I captained the Lions to a series win. Here’s what I’d say if I was Wallabies skipper

I was fortunate enough to win many great trophies, tournaments and series in my career, but I always remind people I lost all those trophies, tournaments and series, too.

So I can understand the difficulty for the Wallabies in preparing for the third Test in Sydney this week, with the British and Irish Lions having already claimed the series.

What would I say to the team if I was the captain and in this situation? It would be simple, and along these lines: “You are fighting for respect and pride. That’s what you fight for anyway, all the time, but you do not want to lose 3-0 at home. You were winning for 79 minutes last week, and you showed what you could do. You can score tries, and you can make it difficult for the Lions. Do it again.”

These guys get to where they are because they’re competitors. They are not always the most talented kids when they are 11 years old, but they’re always the guys who are competitors and still get their way to the top. Loads of those guys would have been told they weren’t good enough, and had their knockbacks. But they just kept coming. So they’re hardwired competitors.

Stan Sport British Lions Commentator Martin JohnsonCredit: Stan Sport

And that’s what it’s all about in Test matches. You need to find that extra little bit on top, and to be able to dig deep. That’s where the Wallabies mindset will need to be this week.

Do they harness the controversy of the Melbourne game? No doubt. They’re coming off a disappointing loss, and you always feel aggrieved after losing, whatever the situation. You always feels an injustice somewhere, somehow, because that’s the mindset that you need.

That’s the mindset that works. Thinking happy thoughts and being in a beautiful place, that’s not the mindset that works for teams. They need to be upset, disappointed, bitter, angry, vengeful and wanting to destroy everything in their path.

It’s just as fascinating to think about the Lions’ mindset will be this week, too, however.

I have had experience in playing in a so-called dead rubber in a Lions series. In 1997, I captained the Lions and we won the first two Tests against South Africa, to secure the series.

We’d beaten the Springboks in a very, very close series and they were desperate to not be beaten 3-0 to home. We’d done what no one thought we could do; we’d climbed the mountain. It was very difficult to say ‘oh and climb this other little hill as well’.

Wallabies captain Harry Wilson.Credit: Getty Images

It’s a bit different in this series, however.

The Lions not only have a chance to make some history of their own, with a 3-0 win. But I sense they feel a little bit unfulfilled in terms of how they’ve played, and Lions captain Maro Itoje said something along those lines after the game on TV.

Big Test matches are not always the most enjoyable games of rugby in the purest sense of ‘we had a great time and the rugby was beautiful to watch’ - they are what they are.

But that was a great game on Saturday, eight tries and it was good entertainment.

British Lions captain Martin Johnson, left, with coach Graham Henry, centre, and teammate Keith Wood, ahead of the 2001 tour.Credit: PA

But again, looking at where a team’s heads are going to be, for the Lions, the last Test is always difficult for your touring team. They’re at the end of a long tour, and they will have had that relief and satisfaction last Saturday of winning.

So you have to adapt and adjust, in terms of motivation.

When you have a guy like Finn Russell running your team at 10, and he plays a run-pass game, you can imagine this Lions team will be thinking: we can show that we’ve got we’ve got more than we’ve showed so far. With the pressure off, so to speak, that’s may be a source of freedom for the team to just go out and play, and show their skills.

They need to be upset, disappointed, bitter, angry, vengeful and wanting to destroy everything in their path.

But that freedom can go two ways, as well. So really, trying to predict this game is very difficult. Which is what makes it fascinating.

The Wallabies will be aiming to finish 2-1, and let the history books show the deciding factor was a last-minute try in Melbourne. Lions series are usually won and lost by fine margins. In 1997, we went into the third Test 2-0 up, but it could have been 1-1 or we could have been down 0-2. It was that tight.

That’s how it goes, right? It’s not a stage play it’s a sporting event. No one knows what will happen. And that’s why we love it.

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