Captain Harry Wilson Backs Wallabies To Surprise British & Irish Lions In First Test

Australia skipper Harry Wilson said nan Wallabies were assured of beating nan British & Irish Lions successful nan first Test astatine Lang Park connected Saturday contempt being dense underdogs aft losing respective cardinal players to injury.

The Wallabies person won only 4 of their past 11 Tests and connected Saturday will beryllium without regular fly-half Noah Lolesio and their champion Test subordinate of nan past 2 years, loose guardant Rob Valetini.

Wilson expressed assurance successful their replacements, debutant flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny and playmaker Tom Lynagh, and said nan full squad were fresh to guidelines up and beryllium counted successful beforehand of a sell-out crowd.

“We’re very confident,” nan No 8 said connected Friday.

“We’ve had a really bully week preparation. We’ve done everything we’ve wanted to do, and we consciousness for illustration we’re successful a really bully place.

“The only point we tin power is what we’ve done during nan week and what we’re going to spell retired location and do tomorrow night.”

Coach Joe Schmidt said connected Thursday that Wilson would person to transportation much shot connected Saturday but his skipper thought everyone successful nan battalion would request to capable nan void near by Valetini against a large Lions pack.

“I’d opportunity each of america person to,” Wilson said. “The point pinch Bobby is he takes nan reliable carries for us, week in, week out. It’s thing you don’t return for granted, but you conscionable admit a bloke who tin return connected two, 3 people.

“And I deliberation nan full guardant battalion has sewage to really measurement up, because erstwhile you’re missing a subordinate for illustration him, it’s evidently not ideal, but if everyone conscionable picks up that small 10%, I deliberation it’s very exciting.”

Wilson plays his nine rugby pinch Lynagh astatine nan Queensland Reds and said nan 22-year-old had revealed a caller broadside to himself up of his first Test commencement astatine fly-half.

“He doesn’t overuse his words,” Wilson said. “This week, he really has recovered a sound successful nan group.

“He knows erstwhile he gets that 10 connected his back, it’s his squad and that’s nan measurement he’s treated it and he’s been talking to us, telling america what he wants. I conscionable want to watch him spell to play.”

Wilson said he had spoken to John Eales, who captained nan winning Wallabies successful 2001, and James Horwill, who led nan broadside that mislaid nan 2013 bid 2-1, and had a clear thought of what he wanted from Saturday night.

“Definitely to bask nan moment,” he said. “None of america person really sewage to bask thing for illustration this truthful a sold-out stadium, we really want to return it in.

“But we’ve sewage a occupation to do and for america it’s astir focusing connected ourselves, conscionable trying to triumph each infinitesimal successful beforehand of our face.”