Hey, I would never stressed about anything like never stressed about footy, never stressed about life. Look at the difference between him and Tins. Tins looks like a cauliflower with a face and and he’s like unbelievable. Lids tight jokes. Yeah, I love it. He’s batting though. Oh my god. Yeah. I mean, he does he can do what he wants. His retirement plan’s absolutely sorted. He’s on the roar balcony waving to flyovers. He’s living the absolute dream. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what what he looks like anymore. He’s locked in so deep. locked in. He’s like, we’ve done it before. He’s so deep, mate. He’s like the raw cooker. He’s had all of them out. He’s front and center. He’s like noogying Lou. He’s there high-fiving Charles. He’s He thinks he’s he’s fully in the mix, mate. It doesn’t matter. I got nothing. Yeah. I’m just broken really. Very true. Guilty is charged. Guilty as charged. Enjoy my It’s really interesting though that you say that you like life is good and life is easy because you had eight years. We were talking backstage. Eight years under Eddie Jones and you two were trading notes on the Beaver. I mean, obviously, I mean, it’s going to get very spicy on Saturday. It’s it’s going to be Australia Lions that sells itself. But it’s sort of missing a little bit of the salt that Eddie brought wherever he went. Joe’s been very considered. Andy Farrell is a gentleman in in a coaching box. He’s he’s very good at that, wasn’t he? I I I had good Eddie. Like, I had good BB. Like, he was from 98 to 2005 or 97 actually. And we we went on a development tour to uh the UK. Um, and we played eight games in four weeks under Eddie Jones. He said, “Look, this is going to be an old school tour. Um, everyone’s going to like drink like two nights before the game. We just literally we’re all kids. Like we literally I was 20 years old. Out of that tour in 97, 13 walabbees came from that tour. Really?” Yeah. And that was the start of that Brumy’s generation of that young meeting old at the right time. So we look we just all came there at the right time. But look, the one thing for me with Bieber was he you always trained like the coach was watching like with Eddie was like he you were that petrified of of Bieber like you’d have three alarm set, right? This is before your phone like no alarms and like you you wouldn’t sleep like you were you were petrified of him because you you you didn’t want him to be disappointed in you like you you come off the field um and all you wanted was from him to to nod. But he but he was brilliant like back in those days cuz this is before social media and camera phones, right? Like very quickly got this story with George Smith, right? This is in I believe George Smith’s one of the greatest players I ever played with for the Wies. Now, when we’ve with Eddie, we if you had a midweek, if you had a drink during the week, um you you always made sure you caught like the like the fire escape or you never caught the lifts between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. because you just never knew when Eddie Jones was going to come down like and so I remember we came back in Coughs Harbor. There’s three old BS and George Smith and we were going up the fire escape and George Smith stumbled over to the lift and we’re like no and he was like lo and behold quart 4 in the morning beavers in the lift and so what Eddie Jones did really really well was he’d make his stew on it for two or three days and then we were at training we’re watching and then we saw Eddie walk over to His nickname Spanish for George and we saw him he’s only 20 20 years old at this time and he walked up to me and he goes mate you got two options you either give up the piss or I just flog the out of you. And obviously George turned around and said, “Mate, going to give up the piss.” And Bieber said, “No, mate. I want you to keep drinking. I’m just going to flog the out of you.” And he did. Like he flogged, but he he puts he puts that extra training down to building his work ethic to what made him the player he is today. So yeah, he’s pretty special. Eddie Jones, should we have a round of applause? Not only for Eddie, but George Smith as well. One of the greats. What a player. And obviously featured 12 years ago as well, didn’t he? came back that that third test. Were you going to add to that or not? No. No. Oh, I thought you moved your mic to it. Um, can I ask you just very quickly because it’s very nice to have you on the mothership GBR. Awesome. How how much you enjoy Gbrands with Justin Marshall and Andy Row. It’s been unbelievable. You’ve had some incredible guests. I mean, recently Marshy’s been firing out some absolute crackers to most hated man in New Zealand. Very much set a face off with Gail Fiku and they just slammed France. Yep. Is it Do you get dragged into the Oh, mate. Always. But happy to back Marsh cuz he’s incredibly intelligent and he’s a winner, man. He won seven Super Rugby titles. Like just stop it. Like it his pedigree of a player. Look, he didn’t win a World Cup, but um they always fainted. They always fainted, man. Like it was so funny. Um and he did lose five letters lows. But um but in terms of of experience and as a player also just knowledge, man, it’s it’s brilliant. And And Andy Row, man, like he’s such a good guy because you need an admin person to like I know the pain. I know the pain. Yeah. Exactly. Manager do. And your plan almost came together with James O’Connor. We got James O. What about that? Have you heard from him this week? Yeah. Yeah. So look, Andy and I, we spoke about it last year um because he just signed for the Crusaders and we’re like, look, I’ll reach out to Rabs because I’ve known Rab since he was a young kid. Said, “Look, get him on the show as a guest.” And then Andy turned around and said, “Do you reckon he would want to be like an actual like one of the people on the on the couch?” And I said, “Let’s ask him. Imagine if he makes the walabeees, too. Like we could have a live player in the show whilst in the walabies.” And to be honest, I can’t believe he hasn’t been picked, but like we’ll dive into that a little bit later. But it’s been an incredible journey to like follow him through this and and cuz he’s done it for the right It actually I think it cost him money to play in Christ Church this year. Really? Yeah. like he took the most minimum of minimum payments and so like I don’t think it included like board like you know accommodation all that sort of stuff so and I’m sure like all his investments and stuff was you know probably like from a financial renumeration definitely definitely took a pay cut massive but he got the medal super rugby medal well that that’s the thing right like you weigh it up at the end of the day you go well even when he didn’t make the walabbees like so when he did do his first sesh though and he got smacked in the face like did you see that like you got like six, man. I did like 11 years at the top and came out with a face like this. Like it’s like not the money maker. Like you’re like always ducking and diving. Only got one split. Is that right? Four stitches. Nothing like this face. How many do you have? Uh I’ve lost count. When you play sort of with Jeremy Gusker and you you know you got to make a lot of tackles. It’s just it’s it’s hard. It’s hard. And Phil Gl me and Phil Glamour look at the state of both our faces. That’s why Jerry looks good though. So, he’ll thank you for that. Good for that. I tell you what, we’re we we’re going to get into everything, but what we do want to do is just start with a massive thank you to Harvey Norman, who have hosted us here at the McGregor store in Brisbane. Uh they’re an Aussie based global retail giant. You will find them across the UK and Ireland. If you’re watching on back home, and they’ve just opened their latest supertore in Mary Hill, which is just outside Birmingham. If you’re in the area, pay it a visit. Yeah. And as you can see, they’ve they’ve kitted us out in the with a great pop-up studio today, so we’re feeling right at home. We’re