Australia had the opportunity on Sunday to ignite interest in the Lions series had they played well and beaten Fiji handsomely.

That didn’t happen and there is now fear that the pre-Tour predictions of a Lions 3-0 series sweep could come to fruition.

That’s despite the Lions ropey win over the Waratahs.

The Australian newspaper ran a damning editorial with the headline, “They beat Fiji, but the Wallabies are on track for a train wreck.”

The article goes on the say, “Australian rugby is spiralling out of control towards another trainwreck that the code may struggle to recover from.

Already heavy underdogs to overcome the combined forces of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, Australia’s lucky 21-18 win over Fiji at Newcastle on Sunday was an embarrassment that has now guaranteed the Lions will start at shorter odds to win the three-match series.”

The daily newspaper did offer one caveat.

”The only hope is if the Aussies are foxing and trying to pull off rugby’s version of the rope-a-dope when Muhammad Ali let George Foreman pummel him until he exhausted himself.

“If only that was the case because the brutal reality is that with less than two weeks before the first Test in Brisbane on July 19, the Wallabies appear clueless and are running out of time to mount a serious challenge to the Lions.”

Rugby Union already plays second fiddle to rugby league in this part of the world and to other sports like Aussie Rules.

This once in twelve years series is hugely important to Rugby Australia from a financial point of view and for keeping the sport in the shop window and at the forefront of Aussie sports fans minds.

For all these reasons the Australian side need to show up and challenge the Lions.

The Aussie media has their doubts.