Wallabies make history with striking new jersey detail as Brisbane comes alive with Lions fans
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BRISBANE: For the first time in Wallabies history, players will wear their surnames on the back of their jerseys when the British and Irish Lions series kicks off on Saturday night.
The team announced the news on Friday as the sold-out signs went up at Suncorp Stadium for the once every 12 year visit to Australia.
The Wallabies are bucking with tradition and following Test cricket's lead of moving with the times to make the sport more accessible to viewers. It will be fascinating to see how the team fits debutant Nick Champion de Crespigny's formidable surname on the fabric.
Watch all the action from the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match live and on demand
Brisbane's CBD was abuzz on Friday morning and awash with red jerseys with "Lions" cries bouncing around Queen Street Mall.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has taken the bold step of handing Tom Lynagh his first Test start at No.10 - 36 years after his famous father Michael took on the might of the Lions.
Andy Farrell's Lions lineup is bigger, more experienced and close to full strength, similar to the squad that beat the Brumbies in Canberra last week.
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British & Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje and Wallabies captain Harry Wilson. Getty
The Lions are 5-0 ahead of the three Test series since a 28-24 loss to Argentina in a warmup in Dublin.
They had wins over all of Australia's Super Rugby franchises — the Force, Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies - before last Saturday's 48-0 demolition of an AUNZ invitational XV in Adelaide.
The 22-year-old Lynagh will form a new halves combination with Jake Gordon in the biggest moment of his fledgling international career.
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"I'm really excited for Tom. He's got a quiet confidence about him, that gives us a quiet confidence as well," Schmidt said.
"He's given us the confidence that he's going to run the game for us. He's incredibly brave - to a fault."
The Lions won the series 2-1 on their last tour to Australia in 2013, avenging a 2-1 series loss to the Wallabies in 2001.
Michael and Tom Lynagh at Ballymore. Queensland Rugby Union
Michael Lynagh was part of the Australian team that lost the 1989 series 2-1 to the Lions, and he went on to help guide the Wallabies to a 1991 Rugby World Cup triumph.
His son was born in Italy, went to school in England and moved in 2021 to Australia, where he has flourished at the Reds and earned three Test caps off the bench.
They will become the first Wallabies father and son duo to play against the Lions.
Tom Lynagh looks on during a Wallabies training session at David Phillips Sports Complex. Getty
Lynagh's promotion comes after Noah Lolesio suffered a serious injury against Fiji.
Tom Lynagh will be the first Wallaby to follow in his father's footsteps in playing against the Lions.
"Probably not ideal to be starting your first Test match for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions," Schmidt admitted.
"But if not now, when?"
The opening game in the 2001 series in Brisbane felt more like a home game for the Lions, with the Gabba stadium filled with fans wearing red.
It propelled the Lions to a win over the 1999 World Cup champions.
But the Australians rallied and won the Melbourne and Sydney Tests to clinch the series.
Twelve years ago, on the last tour, the Lions again won in Brisbane - 23-21 - when Wallabies' goalkicker Kurtley Beale slipped and missed a last-minute penalty attempt.
The Wallabies won the second Test in Melbourne before the Lions dominated in Sydney to clinch the series.