actually running today’s show with Harvey Norman’s NextG AI PCs and I can already see it’s tearing up producer Tom’s running order. So that’s uh it’s actually doing producer Tom’s job. Yeah. Well, we we say goodbye to producer Tom. I mean just the food bill alone of getting rid of producer Tom get another guest. Right. Perfect. Uh on that note, Harvey Norman though are your destination for nextg AI laptops with multi-day battery life, enhanced device security, and the in-built AI which allows for a personalized user experience. So head online or to your local store today. It is well worth checking out. We’ve actually just had a guided tour. I’m slightly frightened by some of the tech. But if you’re slightly ahead of the game, certainly relative to me, well worth having a look at and getting involved with. What we’re going to do though is move on to what is to come over the next well two weeks or so. Three Saturdays for sure. How big are three Saturdays is this for Australian rugby when you look at what the last 18 months, possibly four or five years have consisted of? It’s everything for us financially, right? Like you can’t do anything in this game anymore without money. Like we’ve been broke for a number of years now. Like we’ve been struggling on the bread line. Um this I I think we lost I think there was an official loss of just over $60 million last year. But this lines tour is going to then put us they’ve estimated it put us $30 in the $30 million in the black. So yeah, massive massive turnaround financially cuz we can’t invest into grassroots. You can’t invest into the women’s game. Um like you you just can’t invest anything into any type of development unless you have money. And so this tour um and particularly like 12 months ago, you know, you had a lot of top pundits over in England saying like this is a joke. Um the Lions are going to go there and thrash him. We then win at England like Joseph Akuso so Lei like arguably god I think he’s going to be the goat but anyway um it just changed everything right like so much focus came now on this British and Irish lines tour that the walabeees were a chance like it the massive turnaround in 12 months of what Joe Smith has done like on the field you can see that now starting to have nice little ripple effects off it. Can I just ask you about Suie? How much cutth through does he get as a walabe? And and are people interested in how he’s tracking? Is he bringing the wider sporting public in behind the walabes? Oh yeah. Incredible. Incredible. Like he his 1.4 or nothing’s ever been confirmed, but 1.6 million or every cent worth it. like just just from the marketing angle, just from the publicity, put it this way, dealing with the T payTV rights 12 months ago before Joseph um Su Ali was involved. Um we were looking at a 30% reduction like in terms of money and in terms of coverage. They renegotiated this year we got a 30% increase. So m he he’s just him like and James O’ Conor actually like one of the most spoken about rugby union players in New Zealand Australia but look we love a convert we love like we love an underdog um everyone like particularly with rugby league um being they’re just so good at at how they develop the game over the last 15 years they’ve been incredible with their development in schools uh with their competitions the women’s game the NRLW inc like easily the best women’s competition in terms of collision sports. Um and so to be able to take him back from rugby league, they put it this way, they had to change the rules in rugby league for him to play at 17. They they changed the age for him Yeah. for him to play. So m this kid’s always been earmarked and and I think that the true test here is he started state of origin at 21 years of age. Like 21, mate. Like that’s everyone tends to forget he’s still only 21 years old. Like I I think if he continues on he’s got one of the best tackles in Oh my god. The flying now. Take his head off. Oh, that would have been play on, right? 10 years earlier. But um I was just screaming at bring back the beer. M they used to come on with smelling salts, right? Are you alive? Yeah. Yeah, I’m alive. Yeah, sweet. Yeah, I’m good to go. Um but look, he he’s he’s also so marketable, right? Like he’s a gorgeous looking young human. Um you know, he doesn’t drink. He’s he’s like would never get into trouble. like he’s just that marketable. But also too, have you seen how physical like physical he is? He tries to bash everyone, doesn’t he? Like, and I think that was always the big thing of the league players coming over. Actually, we I had this other league player come over called Peter Ryan. Yeah. He was this mad enforcer for the the Queensland Marones. And he played his first game um against the White Chiefs. This guy called Eye Tamaka who was a 130 kgs right off the back. And Rhino’s on the side. Very first game screaming, I got him. I got him. I got him. Ran at him. He was a speed bump. Like he literally got spat out the back cuz he just had never played against someone so big and he got bashed and he was he he even turned around and said, “Man, I completely underestimated the size of rugby union players.” So yeah, look, I think but I I look at Joseph Sui and I just go, “Wow.” I just think where he can get to in two to four years, I think he can be one of the greatest of all time. Wow. interesting where he gets to in two to three days given that we’ve got quite a big one coming up. Just before we get into the teams, we’ll go through those. Can I just verify the fact that a few weeks ago you said on G Brands the Wallabies would win 3-0. I just want to make that I just want you to back that up and just how do you feel about reestablish that? Now just confirm that. Here’s what you said. I’d never said that. I said I was what did you say? I said I was incredibly excited about the depth in Australian rugby because we mate we hadn’t seen for over a decade. I hadn’t seen for over a decade where we were getting three to four players deep in positions mate. I was that excited when I was talking to the boys and they’ve all just turned around and said 3-0 and I was like yeah run with it. I don’t care man. Yeah I’m happy to go for it. So you didn’t say you did say we just I didn’t say it. Well I said two I saw a clip where you know I saw a clip. If that’s seen a clip, lots of he very little. But they have you I mean I don’t know if any of you guys listen to it, but it’s a fantastic show. I think you’re absolutely brilliant. I saw James O’Connor today at the Walabies Hotel. I was doing something for Land Rover. He looked great and I said um we were doing a podcast the other day and I got to apologize cuz I I went to say your name and I got it wrong and I ended up saying Henry Paul, Pope John Paul, Jean Paul Gutier, Paul Daniels, Logan Paul, Paul Hogan. So I apologize mate. I know you know what I meant. Um I mean Henry Paul and Jeremy Paul are very similar. Well, off the field anyway. I mean, HP’s nickname was Source and and you do like the Source. So, uh, yeah, I think it probably works. But I saw and I just thought what’s interest again is when I started doing Goodbye Rugby, um, you know, I was one of very much an acquired taste. People would come up to me, fans would go, I thought you were a bit of a muppet, but now I’ve met you or seen you on the podcast, you changed my opinion. Definitely a muppet. I mean I’m I’m a worse word than that but we it’s a family friendly show so I won’t say what I am but um we had I saw James Conan and actually I I reiterated what Tinser said. I just think the way he looks at the game it’s really interesting. You see that you know he’s been through a journey himself. He’s had his ups and downs had his off offfield stuff but he’s got an incredible rugby brain. He was one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I played against um Australian Barbarians uh in 201 um think 2010 maybe or something like that and he’ just come on the come on the scene. He was 17 or something like that. Scored three tries in a half for rugby and then got taken off and then