Lions coach Farrell backs Wallabies as 2027 Rugby World Cup contenders

A former British rugby league captain, Farrell privately told his players before they flew to Australia that they had a real shot at a first series whitewash over the Wallabies in over 120 years.

He was still tooting his own horn after the Lions won the first two Tests to clinch the series with a game to spare, celebrating their fortuitous last-gasp win in Melbourne by holding an impromptu boozy drinking session in the middle of the MCG.

While he did at least shoot down suggestions the Wallabies should be dropped from the Lions’ future touring rosters because they weren’t competitive enough, Farrell has now done a complete U-turn after the Wallabies’ outplayed the combined might of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to win Saturday’s third and final Test 22-12 at a packed Accor Stadium.

“Obviously I went on record during the week saying I thought it was insulting about people asking the question about the Wallabies and Lions touring here,” he said.

“Everyone has their ups and downs. I’ve looked at the progress over the last 18 months, it’s been through the roof and you look at that side that’s been out there over the last three weeks, they’re a hell of a team.”

While winning a dead rubber doesn’t necessarily equate to winning games when the series is still alive, the narrow gap between the teams was nevertheless underlined by their points total across the series, with the Lions scoring 68 and Australia 67.

It’s clear the Wallabies have come on in leaps and bounds since Joe Schmidt took over as head coach last year following Eddie Jones’ disastrous second stint. And with Australia hosting the World Cup in 2027, Farrell now believes the two-time world champion Wallabies are getting back on track to be one of the main contenders to win the crown in two years’ time.

“I said to Joe before the game on the pitch that I think special things are going to happen for this team over the next 18 months and by the time the World Cup comes around there will be a force to be reckoned with like everyone’s seen in the past,” Farrell said.

“They’ve got some special athletes and some special players and that’s no surprise to us of how they’ve performed over the last couple of weeks.”

Farrell’s claims have a lot of merit because history is on the Wallabies’ side.

In each of the Lions’ previous three tours to Australia, the series ended in a 2-1 split, with the Wallabies going on to reach the final of the next World Cup.

In 1989, the Wallabies won the first Test against the Lions, but lost the next two. In 1991, the Wallabies won the World Cup for the first time.

In 2001, the Wallabies lost the first Test against the Lions, but won the next two to claim the series. In 2003, the Wallabies made the World Cup final, losing to England in extra-time.

In 2013, the Lions beat the Wallabies in a winner-takes-all third Test. Two years later the Wallabies made the World Cup final against New Zealand.

Told that Farrell was tipping Australia to achieve great things in 2027, Schmidt joked that he was about to argue with his former Ireland assistant, but called on more Aussies to get behind the team

“I believe everything Faz tells me,” Schmidt said.

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“Faz and I are good friends, go back a long way, have worked together a lot, and would also be quite like-minded around probably studying other teams. And I’d like to think that he’s right.

“What I do know is how hard these players work and if people want to come and support a team that are prepared to work hard, then this is a good team.

“It’s a big tournament coming up in two years’ time and the more support we can earn, the better we can grow and progress as a team over the next year and beyond.”