Confident Furlong wants first Lions series win

Tadhg Furlong bursts through the Australian defence

Tadhg Furlong has been there, done that and bought the T-shirt.

The veteran prop was making his seventh Test match start for the Lions and any doubts anyone had if he was worthy of his place after two seasons of stop-start rugby for Leinster and Ireland because of niggling injuries were dispelled as he produced a performance to match any in his stellar career.

In 2017, Furlong was a member of the Lions squad that lost the first Test in New Zealand but came back to win the second and tie the third.

Four years later in South Africa, the Lions went one-nil up before losing the series as the Springboks came roaring back.

Furlong has experienced the physical and mental struggles of being ahead and behind in a three-match series and heading into the second Test in Melbourne, he's unlikely to hop on an emotional rollercoaster.

"There's two sides of the coin," explained Furlong.

"Obviously it's on us that we don't get complacent and we learn the lessons.

"We have a midweek game again. It's great to see the boys go out and see who puts their hands up. If the lads go well on Tuesday then it will put them in contention.

"The other side of that is we know what it means to the Aussies.

"The desperation is all in there for them next weekend.

"Every series is different but some things remain the same no matter what.

"There is a flow to it. The group is edgy. We don't know each other, we don't know the Australians and they don't know us and what it's actually like on the pitch.

"You watch all the video. You do all your prep.

"There's a realisation after that of what it takes and what it felt like in the game."

Furlong is the only player to have started the past seven Lions Tests

Furlong was feeling so good on Saturday night that at one stage he threw a 20 metre pass with unerring accuracy, not always a prop's greatest strength.

"A floaty one, he admitted.

"I thought it was good. I know it was on penalty advantage but your confidence is there.

"It was that kind of game where I was attacking well and getting through a few carries."

On his third tour, Furlong has never missed a Test match, all that's missing is being part of a series win.

He'll get that chance in Melbourne on Saturday.