started a walabe test. He was like kicking goals for fun and say he was a bit of a poster child. But to see how he’s done it, I think it’s it’s really exciting for that. And I think rugby needs those characters. And I think they love a bit of romance. Somebody’s gone from the almost the wrong side of the track. has been a bit broken, a bit lost, bit controversial and he’s come back and and he’s, you know, deserves everything he gets. Do you want to quickly take us through the Australia team then? Do you want to go through the the 1 to 23 and then pass you can do the lines off the back? Have you got it there? I don’t look I remember. It’s all right. It’s um so James Slipper look 150. Wow. Incredible. Isn’t it nuts? Like at And you’re talking about a prop, too. Like you’re not you’re not talking about like a back rower or inside. I walk like I played 130. I I remarkable look and and I think that in itself right so um slipper you got Matt Fesler because I believe Dave Perki actually reinjured himself in in the Fijian game um yeah look I very quickly uh Wabby management um actually very special we got to write personalized letters to the players that were chosen yeah so I got to write a letter to Matt Fesa Billy Pollard and um and Dave Perki which was yeah really nice touch so I don’t know who the other players can you share what you said Um so beyond good luck. Oh so like yeah no so it was a it was a basically a standardized letter and then there was your lines experience and so like I sort of said look um is the same for all three in terms don’t snap your ACL. Yeah. Yeah. Oh look inspirational pretty much. Yeah. Don’t get injured. But look all all I remember is the sea of red jerseys the media from because don’t forget we didn’t have social media in 2001. So all the media from around the world, but then there was a lot of the pressure from losing in 1989 as well like that famous Campo and Mau try like it was just being played over and over and and so there was huge amounts of pressure. Current World Cup um obviously current world cup champions but all I remember is John Eel saying these words was like all you got to do is do your job. Like you don’t need to be Superman. Just do your job and the result will take care of itself. Yeah. And so that that always stuck with me throughout my whole career. And and then personally, it sort of said something to like Billy Pollard who’s a Brumy’s boy. Just said to him like um uh proud to be Australian with the Brumies on my chest. Like it’s that’s the team song with the Brumies. Like I’ve watched this kid come through. So proud of that young guy. Like to to get there and just said, “Mate, you get the experience. RIP in like that’s and just do your job.” Like if collectively if we’re like the Queensland Marones where they would played the perfect game, they made one mistake in 69 and a half minutes. Like that’s what Australia needs to be this in this um for this first test obviously. But I sort of look at this side. Yeah. So sorry. Um we got Matt Fesler at two, we got Alan Alattoa. First guy I’d ever pick in a team either be three or 18. his leadership. Um, but unfortunately he’s never transferred his scrummaging from super rugby to test level. Like we he unfortunately had a debacle against the the world champions at Suncorp last year. Six scrum penalties. So I’m hoping that he’ll transition that through. Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost in the second row. Look um stuck with these two guys. Jeremy Williams I thought was lucky um with Will Skelton. Um are you surprised Skelton hasn’t been picked? Look, he’s such a big body, man. is 142 kegs, right? Like I just I look if you if you’re going to muscle up and be physical, you you want Will in your team, particularly from that line out more than that scruming cuz set piece, right? Um but these two are very athletic. Uh two guys like Jeremy Williams made his test debut last year, mate. Like so for him to be, you know, playing again, get a start. Obviously Bob Valentini, um you know, Australia’s best player for easily the last three years injured. Langi Gleason injured. So, we bought in that uh champion like champion. Hopefully, he is a champion. Right. Well, look, I personally I’d never he didn’t hit my radar this year. I personally I would have gone with Tom Hooper at six because he I thought he was Brumy’s because Joe Smith also drew a line in the sand right at the start of the year where he sent Langi Gleason home and said, “If you’ve signed to go overseas, I’m not picking you for the lines.” And Langy Gleason’s attitude was, “Well, I’m just going to play so well, you have to pick me.” Like, I love that. Like that attitude, man. Tom Hooper, same thing. Like I didn’t think Noah Lisio would get picked either because of the same thing. They’d all signed to go overseas. But if you play well enough, you get picked anyway. So he’s gone. I I actually really like the son of Michael Bry, guy. I played with Joe Ble. Like he’s big young kid, man. I really thought he should be should be making his test debut. Sorry. Uh Fraser Mcright, I think he’s the world’s best seven. Maybe Arty See now will be testing. He’s the guy that needs to be man of the series. Harry Wilson, captain. Thought Harry was excellent last year. Stood up just a big body, right? Big ball runner. You need when static ball when it gets like when it’s static and that lines really hard press defense. Their line speed has been outstanding this year. Um T Jake Gordon. Love Jake Gordon at nine, but I would have thought Tate Mc I’ve been dying for Tate McDerma to get a start, man. I want a running nine. Running nine. Like god. Anyway, um Tom Liner. Wow, what a story. like wow would have thought jock thought James icon um picked the uh inside center lender you could tell and Joseph Akuso Ali at 13 I think that’s his best position um obviously Harry Potter um Max Jorgensson’s an interesting choice like England fans know him oh yeah but oh but he came off the bit I I thought guys like Dylan Peach I thought um Dun was amazing wasn’t he against the force look you just want wingers that get involved right like and look Jorgo’s got a big career ahead of him. He’s still only a young kid, but just yeah, I just thought there were other wingers, particularly Dangunu, who gets hard on the ball. Tom Wright, I think he’s going to be one of the players of the series. Like, if he can just back himself and make the right decisions on when to go. Uh Billy Pollard, respectful if he can learn to pass the ball backwards. He should be banned from end. He just needs to he’s just got a bit of indecision at the moment. But what Joseph Salei does incredibly well is he works really hard to get back. Yeah, like like you you see this with the good outside centers, they work incredibly hard to get back to create that opportunity. We do. We do. Yeah. Um obviously the two props like Tom Roberts, my god, I reached out to to Robbo like cuz he came back from after doing Oxford got his got his um his postmasters degree and didn’t think he’d play again. Played for the fourth, scored one of the best tight head pop tries, 50 meter try. I reached out to him like via social and said, “Mate, well done. Great season. What a try.” And he said, “Mate, I that is the highlight of my entire life. Better than my kids being born.” Like, and I said, “Mate, I agree. I 100% agree. You ran 50 meters as a tight head prop.” So, you know, for him to get um obviously Angus Bell, I think he’s world class. I’m surprised Slipper got a start. Um then having Tom Hooper on the bench because he can cover back row and second row like Carlo Tazano couldn’t leave him out simply because of his trycoring ability. Um, interesting with Tate McDermott. Like I said, I thought he might have got a start. This is the problem for me with having Ben Donaldson and Andrew Callaway on the bench. There’s no 12 cover. Like, no 12. Like, I would have thought James O’ Conor slipping in instead of Ben Donaldson. Then you could have Callaway outside backs James Oconor. So, I think that’s about the most