Wasps
Tour Report: Lions Tour 2013 Part One – Melbourne
Hoorah!
By WaspieKev
July 22 2013
I arrived to a freezing-fog-bound morning in Melbourne after a 24 hour journey the Monday before the 2nd test. Flippin’ heck it was cold at 6am, and the sight of skis being boarded onto trains didn’t bode well. Although I didn’t know it at the time, the weather would rapidly improve throughout the week and be sunny and mild for the duration.
After checking in at the hotel in South Yarra and heading off for a day’s sightseeing the major thing that struck me was the near total lack of advertising for the Lions tour.
I guess that even in sport-mad Melbourne with the MCG, AAMI, Etihad, Olympic Pool, Rod Laver Tennis Complex, river sports and numerous Rugby League and AFL stadiums all within spitting distance of each other that was down to the fact that the State of Origin was in full swing and a number of Aussie Rules matches were also being played during the week. Having said that, the midweek game against the Rebels was sold out so I watched that one for free in Federation Square bar on the understanding I kept on drinking some of their very gassy Aussie lager. You really wouldn’t have known the match was being played though as the MCG was hosting an AFL game at the same time and being broadcast on more big screens than the Lions, but as nearly 30,000 turned up to watch it live and apparently being the first time a Union match had sold out at the AAMI stadium it wasn’t all bad, although the competition left a lot to be desired.
I met up with some of my Sarries friends for the rest of the week whilst waiting for my wife Fiona to join us in Sydney and we enjoyed many meals and discussions over team selection for the upcoming 2nd test and who was likely to start, and of course how they’d pinched Billy off of us! I believe I’m still owed a few schooners of Aussie fizzy pop for successfully winning the bet that Farrell, Stevens and Barritt wouldn’t start the match. On second thoughts, maybe I’ll pass on that one!
The atmosphere was relaxed all week and there was a feeling that with the Lions already leading the series 1-0 they only had to turn up to win. The nervousness that I had expected to be there simply wasn’t and I think it’s fair to say the sea of red, which increased day by day, displayed a high degree of arrogance in believing a 3-0 whitewash was a mere formality. We waited with anticipation for the team announcement and on a personal level I was desperately hoping that Christian Wade might be in with a sniff of a chance although realistically still expected the huge bludgeoners to retain their places. Then we heard the news: Vunipola to replace Corbisiero in the front row. Bowe in for Cuthbert – no Christian. Youngs in for Phillips. Lydiate in for Croft and Parling replacing the unfortunate O’Connell. Still no Roberts. Tipuric on the bench. Heaslip continuing ahead of the in-form Faletau and the Scottish contingent presumably enjoying life on the St Kilda beaches. Without knowing about any injury situations that may have forced the changes this was all beginning to look a bit odd (but as a result slightly less Welsh) and the debates continued everywhere particularly over the choice of forwards. Still, the optimism continued and Melbourne the night before the match was taken over - pubs, restaurants, clubs, Fed Square, hotels, parks and any piece of empty pavement were painted red. If you had gone on a Wallaby hunt you’d have been very lucky to see one.
Finally to match day. The debates were over and the consensus was that the Lions would win another close one and secure the series leaving everybody with a stress-free week to look forward to in Sydney. Secretly (and I’m ashamed to admit it), I was hoping we would lose so that the excitement would be heightened in Sydney and that my wife, who was already in the air courtesy of Singapore Airlines, would get to watch a meaningful match. Little did I know then about the dramatic events that were going to occur.
The trip to the Etihad Stadium with its tightly closed roof took little over 20 minutes but it seemed like hours. Ever since I had watched us lose the 3 tests against NZ in 2005 and the opening two tests in South Africa I had been dreaming of the opportunity to actually see a Lions team win live. Again, another AFL match was being played that night and there was little banter between the 4 different sets of travelling supporters on the train. The Wallabies were looking quite apprehensive whilst the sea of red were stupidly grinning at them. What the AFL fans thought of this nobody knows, because outside of their own sport nothing else seems to matter. Off I went to the Supporters Village to find the place packed, steaming hot and with an amazing atmosphere. Free beer, wine and food was flowing everywhere. Andy Nicol was compering the event and amongst the special guests were a who’s who of former Lions including Wasps very own Roger Uttley and Simon Shaw, and the Manic Street Preachers who did a sterling job in managing to play louder than the raucous Lions supporters. There was no doubt – the Lions were going to win. Against my normal routine I left early to take my place in the stand to savour the occasion. I wasn’t disappointed, although my seat was a bit closer to the pitch than I would have preferred. There was plenty of yellow in abundance early on, mainly caused by the free hats the ARU were giving out, but it didn’t take long for the sea of red to appear and balance the stadium numbers out. If there had been an award for the loudest set of fans there was only one winner there!
The waiting was almost over. My camera, iPad and phone were all fully charged and pointing at the tunnel, pitch and basically anything that looked good for a photo. I was surrounded by Welsh guys and gals and all I could think was what a great opportunity it would have been to be a burglar in Cardiff, Llanelli or Newport! The noise that erupted as the Lions took to the field is something I’ll never forget. My voice had gone long before the strains of “Advance Australia Fair” had even started. I committed this all to the iPad for future posterity with the intention of playing it back endlessly when I’m having a bad day. The tension as the match progressed was unbearable and I completely forgot to take any more photos or video. Leigh Halfpenny kicked us into a 15-9 lead but the Wallabies were pressing all 2nd half. It’s like watching Wasps of old I thought. In fairness the game hadn’t been great – we hadn’t created any real chances – but there was only 5 minutes to go. My dream was almost complete and then BANG!! Over goes Adam Ashley-Cooper and the flippin’ conversion too. It hit me like a bullet, but we were only 1 point behind and then as if by magic we’re awarded a penalty in the 2nd minute of the last play. Up stepped 1/2p to kick us to glory. Suddenly I remembered my iPad and that I needed to record the winning moment forever. From my vantage point the kick looked over all the way, but sadly it fell short and the realisation of a one point defeat kicked in. It wasn’t a good place to be so I made my way back to the Supporters Village through the sounds of Waltzing Matilda. The mood there was sombre and quite depressing so after some more free fizzy pop I started the journey back to the hotel to pack my bags for the flight to Sydney. However, back on the train I realised I had a glint in my eye as the loss meant that not only did Fiona now have a meaningful match to look forward to as well, but that we could also enjoy a fantastic build-up and stress-filled week in Sydney. Roll on next Saturday I mused – we still have a chance to win it!
My memories of Melbourne will never die. The friendliness of the Aussie people and their way of life, the cleanliness, the cost of eating and drinking (!!!), the rotten lager, the fantastic tram system, the beaches and weather. The match, even though we lost, will live long in the memory for the sheer drama of those last 7 minutes, and I feel very privileged to have been part of it.
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