Watergate: Lions coach Andy Farrell accuses Waratahs of dirty tactics after messy win

After watching his side struggle to put away the $51 outsiders, British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell made the bizarre accusation that the Allianz Stadium pitch was deliberately over-watered.

British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell made the bizarre accusation that the Allianz Stadium pitch was deliberately over-watered ahead of his side’s messy 21-10 win over the Waratahs.

After scoring back-to-back half centuries against the Force and Reds to start their tour, the Lions were off the pace against a fired up Waratahs outfit on Saturday.

The Tahs’ defensive line speed and breakdown intensity put the misfiring Lions under pressure in one of Dan McKellar’s side’s best performances of 2025.

Farrell mentioned the supposedly wet pitch unprompted, and just 30 seconds into his post-match press conference when he was asked about the Waratahs’ good breakdown work.

“For whatever reason – and I actually don’t care, it was great for us – the pitch was very wet,” he said.

“I was asking (Waratahs assistant) Mike Catt after the game and he was laughing.

“That’s good tactics from them isn’t it? The ball’s slippery, breakdown’s ferocious enough, and the line speed is high octane stuff as well from them.

“We kept on trying to overplay at times, certainly around halfway and putting ourselves under pressure and keeping them in the game.

“I believe it could be wet on Wednesday, so we’ll take that.”

British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell was unimpressed with the wet Allianz Stadium pitch. Picture: Getty Images

Farrell tried to laugh the accusations off when pushed on it, but stressed he didn’t think the pitch needed to be watered.

“We’ve seen that done plenty of times,” he said. “I don’t know whether the pitch needed watering.”

Told there had been torrential rain earlier in the week courtesy of a ‘bomb cyclone’, Farrell said: “We know all that.

“But we’ve been here for two days and it’s been glorious.

“The pitch was ok. We’re not complaining.”

Waratahs captain Hugh Sinclair was blunt when asked about Farrell’s comments.

“Did you see the weather on Tuesday? It f***ing sucked mate,” he replied.

McKellar didn’t have much time for it either.

“Andy was probably sunning himself in Brisbane on Tuesday, but it wasn’t pleasant in Sydney, that’s for sure,” he said.

“No no no. I’ve got too much to think about to be worried about watering the pitch.”

The Waratahs’ defensive line speed and breakdown intensity put the misfiring Lions under pressure. Picture: AFP

Farrell said the wet conditions would be ideal preparation for Wednesday’s game against the Brumbies in Canberra, when it is expected to rain.

“It’s good isn’t it? That’s what you’d do, if you’re waiting for this type of game to come – it’s huge for all the clubs,” he said.

“We talk about it, we know what’s coming. We’ve gotta realise every single game, that it doesn’t matter if we’re turning up to games and playing game after game, we know what’s coming.

“We’ve gotta be ready for anything and ready to adapt.

“It looks like there could be a bit of rain. That’s good for us. We need to play in that as well.”

The coach did give the Waratahs some credit for a brave performance though, but wanted more from his attack.

“We’re good when we’re direct,” he said. “We made linebreaks the whole time we were direct, it didn’t matter if it was off the nine or off 10.

“It’s whatever’s in front of your face that you’ve gotta adapt to.

“When the ball’s slow enough because of the pressure at the breakdown, then you can’t keep shoveling ball out wide and expecting to get on the front foot.”

How gutsy Tahs created havoc to prove Lions are ‘beatable’

The Waratahs made a mockery of the bookies, playing out of their skins against a misfiring Lions outfit, going down 21-10 at Allianz Stadium.

Dan McKellar’s side was paying an unbelievable $51 head-to-head earlier in the week, but, captained by Hugh Sinclair in his last ever game of professional rugby, put in one of their best performances of 2025.

Even rugby insiders feared a bloodbath after the Tahs fell away in the back end of the Super Rugby season, finishing eighth on the ladder as the third best Australian team.

Meanwhile, the Lions have been ruthless, putting together back-to-back half centuries against the Force and Reds.

