Former All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald believes that Joe Schmidt\u2019s Wallabies will win the British and Irish Lions series, but legendary winger Jeff Wilson strongly disagrees.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Australian teams have impressed during Super Rugby Pacific this season, which Donald feels is a strong indication that they can knock over the famous invitational team, particularly after the Wallabies claimed morale-boosting wins in November.<\/p>\n
Schmidt\u2019s charges defeated England and Wales during the end-of-year tour and pushed Ireland all the way, but came undone against Scotland.<\/p>\n
Ex-All Blacks weigh in on Lions series<\/p>\n
Donald<\/a>, who was in attendance for the Blues\u2019 victory over the Western Force at the weekend, believes he saw enough quality on display to be confident about the Wallabies<\/a>\u2018 chances.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Aussies will win the Lions series<\/a>,\u201d he boldly stated on the Breakdown show.<\/p>\n \u201cThey got some hope out of their spring tour [November internationals] that would have given them confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get specific here, their tight five will survive at set-piece time and athletically if they can get the game played at tempo and ball and play with big minutes, they will also have the ability to take it places I don\u2019t think the Lions can go.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got so much depth in the loose forwards, and midfielders everywhere. They\u2019ve got a superstar [Joseph Suaalii] who\u2019s getting better and better every time he turns out and after being live and watching the Force \u2013 who let\u2019s be honest contribute very little historically to the Wallabies \u2013 we saw three or four footballers out there who would add huge amounts to the Wallabies team already in positions of great depth. Harry Potter, Carlo Tizzano, Ben Donaldson again and Nic White \u2013 we know his quality.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was enough there for me to go, \u2018Tell you, what you sprinkle that on top of the Brumbies, Waratahs and Reds, there are some players there.’\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if Australia could win 3-0, Donald replied: \u201cOh look I haven\u2019t gone into numbers but they\u2019re winning the series.\u201d<\/p>\n Brumbies v Waratahs: Five takeaways as Joseph Suaalii must learn from Sonny Bill Williams\u2019 mistake before B&I Lions Series<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Nigel Owens \u2018braced\u2019 for limited Welsh influence in British and Irish Lions squad but reveals one snub that would \u2018shock\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe Lions shouldn\u2019t lose any series\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow former All Black, Mils Muliaina, was convinced by the ex-playmaker\u2019s prediction but felt that the Lions would have the edge at fly-half.<\/p>\n \u201cI like what you\u2019ve talked about, the problem they\u2019ve got is the Lions haven\u2019t named their team yet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m probably swaying towards patriotism because it\u2019s the ANZAC but I like what he\u2019s talking about, but I think they need a decent first-five.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the Wallabies, there hasn\u2019t quite been someone that\u2019s really unpredictable right now and I think that\u2019s where they\u2019re going to possibly struggle.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean you look at the other side, Marcus Smith possibly stars for the Lions that would be and that\u2019s a position where I think that the Lions may have one over Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n But legendary winger Wilson was not having any of it as he feels that Andy Farrell\u2019s squad will have too much quality in the front-five for the Wallabies.<\/p>\n He also feels that the Lions should be winning every series that they partake in given the teams they are able to draw players from before issuing a savage takedown on Wales.<\/p>\n \u201cFor starters, the Lions shouldn\u2019t lose any series because they\u2019re four international squads,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, three international squads and whatever Wales can offer in terms of backup support crew, so they should come with a stacked team every single time they come on tour.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about it that they will be a beast, a beast of an organisation who will be well and truly prepared and well coached.<\/p>\n \u201cYou [Donald] didn\u2019t mention one tight five player and the top five is where this series will be won and lost, it always is against the Lions because ultimately they\u2019ll be well prepared, they\u2019ll be well conditioned and they will be fit. So ultimately, I look at this and go you know what I can\u2019t see right now a tight five for three Test matches [from Australia] that\u2019s going to be able to hang with them three weeks in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n