A small, cramped press conference room in the biggest sports stadium in the southern hemisphere was the scene for one of the more surreal post-match briefings with the respective head coaches and captains after the Lions’ dramatic series-clinching victory over Australia at the MCG.
Each were conducted to the backdrop of the Lions players loudly going through a post-match song list in the nearby away ‘shed’ as they say hereabouts. At times it was hard to hear Andy Farrell and Maro Itoje. both describing the second Test victory to clinch a series win as “what dreams are made of”. And it was even harder to hear Joe Schmidt when he quietly seethed against the officials’ decision not to award Australia a penalty and thus overturn Hugo Keenan’s last-minute, match-winning try.
Farrell and Itoje’s press conference had barely begun when the Lions players could be heard singing their ever-changing version of Rocking All Over The World, which includes a reference to ‘Captain Maro’ and, it seemed, ‘Big Faz the coach’.
A broad smile came across Itoje’s face as he recognised the lyrics. “See what you guys are making me miss out!”
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On being informed it was the biggest Lions comeback in a Test, Farrell agreed it doesn’t get any better.
“Not really when you see what it means to everyone. You can hear them can’t you? These lads have dreamed of being a British and Irish Lion all their lives and to get to the point when we come to the MCG with 90-odd thousand people with a dramatic finish like that to win the series, is what dreams are made of and no one can deny that for us now.
“It is a special moment for everyone, we are absolutely delighted that we showed the courage and what it takes to be a Lion.”
“To me, this is a dream for everyone in that dressingroom,” Farrell added when discussing some of the big plays and big moments in the game such as Tom Curry’s crucial tackle on Joseph Suaalii early in the second half when the Wallabies might have gone 14 or 16 points ahead.
“I’ve said it before, they’ve dreamt of being a British and Irish Lion all of their life. To get to a point now where Hugo Keenan scores a try in the last minute to win a series in Australia, if you’re a child watching that back home, do you want to be a British and Irish Lion? One hundred per cent.
“That’s the dream and that’s the fairytale that these lads have wished for since they were this high. It’s alive and kicking and we’re over the moon.”
Farrell paid credit to the Wallabies’ performance.
“They were good. They turned up. I suppose the drama and how it unfolded is what makes it special. We came here to win a series. To do it in that type of fashion, you wouldn’t have backed us at 23-5 but to find a way adds to the story, doesn’t it? It adds to the fairytale.
“To be a part of it is an honour, it really is. 2013 was special, 1-1, and being able to win it at the death, but we won quite comfortably in the end. To win it like that is what top level sport is all about. It’s cruel in so many ways for Australia but we stayed in the fight and we got what we deserved.”
Asked if he wanted Finn Russell to opt for a drop goal in the final play, Farrell said: “Finn doesn’t do drop goals. He’s not done many in his career. Have a look at Jamison Gibson-Park’s play towards the end. He’s absolutely everywhere, fizzing the ball at speed, and he’s been playing that way for 79 minutes.
“Have a look at the carries we had, getting over the gainline, people constantly offering themselves, the breakdown and the instinct we had to just keep on playing. It just shows the courage of the side.”
Itoje reflected on his lap of the pitch, by which stage there was only red in the house, and this included his wife Mimi, whom he married last summer.
“It was surreal. These are one of the moments in your life that you will cherish,” said Itoje. “This will live long in the memory. Often in sport you have to move on to the next thing, you have to focus on what is next and focus on the next challenge. No doubt we will do that after tonight’s celebration. But every now and again I think it’s important to saviour in moment.”
While the squad were evidently set on having a big night in Melbourne, they will return their focus to the clean sweep which Farrell targeted with them from the outset.
“No the plan will stay the same. Win or lose we trust the plan ahead. We will make sure we enjoy tonight that’s for sure, we have just made a bit of history, we are delighted with that.”
