First Nations Pasifika hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa believes the unique nature of Tuesday’s match can allow the hosts to push the British & Irish Lions all the way in Melbourne.
The Lions will name a completely different side to the one that defeated the Wallabies on Saturday, with the second Test five days later.
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They have called a host of players into the squad for this fixture, which bodes well for the First Nations Pasifika side in the hooker’s eyes.
“We know that they're not really focused on us, and that's okay,” Paenga-Amosa said to the media.
“We just want to show them what we're made of and what we can do and what we've got essentially.”
Paenga-Amosa knows the challenges of bringing a group together in a short period after the Lions took care of AUNZ.
However, the hooker believes the strong bond built and the similar situation the Lions face will even the playing field.
“It's tough, it's not easy, but it is special, and there's going to be high emotions, but what I've learned is just to have a crack,” he said.
“It’s everybody come together and let's just give it the best that we can for 80 minutes, that's the biggest thing for us, is an 80 minute performance. So coming together this whole week, we've spent a lot of time focusing on that.
“…In the end, we all know as rugby players, you just take them for face value once we face them on the field.”
Paenga-Amosa was enjoying the opportunity to mix and mesh with a bunch of cultures, hoping the concept could continue into the future.
“It's something special. We want to represent our culture, where we're from, our families, so it's been a real special week,” he added.
“We've really dived into that and learning more about where we're from, learning who we are, and it's exciting to be able to represent that aspect of our lives.
“…We’d love to get around this. I think a good performance from us tomorrow night would give some good momentum for that potentially happening every year. I'm a huge advocate for that.
“That would be amazing for our First Nations, All Star team or even the Pacific Island team every year. That would be good fun.”