The tourists put in easily their worst performance in Australia so far, but the Waratahs played with belief and daring in front of a sold out crowd.

The Tahs trailed 14-10 until the 54th minute, when halfback and Man-of-the-Match Alex Mitchell scored a nice solo try.

From there, the Lions’ contingent of Test match-quality replacements did enough to close out the side’s third win on tour.

Lions cross first against NSW Waratahs

“I’m super-proud,” Sinclair said.

“The Aussie media had a bit of a crack at us, thinking we were going to get beaten by 90 or 50 or 60 and we showed them.

“I wouldn’t mind a bit of positivity from them over the next couple of weeks.

“We showed up. It was scrappy, and the Lions wouldn’t be happy. But it shows they’re beatable.

“They’re just 15 blokes on a field. Put some pressure on and things can happen.”

The Lions must have heard some criticism of its scrum in the opening two matches of the tour, because they won three penalties in the first four scrums of the match.

The second one led to Scotland’s midfield pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones combining for the opening try of the game.

A few quick fire penalties allowed the Waratahs to piggyback down field, and Charlie Gamble — who was outstanding all night — scored in the corner, but it was disallowed due to foul play.

As if to rub it in, Jones scored his second at the other end just minutes later for a 14-0 advantage.

Waratahs score against Lions

After a slick offload from Taniela Tupou, Darby Lancaster finished off a nice move down the left wing, leaving the score 14-5 to the Lions at halftime.

The Waratahs took barely 90 seconds to cross the line in the second half, hooker Ethan Dobbins crashing over after a rolling maul from a lineout.

Mitchell’s try was his side’s only points in the second half, despite the Lions dominating territory and possession.

WHAT THE WALLABIES LEARNED

The Tahs’ defensive line speed created havoc for Lions fly half Fin Smith in the hour he was on the field.

It was left to their classy centres — and occasionally the Aussie-born Mack Hansen — to take playmaking into their own hands.

England’s Smith isn’t at the same level as Finn Russell, but the Wallabies must take the same approach if the Scottish fly half wears the number 10 jersey in two weeks’ time. Especially with the dynamic Jamison Gibson-Park offering so many dangers of his own at halfback.

Fellow English playmaker Marcus Smith played the final 20 minutes, and immediately changed the dynamic of the Lions’ attack, offering more width and depth.

Nicknamed ‘Huwipulotu’ the combination of Tuipulotu and Jones should strike fear into Wallabies defenders.

Tuipulotu is such a devastating runner, but has brilliant hands too and links so well with the even harder running Jones.

TUPOU WATCH

More than any other player on the park, the eyes were on Tupou, but the tight-head had a mixed bag, showing sparks of class, but going missing too often.

Tupou got over the line in the 27th minute, but was held up, before throwing a nice offload in the build-up to Lancaster’s try.

He was also penalised three times at scrum time in a performance that left his hopes of breaking back into the Wallabies side up in the air.

Lions strike back in second half

A GAMBLE WORTH TAKING

The open side flanker was brilliant. A constant menace at the breakdown, he outplayed the Lions’ 2022 World Rugby Player of the Year, Irish superstar Josh van der Flier.

Gamble won turnovers, earned penalties and generally disrupted the breakdown all evening and was unlucky to have his first half try disallowed.

A five-pointer would have been a perfect reward for his efforts.

Wallabies flankers Fraser McReight and Carlo Tizzano would have learned plenty from Gamble’s approach.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Wallabies squad when they rename it next week,” Sinclair said. “He deserves to be there.”

Darby Lancaster of the Waratahs celebrates scoring a try.

THE DREADED TMO

The TMO reared its ugly head again, getting needlessly involved far too often.

Gamble was denied a try when Fergus Lee-Warner obstructed the defence at a maul, and it seemed as though the men at the controls were looking for a reason not to award Lancaster’s try after suggesting Lee-Warner’s clean-out in the build-up was foul play.

Several Lions tries were also subjected to microscopic scrutiny, and rugby fans can only hope the TMO doesn’t have such an impact once the Test series starts.