Now Aussie rugby can only get better

13 April 2012

Make no mistake this was the biggest game ever to be played in Australia.

The fact that the Wallabies have claimed the Tom Richards Trophy will mean as much to rugby union in Australia as winning the World Cup in 1991 and 1999 did.

Interest in rugby union created by this Lions tour in this country has been phenomenal.

It has been an incredible series. The teams have been so closely matched that the three match series was still up for grabs right up until the final whistle of the third test.

No team really had dominance over the other for any longer than 40 minutes. History has repeated itself. Just like in the 1989 series, the ultimate losers of the series dominated the first test.

This final test was the tensest game I have ever witnessed. The pressure was unrelenting.

A few people mentioned to me today that there were a lot of mistakes in the game. that was an indication of the pressure on the pitch. The commitment on both sides was unquestionable.

It was tough. There is an old saying that rugby is a contact sport. Wrong. rugby is a collision sport and there was no greater example of this than last Saturday night at Stadium Australia.

Every tackle, line-out, scrum, ruck, and maul was an extreme contest.

Australian rugby union is in great shape. Not only from the momentum that will be created off the back of this tour and the Wallabies success. but also this tour has unveiled a few new young stars that will keep Australia near the top of the rugby union tree for some time yet.

George Smith was unbelievable throughout this series.

Mark Loane, a great Australian captain and No 8 from the 70s and 80s, once told me that the perfect back rower's game would mean that he was in the right place at the right time for the entire 80 minutes of the game.

Smith got as close to this back row perfection in the Third test as I have seen.

Justin Harrison played against the Lions three times and was close to the player of the match each time. His performance in the Third test was awesome.

He caught just about every kick off that came near him. He stole the Lions' first line-out and then, at the most critical point of the match, stole a line-out ball from Martin Johnson five metres from the Australian line three minutes from the end with the lions six points behind.

It was his call to compete at this line-out. What guts and confidence for a guy in his first test match. He will be around for a long time to come.

For Australian supporters it has been great to watch the Wallabies come back after losing the First Test and being outplayed in the first half of the Second Test.

in the final analysis it was the Wallabies composure under pressure and on the ball that got them through their toughest test on Saturday.

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