Wallabies’ second-half surge gives Schmidt confidence they can level the series against the Lions

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) – Joe Schmidt saw enough spirit in a second-half comeback by his young Wallabies lineup to feel confident they can level the series next week despite losing the first test to the British and Irish Lions.

“This time last year we would have melted,” Schmidt said after the 27-19 loss on Saturday, “but I love the way this team is developing.”

The Lions overpowered the Australians in the early exchanges and led 24-5 just after halftime. The Lions, coming off a series of five wins in tour games, had all the momentum for the first 50 minutes and the ball was bouncing their way.

But late tries to replacements Carlo Tizzano and Tate McDermott cut the final margin to eight points.

“Very proud of the way the players fought their way back,” Schmidt said. “A comparatively young side … still finding their way.

“There was enough demonstration that we’re already desperate, but we’ve got to be more accurate.”

The Wallabies have been a work in progress since Schmidt was hired in the wake of Australia’s failure to make the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup in 2023. The Wallabies had six wins in 13 tests in a 2024 season that ended in a 22-19 loss to Ireland in Dublin to earn back some credibility, and opened this international season with a narrow 21-18 win over Fiji two weeks ago.

Another week together and the return of forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini from injury will help the Wallabies next week in Melbourne, where they need a win to ensure the series is alive going into the third and final test in Sydney.

The team is “desperate to keep the series alive,” Schmidt said.

“Melbourne is going to be massive for both teams.”

Blindside flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny made his test debut in Brisbane and 22-year-old Tom Lynagh, son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh, started a test for the first time at No. 10.

Lynagh made some good runs, kicked well and defended bravely but, as Schmidt noted, the young flyhalf was forced to be more reactive than proactive in attack because of the way the Lions were dominating the first half.

He was tackled in the air by Tom Curry as he leaped to take a high ball just before the break but continued until midway through the second half to help claw back some momentum for the home team.

Replacement scumhalf McDermott had an immediate impact off the bench, creating a try for Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i that was disallowed and then scoring one of the two late tries for Australia.

British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell is expecting the Australians to be more cohesive and more dangerous in the second test, and he has cautioned his players to look at history.

In 2001, the Lions won the first test in Brisbane and then lost in Melbourne and Sydney as Australia rallied for an historic series victory. In 2013, the Lions narrowly won in Brisbane before losing the second test in Melbourne. They needed a big lift in Sydney to clinch that series.

“We know what’s coming,” Farrell said. “We know what happened in the second half here and we roll into the second game knowing full well what happened in 2013.”

“When an Australia team becomes desperate, it is difficult to handle, so we expect a different game next weekend,” he added. “We need to make sure we are ready for them to be at their best (because) it’ll take a better performance than what we’ve shown here to make sure we get a win next week.”