accurate, informative, and detailed four minutes we’ve ever had on GVR. I think we’ll have a round of applause for the incredible breakdown. I’m exhausted. Can I come and work on G brands because that was incredible. And now ladies and gents to take you through the Lions 23. Not sure. I’ll follow. Um well don’t any of these players. Um just do the names J. Oh don’t do it. Yeah. No obviously Ellis G gets his first start. He’s a friend of the show. Brilliant. He’s been absolutely outstanding. If you can bring the ball carrying that’s fine. Dan Shin obviously after Luke Kandiki was was was injured. I think he was going to get pole position anyway. Um Tag Furlong I was surprised. I thought maybe um Vinnie Bean would get maybe a call or or a Will Stewart potentially, but you know he’s been a world class player. I don’t think he’s necessary showed it on this tour quite yet, but he’s doing well. Mar told you obviously Joe McCarthy big enforcer. Um Ty Burn absolutely incredible player. Surprised um he got um got the got the call. I think he doesn’t want to be a six. He didn’t play particularly well um when he played six, but he played very well in the last game um as as as a second row cover as well. So, um, we’ll see how he goes. Tom Curry, again, unbelievable player. You know, his capacity to play at test level is very high. I thought Jack Morgan’s been absolutely outstanding for me. He’s been the the player um that’s that stood out above everyone else. His ball carrying, his tackling, his breakdown. Um, um, Conan obviously at eight. Uh, I think safe pair of hands, started all the tests in 2021. I mean, that back row itself, they’ve got the experience, he’s got the pedigree. I would say if it doesn’t go well this week, you you you’re not going to see one of them again. I think that’s what happens. We saw Peter Romani in the first game. He captained the Lions was binn was left up with me and Rory Best in the midweek edge. Um which what a depressingly big that’s that’s the biggest fall you can ever have, can’t you? Captain the lions then hanging out with H. shed. We had I don’t know I told the story on the I think we talked about one we kind of had um Peter Amani um obviously got dropped and and Rob Howley turned up with 100 megabyte hard drive or gigabyte hard drive of um mistakes that George Cruz has made after the first test and after about an hour of just playing these clips Gatlin just like put his hand on him and said that that’s enough Rob um and then and then um George Cruz then made a point that Rob Howard had already made 20 minutes earlier and Rob went mentally you’re not even listening you’re not even listening thought he was adding real value. We went left there and Gats basically then said to Rory, “Listen, you need to take the the the boys out. You need to pick these guys out. It’s really important midweek team, you know, because if a midweek team go off the boil or are distracting or don’t play or don’t turn up and train, all the wheels fall off.” So, we went to Italian restaurant. We’d sort this very expensive Italian restaurant out. We ended up in a um a shed in the back of the um of the Italian restaurant. It was like a it was meant to be like a gazebo, but it was just a wooden garden shed. They’d put a table in. We got in there and George Cruz came in with tears in his eyes and Peter Omani was even more quiet than usual cuz he’s a serial killer. And um we we all had a few beers. We drunk this entire place dry. Then they put us onto the local Kiwi beer which was like petrol. Um it was like it made superintendents look like lemonade. Um so we were absolutely battered having a great time. And then George Cruz obviously ppped up with a few beers said that when a bill came we’ll play credit card roulette. And we put all the cards in the credit card roulette. Basically, everyone puts their card in a hat or a bag and you get the waitress, the waiter to pull them out, right? And it got down to the last two cards and it was Joe Mara and George Cruz. And Joe Mara said, “George, you’ve had a tough time. Let’s split the bill.” And Cruz like, “No, no, no. My luck’s going to turn, but card out. Joe Mara, George Cruz, $3,000 Kiwi dollars for meal.” So, um, that was Sometimes you got to go to the bottom. Yeah, you have, mate. Yeah. Rock bomb. Rock bomb. So, um, I was very surprised about him. Obviously um Jamson Gibson Park you know he’s been outstanding he was one of the best players in the world for a period of time. Finn Russell, you know, number 10 in charge, largely in charge. Looks like he’s matured his game since he’s played at Bath. That nice kicking variety. James Low, you know, listen, he’s incredible finisher. Um, you know, he’s he’s been absolutely unbelievable for Ireland. He’s been tearing up the trees for Linster. Hasn’t necessarily had the best horse so far, but he’s come off the back of injury. Um, so be interested to see how he goes. Tubalotto, I think. Wow. For someone who hasn’t played a lot of rugby, Bondaki is obviously on the bench. He’s normally an Irish enforcer. It’s a massive call, but I think the fact that Gary Ringrose was was injured at 13. When when you’re picking a team, what what a lot of Lions fans kind of forget is, you know, um Andy Farrell’s come here to win and you normally go with sometimes a team that you’re more comfortable with in tangibles. And I would have thought you would have probably gone Finn Russell, Bundyaki, uh Ring Rose, and if Mack Hansen would have played, you would have had that spine of the Irish team, very confidence in defense that got absolutely turned over with with Gary Ringrose. So, Tubalotu is in there. Um Jones, he’s been utterly unbelievable. Um he’s been doing great things for Scotland but fantastic carrier scoring tries for fun. The link play between Tublotto and him brilliant. Those little passes, those small interplays and with Finn Russell, he he’ll know where they are. You know, I think sometimes when Finn plays, he needs people to read him. Those guys know exactly what he’s uh exactly what he’s going to do. Tommy Freeman being brilliant. Um there’s been a couple of defensive bits when that’s why I talked about having the island spine because couple of times Ringrose blitzed up, Freeman held back. that could be a deciding factor when you’re playing um a quality team like the the Wallally. Hugo Keenan, you know, I thought he did very well in the last game. He he looks comfortable. He looked like he he wants to work and so he looked dangerous. Bench Keller obser you know he’s a big physical presence. Will Stewart big spew looks like big hero 6. Will Stewart I was I was actually was with him and and he um he was a guy that I never necessarily earmarked to be a test player but he’s just grown at Bath. won a premiership, now looks great. Ollie Chzam, we all thought he was gonna get the the nod against um Ty Burn. He can run for days. Gives you a different lineup option. Ben, look, unlucky. We thought maybe he was going to get a nod at seven. Tinsy marked him um as somebody that might get in the mix, but um Ben, impact player carrying for fun. Mitchell played every minute of every game. I thought Ben White might have nudged him u but probably a big ask. And I think Mitchell’s probably got a bit more experience now having played all those Lions games. Marcus Smith, you know, he’s obviously looking for fullback cover looking at in the backs. I’m, you know, I thought maybe um Finn Smith would have got the call because I think Marcus Smith had a good 60 minutes I saw, but Finn Smith looks a little bit more comfortable and Bundyaki, he’s come on for Ireland number of times, particularly when he came on recently. Absolute enforcer. Well, you know, change changed the game. Big physicality. So look, I think it’s a very interesting team. Having heard what I heard from the press conference with Joe Schmid, he’s very much underplaying it. He’s talking about doing a full contact session on the Saturday, you know, before like before the game. They’re going to run it is I think they’re they look like they’re trying to target the second test