Lions Rugby fans called to ‘Underwhelming’ atmosphere

Two games in the British and Irish Lions tour through Australia and the visitors have already hit the field completely.

But when will their fans find the full voice in the stands?

Bumper printed in Perth and Brisbane has a backup of the expected interest in this nine game tour and the collision on Saturday with the NSW Waratahs in Allianz Stadium is on schedule to sell out.

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But those large presence figures still have to translate into an electric, eardrum that is bursting, blood pumpatmosphere in the stadiums.

It will come, I don’t doubt it, while the Tour rolls and arrives at all, and with it more traveling fans.

But I have a very sharp eye – and ear – on Saturday’s game, to see and hear whether the Lions fans want to announce their arrival with some noise, passion and the choir of their iconic home nations.

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Feeling something of this nature is of course subjective.

I had one rugby punter tell me that Wednesday’s game in Suncorp Stadium was “the best football experience” they had in 2025, and that includes attending one of the series of the men’s state at the same location.

And Queensland Reds and Wallabies – star Hunter Paisami told me after the game on the sidelines that it was the best atmosphere he has ever experienced in his career – including playing all over the world.

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But others have also expressed their surprise with ‘lukewarm’ crowd involvement in the first two games.

Let me be clear now: has the atmosphere been bad? No. But have I found – and others – the Underwhelming? Yes.

While the teams ran on Suncorp, I was not touched with that wall of noise that you often get at a location that many are the best rectangular stadium in the world.

Instead, the lake was a gentle, experienced ‘welcome’ of the crowd.

Even the famous “Lions, Lions, Lions” Chant has hardly been heard in the first two games.

At one point it rose his head when the Reds and Lions supplied a fascinating, combative, competitive first half in Brisbane, but only took about 10 seconds before he withdrew into the red and yellow seats of Lang Park.

Perhaps that was due to the local fans who reacted with a choir of noise to drown out the support of the visitors – of which I hope that Wallabies are reproducing fans for the first test on July 19 – but I thought the British and Irish were made of sterners who withdraw so quickly.

The fans of the home country are famous for their singing, passionate, often parochial support, but so far it has to come – although tens of thousands of fans are already filling pubs, clubs, city streets and stadiums here.

Maybe they are waiting for more of their comrades to arrive.

Perhaps they save themselves for the test series, knowing many well -improved wallabies will be more difficult to beat than the state teams and their beloved lions need that extra bit of support.

And while I am on the subject, our own fans can also lean a little more to the occasion.

Throw the colors of your team to make your support more visible.

Add more enthusiasm to your cheers to make your support more audible.

And if you are a Suncorp member – that is, a patron who has a membership of the entire year for every event – get rid of your back and take yourself to the ground.

The crowd of 46,435 was the largest for a Reds match in Suncorp Stadium in 12 years, but unfortunately there were a number of empty seats in the lower layer along the east side of the ground, the ‘Stadium members’ section.

Ticket sales for the competition was excellent – as they have been for all competitions – but selling tickets cannot guarantee that everyone will appear.

Imagine that you have the luxury of keeping a membership of a full year that gives you access to an event at Suncorp and you choose not to get the most out of your money by attending an event once in 12 years?! Nice for some.

If you are not going to use your chair for the first test on July 19, offer it back to the stadium to sell to someone who wants to be part of history – or give it to someone you know who will appear (preferably a wallabies fan).

And if you are going to be present – what you should have to be damn well – throw some gold, a lot of gold and warms up the vocal chords.

Show the Northern people how they can support a team.