Lions coach Andy Farrell isn’t buying into the hype of a series sweep against Australia

BRISBANE Australia AP The growing hype about a British and Irish Lions series sweep over Australia isn t something Andy Farrell is buying into The Lions head coach only had to walk the streets of Brisbane and have a chance encounter with Australia and Queensland Origin rugby league legend Gorden Tallis in the days leading up to Saturday s first test to be reminded of what to expect Tallis announced everyone used to talk about Queensland being underdogs He reported We never ever saw it that way Australia will be exactly the same commented Farrell who was captain of the British rugby league association before switching to rugby union The Lions tour every four years to the southern hemisphere but the Wallabies only face them every usually a once-in-a-career opportunity If you re in a position where it comes down to this every years and you get to pull the shirt on for the Wallabies and the privilege that goes with that they ll be fighting tooth and nail Farrell announced I m sure they ll want to prove a point He yearned to embrace being heavy favorites for the series but mentioned there s no overconfidence at all It s having an inner confidence within our group that we are going to execute the plan when it matters Farrell was a defense coach at Ireland before taking over from Joe Schmidt as head coach there in Schmidt a New Zealander is now head coach of an Australia squad that is rebuilding after its worst-ever Rugby World Cup performance in They re well acquainted You don t go into a series trying not to win it -nil it s a natural target for them Schmidt revealed of those predictions of a Lions sweep But I know Andy Farrell well enough to know he won t be talking about -nil They ll be focused on this test alone not Melbourne or Sydney I don t think While the Lions are unbeaten in five tour games so far in Australia the Wallabies are coming off a scratchy - comeback win over Fiji as their only match preparation They ve also got a new halves combination and will be missing selected size and power in the forward pack Obviously the skill execution wasn t great against Fiji We have to be a lot more cohesive and accurate Schmidt mentioned We ve had one test match We ve got this year We thought we d ease our way into the year he added joking about the monumental task ahead for his Wallabies That s the magnitude of it really Key confrontations The halves combinations will be critical to the outcome The Lions have the advantage in the experienced and assured Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell directing play and working with Jamison Gibson-Park one of eight Irishmen in the XV Schmidt has entrusted the playmaking duties to -year-old Tom Lynagh the son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh The quietly confident Lynagh is starting a test for the first time and working with Jake Gordon The Lions will be expecting scrum dominance and for a hard edge will be relying on a front row featuring Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong and hooker Dan Sheehan and England prop Ellis Genge For the Wallabies -test veteran James Slipper is starting in his second series against the Lions and looking for revenge He ll be packing down with Allan Ala alatoa who has caps and young hooker Matt Faessler For the first time since more than a century there are no Welshmen in the Lions test squad Latest series Brisbane is a city where the Lions have had success In when Michael Lynagh was Australia s playmaker the Wallabies won the opening match in Sydney - before the Lions rallied to take a brutal second test - in Brisbane dubbed the Battle of Ballymore The Lions won the decider back in Sydney which was famous for an errant pass by Australian winger David Campese that gifted a simple try and lead to the visitors The series opener in Brisbane felt more like a home challenge for the Lions with the Gabba stadium filled with fans wearing red That helped propel the Lions to a win over the World Cup champions But the Australians rallied to win in Melbourne and Sydney to clinch a historic series win Twelve years ago on the last tour to Australia the Lions again won in Brisbane - when Wallabies goalkicker Kurtley Beale slipped and missed a last-minute penalty attempt The Wallabies won the second test in Melbourne when Leigh Halfpenny missed a late shot at goal that would have clinched the series for the Lions The Lions dominated in Sydney to clinch the series Tour so far The Lions are perfect in Australia since a - loss to Argentina in a warmup in Dublin They had wins over Super Rugby franchises Western Force Queensland Reds Waratahs and Brumbies before last Saturday s - demolition of an AUNZ invitational XV AP rugby https apnews com hub rugby Source