James Slipper or Angus Bell? That selection is shaping up to be one of the Wallabies’ biggest calls this week because of the evolving storyline of the Lions’ scrum. Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong clearly started the tour underdone, but he has moved through the gears with each passing week and some of his touches against the Brumbies on Wednesday were the “old Furlong” – the get-out-of-my-way attitude with ball in hand. Furlong’s trajectory suggests that Lions will attack the Wallabies’ scrum on Saturday, something that didn’t look likely after the initial tour games. Slipper’s selection ahead of Bell for the Fiji Test has muddied the waters a bit – Bell started in three of four of the Wallabies’ spring tour Tests.
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Can Moana Pasifika survive?
Doubts about Moana Pasifika’s future have re-emerged due to concerns about their sustainability, and although chief executive Debbie Sorensen insists their place in the 2026 competition is “confirmed”, the Rebels were similarly bullish before their eventual demise. Like all Super Rugby clubs, Moana Pasifika’s model is challenging and the Herald understands that New Zealand Rugby harbours real concerns about whether they can keep going. Should NZ Rugby pull the licence, do not be surprised about a return to a conference system in a 10-team competition, with the Australian teams plus the Fijian Drua and the New Zealand teams playing each other first before meeting up later in the competition. Watch this space, as the format for next year will have to be resolved in the coming months.
All nine matches of The British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia are live & on demand on Stan Sport, with Wallabies Tests in 4K. All Test matches live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.
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