is what his press conference look like. Having spoken to some of the journalists. I don’t know whether it’s mind games, you know, he’s the master analysis, but missing those players, it now looks like maybe the first one, you know, I don’t see such thing as a gimme, but the second test looks like where they’re going to bring all the big guns out and and try to really blow it away from what I saw. But, you know, what do I know? Can we have a round of applause for the most the most rugby he’s ever spoken? Are you all right? I’m not all right. Yeah, it’s Australia. I’m upside down. I’m upside down. So, my brain works differently. Break it down for us. What do you like? What are you surprised by? Look, I before I I with Tab Bird, I I just don’t feel he’s played well enough to be in there. But the first thing I wrote down is let’s not forget this is everyone in this team is still world class. You you’re basically just going on how you feel about form in in the games that you’ve seen. It’s a weird one for me because I thought Chzon would would fit that role perfectly and he’s he’s played well in all the games he’s been he’s been on. And I think the bat row is always going to be interesting because there are there was quality all the way through. Um you know same would I’d say for Tom Curry out of all the bat rows I don’t think he would fit in the best three in form but we know how good he is as an English supporter. You know he’s 100% reliable. He’s never going to let you down. So I don’t really have have an issue with it. But I you know I would love to have seen Ben in there. I mean 57 carries already in the games that he’s played. 257 m or whatever. He’s just a machine and he scores tries for fun. He’s a great link man with the with the backline. Um but I’m not the coach so it means nothing. What What do you make of I mean you mentioned Jack Morgan is on. No, it’s the first time we’ve had no Welsh representation in a test team since. Sorry mate, there’s a B from Cardiff came all the way shack this. Oh, sorry. We’ll put you on a rough turn flight. They were sobbing. 1899. First time there’s not been a Welshman in alliance test squad. What do you What do you make? I’ll get over it. Yeah, I’m sure. But what what do you make of the team they’ve named? Look, Wales obviously it’s a reflection of like just I suppose how poor they’ve been in the last two years. But look, Jack Morgan um just to finish him off, I yeah, the most hotly contested position like it was always going to be again, we haven’t even spoken about Josh Vanderflur, right? Like world class, mate. When I look at this team, one of the things that stood out to me so far in the in the matches leading up to this has been set piece uh scrummaging like they have what I think again even against Argentina first four scrums uh four scrum penalties like you can see like they’ll be targeting the set piece like 100%. Surprisingly don’t have a line out more like attacking wise like we haven’t seen they did trip over themselves against Argentina. They did score one against Argentina, but haven’t seen it since like haven’t seen dominance with respects to line out moles like um but I I’m assuming they’re going to be taking more points this weekend, but they do have a big enough package. To be fair, you you you said that when we’re doing the the analysis stuff is actually interesting because a lot of people were talking kind of down the lines and some of the um underperforming bit, but you’ve always been very staunch that the front five I mean I think you quoted you’re not sure what game people have been watching because the front five have been great and they’ve been and actually it’s interesting when you play um liner at 10. The one thing you don’t want is like a guys that got three caps is a scrum that’s going backwards a linear play because suddenly the defense is a bit more bit closer. You’re under pressure. you want you have a pack that’s dominant and you obviously flagged that pretty early on m look I think look you the true measurement too is your tight five really is their work rate like it’s not just obviously now the top five it’s not just about scrummaging line outs um it’s also obviously that connection and defense how many balls you truck up I I think the top five have been sensational like I again that line speed too watching tightad props sprinting up in the 80th minute and having that connection on left and right that’s That’s that’s a big gauge for me. Um but and then when you have guys like Porter, mate, like Porter’s been destroying teams when he’s come on. So look, I think for the Wabies, all we want is parody scrum time. Like I think lineoutwise, um I think in a very underestimated skill as defensive lineouts and I think that’s why they’ve probably not gone with Willton, probably gone more with more agile players. Um, just on that, I think I think people will ask how close can obviously they’ve had so much dominance through these the tour games so far. There’s going to be a big shift in terms of the quality of the props and the front row and what’s coming this weekend. How easy is that going to be though for you to get par when I mean their their confidence will be skyh high in terms of what they can take take on and what they’ve been doing? Mate, it’s always been our kryptonite like it’s always been our killies heel, right? Like we we always had Lamborghini we’ve always had Lamborghinis and Ferraris like in the backline always. Um and it’s always been questioned for as long as I was playing back in the late ‘ 90s like your Ford pack. Do you have the Marshy gives it to me every week? Are you going to have the the Ford pack to be able to compete? And I think I think we will look if we get parody I believe I believe we have enough class out wide like if we can give them enough good ball particularly first phase ball and we’re not giving them easy penalties to piggy back up and for territory like that’s that’s the big one when it comes to set piece right is being able to continue that pressure apply pressure in red zones or in their half because you’re working your ass off to get that territory gain and then you give away penalties like by scrum like you know by scrum penalty or um or easy line out malls like yeah you as a forward too you got to take it personally as well like you really got to aim up and get that but you’re not again you’re not asking for them to be supermen you’re just asking them to do their jobs and that is to get we always had if we got 90% good ball good first phase ball we’ve done our job like we or we just our ball we didn’t even have to put pressure on their ball it’s not about putting pressure it’s just about par like that’s all you’re after so and if you fast if you jump back to the autumn. They were good. They were good. They fronted up. Excellent, mate. Like, excellent. And so, look, and look, and and again with the walabe psyche as well, like if we can get that parody, it’s only going to give our outside backs or our backline far more confidence. And particularly when you’ve got a young 58 and top liner, but I think that’s why you’ve you’ve gone Jake Gordon as well, right? Like you’ve he’s the only guy over 30 on the field, which is mad. Look, it’s crazy, right? Like so and I understand like I just want to see Tate McDerman but I understand with Jake Gordon being at nine. So for me though in terms of phase like I think what I’ve seen with the lines in terms of their phase their depth their clarity um their running lines have have been superb man absolutely spot on. You can tell that Irish flow right can I just ask you about Tomliner because obviously we know Michael very well. He’s he’s a legend not just in Australia but in the UK as well from what he did with Sar’s etc. former world record points holder. He is one of the greats. There’s a lot of pressure just on the nameliner. And then you throw him into a first test with I think half an hour of international rugby. I don’t think he’s played for six or six weeks or so. And you put him in to run a team that squeaked home against Fiji 10 days