1 month ago
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Nik and Kev’s Lions tour adventure continued as they arrived in Melbourne for the crescendo moment of the series.
They touched down in Victoria where they were reunited with some old friends to show them the city that prides itself on being every bit different.
With hidden gems around every corner, they ended up stepping out of the rugby bubble to experience street art, coffee culture and the state’s vibrant multi-culture.
Here is what the guys got up to in the fifth episode of Roar & Uncut, in association with Dr Squatch.
Mail Sport's Kev Quigley and Nik Simon have been going behind the scenes during the Lions tour
MONDAY
It was an early start for the Wallabies’ press conference at the Crowne Plaza Melbourne by IHG.
As the official tour partners, IHG decked out the riverside hotel with paraphernalia ahead of the big match, so we checked out their pop-up bar before heading out of town to Ramsay Street.
The Neighbours set brought back a few teenage memories, visiting the houses that played out so many storylines for the likes of the Bishops and the Kennedies.
TUESDAY
All kitted up, we made tracks to the iconic blue tennis courts that host the Australian Open.
Kev prides himself on being the Essex schoolboys champion at Under 15 level so we brought Mail Sport columnist Dan Biggar along to step up the competition.
Dan was a professional sportsman until last month and his athleticism shone through, wiping the court with both of us to win the inaugural Dr Squatch trophy.
After the match, we stopped off at Proud Mary, which was recently named in the top 10 coffee shops in the world, to fuel up before the Lions match against the Pasifika XV.
Mail Sport columnist Dan Biggar came along and wiped the floor with us on the courts that host the Australian Open
After the match, we stopped off at Proud Mary, which was recently named in the top 10 coffee shops in the world
WEDNESDAY
We boarded a boat up the river for a memorable tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It is a colossus of an arena, with 100,024 seats that host concerts, AFL, cricket and more.
Damien Fleming, Australia’s fast bowler from the 1990s, gave the travelling media a private tour, joining us for lunch in the Long Room.
Come Christmas, the iconic stadium will be packed to its old rafters for the upcoming Ashes series.
THURSDAY
After Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt named their teams for the second Test, we visited the Lightscape exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
It was an immersive display featuring dozens of illuminations, strolling through floral canopies that offered an enchanting escape from the day-to-day touring schedule.
And then it was back to the MCG, where the Hawks were hosting Carlton in an all-Victorian AFL derby.
We visited the Lightscape exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens in an escape from the touring schedule
FRIDAY
Our hotel, the voco Melbourne Central by IHG, was situated in the heart of the action. We were surrounded by the bright lights of China Town, vibrant street art and independent outlets on every corner.
James Haskell and Mike Tindall were also staying in our hotel, as part of their work with the The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
We caught up with Haskell in the hotel’s skyline swimming pool, where he shared a few hilarious anecdotes from his rugby career.
We were surrounded by the bright lights of China Town, vibrant street art and independent outlets on every corner by our hotel, the voco Melbourne Central by IHG
We caught up with James Haskell in the hotel’s skyline swimming pool, where he shared hilarious anecdotes from his career
SATURDAY
Match day in Melbourne, but not before some fish and chips down on the beach in St Kilda.
We boarded the city's free tram service for a hit of sea air, enjoying the winter coastline. Then it was back to the MCG to join more than 90,000 supporters for the series-defining Test.
Kev was a guest of Qatar Airways in their hospitality area, while Nik was sat up in the media tribune to report on a thrilling Lions victory for the ages.
We joined over 90,000 spectators for the thrilling second Test between the Lions and Australia
Roar & Uncut comes to you in association with Dr Squatch, ensuring Nik and Kev are the best-smelling guys on tour.
For more information on visiting Melbourne, go to https://www.visitvictoria.com/
