Rugby’s Social Media Moments of the Week: British and Irish Lions end Tour with a whimper

The British and Irish Lions finished their tour of Australia with a defeat against the Wallabies in Sydney, which meant that they did not manage to secure a first series sweep since 1927.

As a result, many have branded the tour as a disappointment, and it has sparked debates about whether the Lions still have the same magic that they have had over the years, and where they rank amongst fans’ hierarchies of support.

There has been plenty of debate about it on social media, with plenty of opinions flying about.

Elsewhere, other pieces of news have got fans talking, such as Jim Hamilton’s claim that club rugby should go semi-pro.

Here are some of the most talked-about social media moments from the weekend that you might have missed.

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Lions End Tour with a Whimper

The British and Irish Lions ended their tour on a disappointing note with a chaotic and weather-disrupted defeat in the final Test against Australia in Sydney.

Played in torrential rain and halted for 40 minutes due to nearby lightning strikes, the Lions were outclassed by a determined Wallabies side, losing 22-12.

The hosts, considered underdogs, outscored the Lions three tries to two and dominated much of the match’s physical and dramatic moments.

Key players, including Maro Itoje and Tommy Freeman, failed head injury assessments in brutal conditions, while James Ryan was knocked unconscious in a worrying collision.

After the restart, Australia capitalised on the Lions’ errors, with Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott crossing the line to seal the win. Although late tries from Jac Morgan and Will Stuart added respectability to the scoreline, the Lions’ effort fell short.

The loss capped a frustrating tour that never really saw Andy Farrell’s side play to their full potential.

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Debates on Club v Country v Lions hierarchy

Since the series has concluded, there has been a lot of discourse online about the hierarchy of support and which team fans would rather do well out of club, country and Lions.

Almost everyone agreed that their own country far outweighs the Lions tour; however, some England fans did put the recent series in Australia above England’s tour to Argentina, but admitted that it was only because there was a slightly larger rivalry with the Wallabies and a bit more prestige.

The club v country debate is an interesting one and seemed to depend on where the respondent was from. Those with a big Prem club on their doorstep tended to opt towards club over country, whereas those who live a distance away (but still support) a team tended to lean towards country.

Whatever the hierarchy, fans want to see every team they support do well, and the end of the Lions tour was disappointing for those from the Home Nations.

Jim Hamilton on “sorting” club rugby

Former Scotland international Jim Hamilton put out a surprising statement on X over the weekend, claiming that club rugby is struggling financially and needs to go semi-pro to be sorted.

It came after stating that international rugby is thriving, as evidenced by the recent Lions tour and summer internationals, and that the powers that be should “double down on it”.

Most agree with Hamilton’s statement about the international game being in a good place at the moment, but lots have disagreed with him, saying that club rugby can only be financially sorted if it goes semi-pro.

People have said that it would kill the club game and that large pools of players would simply switch to rugby league if the sport stopped being professional, which in turn would kill the international scene.

Others have pointed towards the Top 14 as an example of club rugby thriving right now.

Hamilton has had support for these claims, though, referencing the financial struggles in the Prem as an indication that player wages are too high and that going semi-pro could fix it.

Marlie Packer Escapes Ban

England flanker Marlie Packer will be available for the team’s Rugby World Cup opener against the United States later this month after receiving a one-match suspension for her red card against Spain.

Packer was sent off during the second half of England’s 97-7 warm-up win for a dangerous clear-out on Spain’s Claudia Pena. 

The foul play review committee upheld the red card, classifying it as a low-end offence.

Her suspension was reduced from two matches to one due to mitigating factors, including Pena avoiding injury. 

As a result, Packer will only miss the upcoming warm-up match against France.

The incident highlighted ongoing concerns over the “crocodile roll” technique, which was banned by World Rugby last year due to its injury risks. 

Despite the red card, Packer had performed well, scoring one of England’s 15 tries.

It slightly overshadowed what was otherwise a dominant display by the Red Roses and a strong showing from Packer in her return as captain.

Newcastle Red Bulls make first big move

Since the ownership of Red Bull was confirmed this past week, there has been heightened speculation as to who they might sign with their new financial situation.

Gloucester second row Freddie Clarke is the first name through the door, bringing almost 200 professional appearances to Kingston Park in the process.

Clarke has previously been called up to England camps, but has never worn his national jersey. Despite this, he is one of the more consistent players in the Prem and, at 32 years old, will bring a lot of experience.

He will provide a strong replacement for Pedro Rubiolo, who has joined Bristol Bears ahead of the upcoming season.

By Charlie Elliott

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