ago. Ju just talk to me about how you think Schmidt will have handled that, how those around him will be feeling about having a guy who’s 21 with the keys to the city type thing. Oh, look, you you’re definitely taking his belt and shoelaces off him, right? Like, cuz he’s just, mate, you would have him on 24/7 watch. Like, seriously, like he’d be himself. This 21-year-old fan like And you’re right, man. The expectation, very first father-son combination to ever play for the Wallabies against the Lions. Yeah. Ever. So, you’ve got this incredible father figure. Um, incredible legend. But what I have liked about Tom Liner this year is look, he’s known for his kicking. I think this started in when he played for Australia A last year against England actually. He he had a phenomenal game in that game last year when he actually his first point of like his first thought was to run like as a 5’8 and I was very lucky I played with Steven Larkin for 11 years in my career. His his first reaction was to run was attack right was play play. Um what we’ve found with multiple 10s now over too many years the first reaction is to kick. That’s what I love about Marcus Smith, man. Like because his he just wants to play like and I think but you need that balance, right? And you need that that solid decision making on when to kick and when to run. But like I I just hope Tom and I Jake Gordon if he can direct the team around the field and just get around the corner continue like this leaven pattern like back and forth like get around the corner, make defenses work, use the extremities of the field, use all the width of the field. I I think I think we got enough out wide, man. I think that’s what Well, we we’ve talked about it and predicted, you know, that’s what Argentina did to the Lions, spread them wide, um caused some problems, you know, turnovers out wide as well when Alliance attacked and they weren’t quite getting the balance right of who was to clear out the last the last game way better. There was a two second gap between the carrier, one second gap between the carriers and the cleaners, and that made a massive difference. Argentina obviously spread us wide. There was a bit of issues with the the defensive reading, who was coming up, who wasn’t, who was holding back. You know, Australia posed a similar sort of threat and you got to think Joe Schmidt got to be looking at that and going this is how we’re going to attack and this is how we’re going to play. So, I wouldn’t believe well I don’t believe anything that comes out of anyone’s camp because it’s all it’s all mind games and all, you know, nonsense. And you know, you’d say to to Tom L as a player, listen, the first two players, just play your game. You don’t have to do any more than you you’ve done before. Just get yourself in the game. That’s one of the hardest things is particularly as a back role player when I used to start a game I I would I’d make like three notes and it was you know get into the game quickly get your first carry get your first tackle pretty early on because sometimes if you don’t you sit out sit out in the backs and you and you follow what the team wants you to do often you can not not touch the ball and in the first moment it can come as a bit of a shock he just needs to get his hands on the ball and needs to play needs to be comfortable guys need to look after him and that’s how he needs he needs to get into his front row last thing he wants is his pack going backwards so you know on that test mate he wants be playing on his front foot. So, he needs to fire them up and make them his best mate. Absolutely. And what questions do the Lions ask of Lina? Um yeah, I think that’ll be down to Tupelottu and uh in terms of I think they’ll put pressure on him. I think they’ll they will go there early doors. They’ve got um they’ve got great wingers to use that inside outside of 10. They’ve got enough trick plays to sort of try and have a go at him at the same time and then change it up. I think, you know, I think I still think they’ll try and pull um Joseph Souli around at 13 with all the plays that they do out the back and see if they can get him to jump. Um, you know, it’s just a tag that always comes with the league and they know that he’s he’ll try and bash people. So, they’ll try and make him jump and try and create that separation between the the 13 and 14. Um, but I think he’s smarter than that now. He’s he’s been around the game long enough to to to know when he can jump, when he can’t jump. But that I think they’ll still try and do that. Um yeah, you it’s what you have to do at international rugby. If you feel that there is a perceived weakness and I’m not saying Tom Liner is a weakness, but as in experience-wise, you get after him and make it a hell of a day for him. And you know, it’ll either be the making of him as well and he could rise to the top. I you I was with Ron Agari yesterday and it’s like maybe it’s the greatest surprise ever by bringing someone that no one’s no one’s ever seen play. um you know on our side the pond and you but he could be an abs he could be an absolute gun you you can’t I mean it’s a massive massive opportunity for him and I’m always believe that it doesn’t matter about your age you’re either if you’re good enough you’re old enough so and you know James O’Connor again was 17 18 when he played if you’re good enough you’re old enough and he’s just got to go out there enjoy every moment of it and and if I was his teammates around him that’s that’s the advice I’d be giving him I I think as a kid though right like when you when you’re playing. I remember when I got to play against Keith Wood, I was I think it was like my third or fourth test. I remember coming up from a scrum collapse scrum and he stood on my hand and I was like, “Oh, did I did did my hand affect your boot?” Like like I was I was that in awe of this guy. Like here he is trying to break my hand. And I just think if Tom Liner goes out there and appreciates like this is this is alliance like and just like rather than than thinking like inwards and going the pressure think of it as the opportunity and the occasion like rather like in that mindset. I was going to say that if you look at the the the Lions side this week, you you would have picked out if you look at this Australian side, you you’d go uh Mcright, you’d probably go Lina and you’d go Su Leehi. Um as three guys that you know would would be targets every time they get the ball or near the ball, you have to really come alive. I remember when we used to do training sessions, you know, I in my sort of latter stage of my career, I was often having to pretend to be Rich Mccor or Hooper or something else and getting filled in every training session. I was given a bib and a crash helmet and you know you can imagine that um Henry Pollock’s probably been Mcright all all this all these training sessions every time he’s got the ball serly you know when you got a talisman like that in the team every time we used to talk about it as the lights come on you know as soon as you see someone like that you would go up and go and just get him um and I think that would be very interesting I think again Tom Liner from a defensive point of view every time he gets the ball you want people shouting his name you want him to feel like he’s under horrific pressure and that’s how it works on both on both sides and I think you target those three guys because if you can deal with a breakdown and stop the threat you know um Jeremy said you know he’s one of the best sevens in the world at the moment the lions breakdown apart from the last game was a bit fragile because the the clear out and the understanding so that’s a massive area um obviously every time he gets the ball you know if he can unlock your defenses you’ll be in for a long afternoon and if Tom line is being hit behind the gain line being pressured you know every time he gets the ball people are shouting in his face it’s a difficult afternoon and he would have thought that’s what they would have planned all week really Yeah, I was just going