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Andy Farrell speaking to the media.Billy Stickland/INPHO

postcard from oz

Landing to a Farrell storm in rugby league heartland Sydney

State of Origin is the biggest thing on the locals’ minds right now.

1.14pm, 4 Jul 2025

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Murray Kinsella

Reports from Sydney

THERE WAS A smattering of people in Lions gear on the flight from Doha to Sydney, including one fella who had set off from the Isle of Wight. He’s been saving for years to chase the Lions around Australia in a camper van.

And in Sydney today, there were Lions fans to be spotted, but only if you were really looking. It’s a bit early for the Sea of Red to start building up momentum, with the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane still two weeks away.

The truth is that the locals in Sydney aren’t getting too excited yet, rugby union diehards excepted.

This is rugby league heartland. A whopping nine of the 17 clubs in the National Rugby League [NRL] are based in Sydney. The top five teams who have won the most NRL titles are here.

The Lions play in Sydney tomorrow, taking on the Waratahs, but there is far more excitement locally about next week’s third and decisive State of Origin game. That clash between New South Wales, the state in which Sydney is set, and Queensland Reds is on at the same time as the Lions play the Brumbies, which won’t be good for Australian TV viewing figures for the latter.

If you’ve never seen Origin before, it’s worth checking out. The annual three-game series between the two rival states is generally enthralling. Physically brutal, hugely skilful, dramatic and gripping. It is pure sporting theatre. And the Aussies love it, especially in Sydney.

So that’s where the general sporting excitement lies at the moment. The Lions being in town should mean a much bigger home crowd for the Waratahs at the 42,500-capacity Allianz Stadium – also home to the NRL’s Sydney Roosters and soccer club Sydney FC – than is usually the case.

We haven’t even mentioned Aussie rules yet. In terms of average attendance numbers, Aussie rules is the most popular sport in the country. There are two AFL clubs in Sydney. Then there’s cricket, basketball, and netball.

Allianz Stadium in Sydney.Dan Sheridan / INPHO

Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

So you need to be winning to get the locals’ attention. The Waratahs haven’t been doing that enough in recent years. Their only Super Rugby title came back in 2014. Last year, they finished bottom of the competition. They made a promising start this year but faded away, winning six of their 14 games.

It’s exciting for them to take on the Lions but with an inexperienced team weakened by the loss of seven players to Wallabies camp, there are fears it could be a chastening evening. Which wouldn’t be the image the Tahs would want Sydney to see.

The third Lions Test takes place at Sydney’s 82,000-capacity Accor Stadium, which also hosts Origin III next week, and there’s no doubt the week leading into that game will be huge for rugby union here. The hope is that a highly competitive Test series means everything is on the line for what would be a captivating final clash.

The Lions did their best to catch the attention of the wider sporting world yesterday. Upon setting foot in Sydney Airport after the 24-hour journey from Dublin, it was immediately obvious that something big had happened.

“That’s a mad decision from Farrell,” and “Is Owen Farrell on your flight?” were among the first messages that pinged on WhatsApp.

This meant pulling out the laptop while standing at the baggage carousel to file the first bit of copy from Down Under. Then it was into an Uber car directly to the Lions’ team hotel for Andy Farrell’s press conference. Trackie pants, a cap, and an unkempt, unwashed look aren’t great in terms of professionalism but needs must.

Farrell was asked 36 questions in total. 19 of them were about his son. At one stage, Lions communications manager David O’Siochain stepped in to ask the room if there were any questions about the Waratahs game. But the interest in Owen was entirely understandable.

There was always going to be a storm if he was added to the squad. The Farrells knew that. And even though the Lions head coach called out the “nonsense” that has surrounded his son for years now, this huge story is good for the tourists and good for rugby in Australia. It adds another layer of intrigue to this campaign.

Billy Stickland / INPHO

Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

Included among the in-flight entertainment options onboard from Doha were the Lions documentaries from previous tours. Rewatching the 2013 edition proved instructive in a few ways.

Firstly, there was the striking scene where the great Paul O’Connell highlights one player after the Lions’ first warm-up game against the Barbarians.

“It’s funny that one of the youngest guys on the team, Owen Farrell, is the guy that was driving everyone on,” said O’Connell.

“We all need to add that extra bit to our game and push each other around the corner, push each other to get off the ground.

“The guy is 22 years of age, barking at everyone, driving everyone around the pitch. We should all be f**king doing it.”

Farrell was actually still only 21 at that stage. And while it was 12 years ago, O’Connell’s words sum up what has made Farrell a great of the game ever since.

Elsewhere in that documentary, defence coach Andy Farrell delivers one of his stirring speeches before the decisive third Test against the Wallabies.

Most people remember the part where he tells the Lions to take the Australians to “the hurt arena,” but the closing part of his message was the most important.

“Our mentality is going to be a different mentality to what the Lions teams have had over the last 16 years,” said Farrell. “Cos over the last 16 years, it’s been about failure.

“You shock yourself by taking yourself to another level because that’s what being a Lion is about.