Lions told: Beware Australian dirty tricks

LIONS boss Andy Farrell warned his side to look out for Australian dirty tricks after a bizarre row over pitch-watering following yesterday's 21-10 win over the Waratahs.

- ADAM HATHAWAY

Head coach Farrell reckoned the hosts had had the sprinklers on to blunt the Lions game but that was denied by the Waratahs who pointed at the cloudburst Sydney had endured earlier in the week when the Lions were in Queensland preparing to play the Reds.

Farrell quizzed his old teammate and coaching colleague Mike Catt, now with the Super Rugby franchise as an assistant, about the surface but got laughed at.

But Farrell insists the tourists should be able to deal with any curve balls thrown at them ahead of the Test opener in Brisbane on July 19, starting with Wednesday's clash with the Brumbies in Canberra. Farrell said: “We know what is coming and we have got to be ready for anything and able to adapt.

“The pitch was very wet and I was asking Catty after the game and he was laughing. I mean, that’s good tactics from them, isn’t it? That the ball’s slippy, the breakdown’s ferocious enough and the line speed is high octane stuff as well from them. We've seen that done plenty of times.”