The timing of the matches is perfect in terms of widespread interest and impact. Wake up early on Saturday morning, have breakfast, watch Lions beat Wallabies, go to pub, discuss Lions beating Wallabies. It s a cash-cow for Sky. It s a golden opportunity for rugby to be the main sporting talking-point the length and breadth of the country while football has two weeks off . Talk to almost anyone in the game, from either side of the divide, and they ll say the series is too close to call.
Forwards win matches, as they never tire of telling their back divisions.
As a consequence, the key area may well be the Wallabies ability to win enough possession to give their abrasive and powerful backs room to duck and dive and manoeuvre their way through the Lions defence. And more than that, it may come down to place-kicking. This surely is where the Lions will have the edge. No Mortlock for the Aussies because of injury. England will make up the bulk of the Lions starting line-up.