'Shattered': Lynagh ruled out of Junior Wallabies' world championships as young gun reveals Thorn legacy

Just before noon on Thursday, Tom Lynagh was at the Junior Wallabies’ hotel in Sydney excited for the month ahead where his dream of pulling on the gold jersey for the first time was within touching distance.

“I’ve always dreamt of doing it,” Lynagh told The Roar. “Even growing up in England, I always supported Australia. So, I’d be looking forward to hopefully getting the opportunity to pull the jersey on.”

On Friday morning, his dreams were dashed, for the time being at least, as a calf injury ruled him out of Australia’s under-20s world championship campaign in South Africa, which gets underway against Fiji on June 24.

Lynagh, 20, has been replaced by NSW youngster Tom Morrison, but was set for a showdown with Jack Bowen – the son of former Wallaby, Scott – for the No.10 jersey, with rising Reds utility back Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also in the reckoning for a place in the 23, especially after a dazzling display against the Australian Barbarians on Wednesday evening in Sydney.

“We’re all shattered for Tom and disappointed he won’t be part of the team in Cape Town,” Junior Wallabies head coach Nathan Grey said.

“However, in sport, these things happen to challenge us and to test our resolve.

“I know he’ll charge into his rehab and ensure he’s available to play as soon as possible.

“At the same time, it’s great to have Tom Morrison join the squad and he’ll no doubt make an important contribution to our campaign in South Africa.”

Queensland Reds young gun Tom Lynagh has been ruled out of the Junior Wallabies’ world championship campaign in South Africa. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Lynagh’s absence is a blow for Grey’s ambitions of bringing home some silverware from across the Indian Ocean.

It was less than a week ago that the 20-year-old baby-faced playmaker had worn the No.10 jersey against the Chiefs in their Super Rugby quarter-final.

In terms of Junior Wallabies auditions, there are few greater tests than squaring up against Damian McKenzie and facing a Chiefs pack boasting All Blacks captain Sam Cane and his New Zealand teammates Brodie Retallick and Samisoni Taukei-aho.

While Lynagh struggled to find his grove from the tee by missing two tough conversions and a penalty, the usual sharpshooter found his rhythm in the second half by slotting a conversion from out wide and a tough long-range penalty.

“Look, those miskicks, they happen,” Lynagh said. “I know why I missed them. I wasn’t striking the ball very well. It’s just a simple fix for me that. I didn’t lose any confidence from those kicks or anything. It’s just so normal for me.

“It’s instant feedback from it. I felt the first one come off my ankle and then second one was off my ankle, too. The third one I didn’t strike very well either. So, they’re all misses. You just wipe them from your memory. Of course the crowd’s given you a bit but that fourth kick I had, the penalty in the second half, I was just like just worry about the strike on this one. I’m aligned, all good, but just worry about the strike and then I ended up kicking it pretty well and turning it around.”

Tom Lynagh recovered well against the Chiefs. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

They’re mature comments from a man who had up until his early missed strikes had shown every bit the composure of his father Michael, who had led the Wallabies to World Cup glory in 1991.

Lynagh said he drew on the experience from a tough afternoon at the kicking tee from his school days in England. Funnily enough, he doesn’t have to scroll back through the memory bank either.

“I had this game where we scored eight tries and I missed six kicks. So, after that, I was struggling a bit with the kicking. But you stick to it. I’ve done it before, so why can’t I do it again?” he said.

“We won the game pretty comfortably but just on a personal level, I missed all those kicks and it sort of knocked me back a bit. But in this game just gone, I was just thinking at half-time, I’ve been kicking pretty well all season, I know I can do it.”

Pictures of Lynagh sitting on the turf shortly after full-time alongside Brad Thorn last weekend were a poignant reminder of the young Reds side building in Queensland.

Departing Reds coach Brad Thorn sits with Tom Lynagh following their heartbreaking quarter-final loss at FMG Stadium Waikato on June 10, 2023, in Hamilton. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

It was a father-son like moment, with Lynagh just at the start of his career while the 29-20 defeat brought an end to Thorn’s coaching tenure with the Reds.

“Obviously, we were a bit down after coming so close again to beating them,” Lynagh said.

“I was pretty tired from that game. With five minutes left, I ran out steam. I couldn’t really talk. I was cramping up and everything.

“I was just exhausted sitting on the ground. Brad came over after he did his interview and just said, ‘I’m really proud of you, mate.  You’ve come a long way since I first met you.’

“He’s been really good to me. He’s looked at me really well since I’ve been here. I’m really grateful for the opportunity he’s given me and the belief he’s had in me. He’s backed me the whole way.”

It was a little over two years ago that Lynagh first met Thorn.

Having just graduated from school, the then 18-year-old arrived at Ballymore and was immediately put through his paces by Thorn through a taxing pre-season that almost broke the teenager.

“Coming out of school I was a little kid, I didn’t have much muscle on me or anything,” Lynagh said.

“He was in all those first gym sessions watching all of us rip away. He was just shouting, ‘Don’t quit.’

“And then the army camps he put us on. It’s sort of taught me mental toughness and just keep going. The job’s never finished. Just keep going.”

That will be Lynagh’s enduring memory of Thorn.