In a parallel world, Wallabies five-eighth Tom Lynagh could have been preparing for the first Test in Brisbane in the red of the British and Irish Lions. Four years ago, Lynagh had a choice to make that would change his life. He could stay in England and join the Harlequins academy or move to the Queensland Reds, where his father Michael, was a legend. At Harlequins, four years above him was a generational talent, Marcus Smith who had nailed down the No.10 jersey. Lynagh moved to Australia and will start against the Lions, with Smith poised to come off the bench at Suncorp Stadium. Former Ireland five-eighth and director of rugby at Epsom College, Paul Burke, watched the development of Lynagh throughout his time at the elite English boarding school. Burke is not surprised at Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt’s decision to throw Lynagh into the pressure cooker of a first Test against the Lions after just three caps. Burke remembers a player whose calmness in intense moments was matched by his courage against larger opponents. “What I liked about him was that despite his diminishing figure, he was tenacious, he had the heart of a lion and he would not shirk a tackle, he would stand in the way of bigger opponents and had a load of courage,” Burke said.