to say Icottower for me. I think he is the one of the most important players for Australia on that field. He creates the space for everyone else. For Tom Wrights, um for Jorgensson’s, he he just unlocks because he’s so consistent, so relentless in how he carries the ball and the physicality that he brings. You know, it’s going to be he’s going to be he’s going to be thinking the exact same about Finn Russell. He’s going to be licking his lips to sort of try and get into Finn Russell. And uh obviously Finn will be calling in his mate Sion to come and help him out. But he creates that platform that will allow to sort of Tom Liner to play off and give him the easy way. Uh I think I think Australia haven’t used Suite in a in the right way yet. Um not like last November where he was such a focal point around restarts. He was a focal point around his decoy runners and stuff, but also just his quick hands and and you know catching. One place where they could go to is the high balls. It’s been a bit, no one’s really asserted dominance. It’s been a bit of a mess. Remember how good against England in Yeah. how good he was in in that November test at Twickenham in terms of just getting off and then offloading whilst he was in the air and and everything else. So I think I think Joe Smith will have a plan and I I just hope it turns out to be a fascinating test match. Look, I I think on that was Su Ali. The thing about the game against Fiji, he he was always worried too too worried about letting it go. And being that Duke, I think what we’ll see is he’ll tuck the ball under and he’ll have a crack. Like he he just he first option was always to let go. It was always to pass. So I I feel that um one of the big things Joe would have said to him, “Look, just put it under your arm and and have a crack, mate.” Like I think and once we see him start running and start drawing in those defenders, yeah, he’ll get a lot more confidence. Okay, it’s now time for our tailormade segment brought to you by our friends at Charles Turret, the official formal web partner of the British and Irish Lions. Think of it like building the ultimate British and Irish Lion. Instead of picking a squad, we’re stitching together the best of the best. And each week, we pick one key attribute, i.e. kicking, leadership, strength, speed, and we’ll make a case for which lion’s legend gets the nod. And then we’ll stitch it all together. And hopefully boot by boot, bicep by bicep, we will have at the end of the series the definitive tailor-made lion. Every Lion’s team needs an enforcer. So today, we’re going to pick strength, a hard man, mentally and physically strong. We’ve already put Martin Johnson in as our leader, although I’m not sure you would you be happy with that given what you were talking about earlier. Dirty bugger. Dirty bugger. Right. You can say that from down here, but not up there. Um, he wouldn’t say that to his face. No, exactly. He therefore cannot be be our enforcer, but an enforcer he certainly was. So, we’ve got some options for you. One from each nation. I’m going to go in reverse order. So, first up, Iron Mike Teague. Have we got anyone from Gloucester? Glouester Faith always traveled. He played for Glouester. Yeah, you boys. That’s the last time I played against him. I was 18. Turned up for a second team game. Um, at um Mosley Mo. No, no, it was I was at I play for Mosley. Did you play for you got sent away and I turned up and Jeremy Paul was you like is he was he playing for Australia in a world cup like it was mental it obviously I don’t know what he done he upset the coaches or something but he was in he was in with the full binges is that that’s another show is that’s a different story that is definitely another show that’s another show so all goes back to Iron Mike Teague who was christened Iron Mike by the England second row Paul Aford at the time when Mike Tyson was world heavyweight champion obviously man of the series in 1989 as well he said the Aussies hated us it was very bad on the pitch and off but we were a hard team. So Iron Mike Teague is in there as an enforcer, the great JPR who was regarded as the finest fullback on the world stage, but also embodied the Lions physical defiance. He was loved loved a 50 yard run. He ran in on the 99 call and Phil Bennett was running the other way and JP JPR ran in to get stuck. There was a great story about that about where he started swinging and he found he was on top of this this kid and and he found out it was the ball boy. Yeah, Phil Bennett knocked out the ball boy. JPR went into the heat of battle. Jim Tela, who needs no introduction to any Lions fan, but also made 34 appearances for the Lions on two tours, featured in eight tests, and obviously his postmatch speeches uh were legendary on that 1997 tour, but also after a game in Christ Church after a win over Canterbury in 1966. He sparked fury when accused the home side of foul play, the first time the Lions have been known to meet fire with fire. And the final one I’m going to throw into the mix is Paddyy May. Have any of you seen Rogue Heroes? So Patty Mine is in here as well. British Army officer, founding member of the SAS who represented Ireland and the British Irish Lions in 1938. He was known for his exceptional bravery during World War II where he earned the Distinguished Service Order with three bars. And the SAS still play the Patty Main Cup, which is a rugby match. Is that true? Yeah. For charity. I think we’ll have the family member of the SAS and go who who’s going to be our enforcer? the guy you won’t even see coming. You’re dead. He has he has to be cuz I tell you why. Cuz there’s a big outcry when he was um when he finally passed away. He was should have been given the Victoria Cross. Um literally could have won it twice over and they never gave it to him, I think, because he didn’t respect authority. He was a poet. He was a drinker. He was an absolute nutter. And um he he single-handedly drove towards machine gun nest with one guy in the back, killed all these Germans, saved all these lives, and then just drove off into sunset. Um, he’s just the baddest man on the planet. So, he’s got to go to him. I become I watched Rogue Heroes and I went down a rabbit hole. He’s now like my new postwar hero. I’ve read his autobiography of everything. So, Patty Mane’s the boy. Patty Mane. Patty Mane. You happy with Patty Mane? Love Patty. Well, Patty M. Love Patty. There you go. Our enforcer is sorted and Patty Mine joins Martin Johnson as the ultimate Lions captain and Owen Farrell as the kicker. We have three parts down, two to go in our quest to build the ultimate tailor-made lion. Has and and thank you for sticking with us. The good people at Charles Turret are offering GBI listeners an exclusive 20% off. We just keep giving. I know. Yeah. Just use the code GBR20 online or in store. That’s GBR20 for 20% off everything. Don’t say we don’t give you anything. Big thanks to Charles Turret. And don’t forget to cast your vote for next week’s pick. Head to our socials now and tell us who’s going to get the nod. Final thoughts then as we build towards Brisbane. Can I just ask each of you what you remember of days like this relative to you played hundreds of hundreds of professional games but every so often a match comes along which is like the everyone has stopped to watch. What do you remember of first tests, World Cup finals, big big big moments in your career? The nerves, the anticipation, the excitement. Well, when I when I snapped my knee in the 2001 Stop going on about it, bro. Surely it’s recovered by now. No, no. I did I did something I’d never done before and that was get a haircut the day before. So, I never got another haircut. Like, I used to be really superstitious. Like, if I lost a game, I would change my boots. I’d wear new boots like because I I was fortunate. I left with a 72% win record, so I didn’t have to change them too often. But, um, highest ever. But anyway, um, details. But yeah, that was like, well, cuz normally Wednesday was happy hour. Uh, Todd Kefu happy hour. We used to