Twelve years on from winning a Lions Test in Brisbane, Johnny Sexton is hoping history can repeat itself at Suncorp.
The former Ireland out-half made his Test debut for the Lions in the 2013 series opener against the Wallabies as the tourists held out for a narrow 23-21 win, and he's back again in 2025, this time as part of Andy Farrell’s coaching ticket.
Sexton’s remit as kicking coach could come into sharp focus on Saturday.
In that opening Test in 2013, Australia’s Kurtley Beale famously slipped as he attempted a penalty to win it with the final play of the game.
With a rugby league game at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night, and plenty of rain in Brisbane on Friday, the pitch looked patchy in places when Sexton spoke to the media after overseeing a kicking session.
But he has no concerns over the playing surface this weekend.
"We played a game on it already against the Reds and it held up OK that night," Sexton said.
"It's actually a fast track, it's quite firm, which is a good thing and will make for a good game. Hopefully the weather stays away over the next 36 hours and we get a nice dry ball to play with."
That 2013 win is still fresh in his mind.
"The occasion, the atmosphere, the crowd, that's the thing that always lives with you.
"Obviously when Kurtley slipped and missed the kick, the euphoria that we felt, but again just shows the margins of professional sport and top-level sport like we're going to witness tomorrow.
"It's going to come down to something small like that and hopefully we'll be on the right side of it."
The tourists come into tomorrow’s series opener as overwhelming favourites, with their hosts missing a raft of frontline players, including out-half Noah Lolesio, second row Will Skelton and back row Rob Valetini.
While the Lions were beaten by Argentina in Dublin, they have won five out of five so far in Australia, albeit with a series of mixed performances.
And Sexton says those displays won't be enough to get the job done tomorrow.
The 40-year-old said: "We have a game plan, we have all sorts of things we want to achieve in terms of the rugby side of things, good or OK is not going to be good enough.
"We need to do it really, really well to impose our game on Australia and I think that is where all the focus is for the players now, really zoning in on the plan and if that is clear in your mind it allows you to bring in the other things in rugby which are important, which is your physicality, showing how much it means to play for the Lions.
"This is what we came for. This is the week we waited for.
"We need to learn the lessons from the last six games and just take them into tomorrow and make sure that we, like I've said many times, bring the best version of this team because that's what is going to be needed to beat this Australian team."
When Sexton was confirmed as an assistant on this tour, many suggested it could be fatal for Finn Russell’s (above) hopes of making the Test side, after Sexton’s not-so-flattering comments about the Scotland out-half in the past.
However, Russell has been in top form in Australia, linking up brilliantly with Jamison Gibson-Park, and it appears the relationship with Sexton has been fully repaired.
"Oh, he’s still flash, yeah! He’d hate it if I said 'no’," Sexton laughed.
"He has been relaxed as always, you wouldn’t know it’s the week of a Test match. You can see the work he does, though.
"You have a perception of him from the outside and I would have had the same, in terms of he is a relaxed guy and just takes things in his stride.
"But he does a lot of work behind the scenes, and he’s been really good this week in prepping the team, because as a 10, you need the guys around you prepared, you need to know what you are doing together and he has done a great job of that so far.
"Hopefully he’ll continue his form.
"I’m sure Joe [Schmidt] will have a plan because he’ll know how integral he is to our team, and I’m sure he’ll be doing everything to cut him off."
On the other side of the pitch, Australia have a relative unknown at out-half, with Tom Lynagh (above) - son of Wallabies great Michael - given his first international start on just his fourth cap.
And while Sexton admits there isn't a large bank of work behind the 22-year-old, the Lions coaching staff have done their homework.
"He doesn't have that much experience international, obviously a few games off the bench, but he seems like he has a real steady head on him and he's a mature guy for his age.
"We've looked a lot at him this week, once Lolesio was ruled out we thought it would be him or [Ben] Donaldson and made sure that we did our homework on him.
"The boys are ready for what he brings and he comes from pretty good stock, and he's got a big future ahead of him, that's for sure.
"Obviously we hope he doesn't go too well tomorrow, but we think he has a good future ahead of him."
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