have like So, the boys would always have a bit of camaraderie on the Wednesday. Um, Thursday was always time off, so you’d hydrate. Friday, captain’s run, forwards, vaxs, touch, forwards always won, game day, Saturday. Yeah. So, you took it all in your stride. Were you were you quite similar or did you feel nerves on big big big days? Um, my my nervous was excitement. It was it was just about getting out there. It was it could never come quick enough. Um, I I just I wanted to just go out and play and that that was my excitement always was just jumping around the change of rooms, dancing to the music that was on and and sort of, you know, really enjoying that that that sort of time beforehand of of enjoying that excitement. And you get so many different people who approach a game in so many different ways. You get some people who need that silent silence to themselves thinking. Um, you need people who they end up smashing each other, you know, mainly forwards, headbutting walls and props, uh, either eating or headbutting walls or grunting at each other. Um, and everyone’s got their own way and that sort of dynamic you feed off. Um, and each pe by now the bonding is done, so they’ll know what each person needs in that moment. Um, but yeah, it’s it’s it’s the greatest time, but also the worst time because it’s just a waiting game and and then you just want the kickoff. We want that first hit to happen and then you’re into the game. Honestly, if I had to play rugby in front of one man and his dog, I would never have done it. I I love the bigger the stage, the bigger the spectacle, the bigger the noise. And just to feel that super importance for that one day and go out there and play with your with your mates is the best feeling in the world. Very, very special. Final thought then, what happens on Saturday? Give us a prediction. Um, look, I I’ve said for a while that I think Australia would win this first test. Um I just uh I felt it all along and then looking at it I feel that we haven’t really seen the Lions in full operation. Uh but are they going to come again they’re going to be coming against a completely different team to what they faced so far. It will be more like you know that Argentina team that they faced in that first game and they lost that. Uh I think this is Australia’s best shot at the first game. I think the the Lions win the series but I think this will be very close. I’m obviously gonna backtrack on what I’ve said now and make say the Lions will win, but I think this could be the one where Australia sneak one and as if I put down my Lions fandom and just go for the stake sake of rugby, I want Australia to win one. I want it to go to a decider because that’s great for the game. It’s great for the Lions. Um but so I think it’ll be 2-1, but I can’t I now can’t physically pick Australia to win this game. U but this is their best opportunity to do it. Okay, JP. Yeah, I I would have thought the opposite like um yeah, we we’re underdone. Like it happened to us in 2001. Uh everyone thought it was the sea of red jerseys. Um the the lines. Um but it was purely because we’re underdone. Like we had one game in four weeks. Um, you know, you got players that had played multiple games on tour, finished their season only sort of 6 weeks ago, um, after a full season, they’re in their best condition and their best chance of winning. Like I Yeah, I think if Australia can come out and we can hold parody for the first 20 minutes, Fraser Mcright, man of the match, well, he has to be man of the series actually, um, we’re a chance. I’m going to say 2-1 um to the Lions. Uh, but I think we’ll see a few changes from this first side to the second side. Cannot wait. It’s worth remembering if you’re watching on back home. Um, we’re in the center of Brisbane. So, can we therefore have a cheer if you think the Wallabies are going to win this weekend? Yeah. Yes. Can Can we have a cheer if you think the Lions are going to win this weekend? They’re good, aren’t they? The sea of red has well and truly arrived. Um, it’s been fascinating. Thank you so much, guys. Before we finish, we just very quickly need to let you know we’re going to be back on Monday from Melbourne with the reaction to the first test alongside Curtly Beal. Curtly is actually playing for the First Nations and Pacifica 15 that face the Lions on Tuesday evening in Melbourne. So, really looking forward to getting his thoughts. We have still got a few tickets left. You want to get involved in that. There’s a live audience show in Sydney at the establishment on Thursday the 31st of July if you’re out and you’re touring. That’s ahead of the third test. We’ve got H the Lord Myself alongside James O’ Conor if he’s not picked for the decider. Um we shall watch and wait and see whether he’s got a big role to play for those in green and gold. Check out the link for that in the episode description box. The good, the band, and the rub you’re off on tour with the lockin live in October 29th Warick, 30th Birmingham, 31st Cardiff and November the 2nd in Oxford, 3rd in Reading, fifth in Guilford. Tickets are available at my ticket.co.uk and we’ve got a link in the episode description box. That is it. Um do get in touch with us if you fancy feedback, questions, etc. at goodbadrugby or you can use the email infoggrugby.com. And if you’ve got this far, thank you and congratulations. You must have liked the show. Leave us a review. Tick the up button or whatever it is. And make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss any of our shows from here on in out in Australia. Thank you as always to our great friends at Contental Tires, the official tire partner to England Rugby. Remember, if you’re looking for an award-winning tire that can keep up with your every move, look no further than Contental Tires. And thank you very much indeed for Har to Harvey Norman for having us here in Brisbane as well. Been very comfortable. We’ve been a brilliant crowd. And will you finish these with a massive round of applause for H for JP and to Tins? Are we allowed to take these chairs back? You’re not allowed to take the chairs. They got to stay. We’re folding pocket production. Stats and facts provided by Russ Petty. And this episode was produced by AI and Tom Edwards. Thank you very much indeed again for joining us. Give yourselves a round of applause and enjoy the rugby come Saturday. Bye for now. You’ve been listening to the good. Yay. The bad and the rugby with Alex Payne, James Haskell and Mike Tindle. Thanks for listening. Oh, British Shane and Smith, will you pop on the stage? Thank you very much. Need a round of applause from the team at Harvey Norman. Ladies and gents, get sitt there’s always room for a little one. Just don’t tell don’t tell HR. Oh, this is quite comfortable, isn’t it? This is comfortable. This Thanks for having us, gentlemen. It’s been uh it’s been an absolute pleasure having you here tonight. Um it’s been a great show. Uh now, on behalf of the team here at Harvey Norman, I I would love to gift you all a NextG AI PC for each of you. Stop it. Well, the Christmas has come early. I love the mothership. I love the mothership. That is unbelievable. Thank you very much indeed. That is very kind. You don’t get a Tim Tam on your show. You get laptops. That is unbelievable. Now, these are all powered by Snapdragon. They’re the latest and greatest. They’re absolutely phenomenal. They’re going to change your lives. Can you give us a lesson? Yeah, we’ll see about that. Thanks very much, gentlemen. Thank you so much. That is really kind. Can we have a massive round of applause? Thank you. Cheers, guys. Guys, thank you so much. That’s incredible. Thank you, Casey. And thank you, Jerry. And by the way, if you want to go and get one for yourself into the back with you. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming down. It’s been a real privilege and a pleasure to be with you tonight. Can you give a huge round of applause to Tins to JP and Hass once again? Thank you. And once again, enjoy all the rugby come Saturday. Thank you so much.