By Aidan Leo
Despite a late second-half resurgence from Australia, the British and Irish Lions cruised to a commanding 27-19 victory in the first Test at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, July 19.
A dominant first-half showing saw the Lions head to the sheds largely untroubled, leading 17-5.
They returned after the break with even more intensity, stretching the margin to 24-5 following a touchline conversion from fly-half Finn Russell.
From there, the Lions eased off slightly, taking their foot off the gas, allowing the Wallabies to mount something of a comeback.
But the damage had already been done. The Lions’ first-half dominance set the tone for the entire encounter, and the late Australian push was ultimately too little, too late.
Match highlights
The Lions opened the try-scoring after a picture-perfect long ball from Russell found his countryman, centre Sione Tuipulotu, near the Wallabies’ five-metre line.
Wallabies winger Max Jorgensen hit back soon after, capitalising on a high-ball error from full-back Hugo Keenan to dive into the corner, opening Australia’s account.
But after young fly-half Tom Lynagh missed the conversion, things quickly turned grim for the home side.
Brutal work in the collisions saw Tom Curry get stuck in and crash over in the 36th minute.
And when hooker Dan Sheehan bulldozed over early in the second half, the Wallabies’ hopes were all but shattered. The game, by then, appeared done and dusted.
Late tries from replacements Carlo Tizzano and Tate McDermott gave the scoreboard a more respectable look, but the Wallabies’ meaningful efforts were few and far between all evening.
Russell was flawless off the tee, slotting one penalty and three conversions for a perfect night with the boot.
Replacement utility-back Marcus Smith added a second-half penalty to push the Lions’ tally to 27, putting the result well out of Australia’s reach.
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Coach and captain’s take
“We started the game very well, our game control was excellent throughout,” head coach Andy Farrell told Sky Sports.
“Our physicality was spot on in the first half, in the second we obviously lacked a bit of discipline within our own game with loose carries and offloads, as well as penalties, that slowed the game down for us.
“Plenty for us to work on, which is a good place going into game two.”
Lions captain Maro Itoje acknowledged his side’s imperfect performance but was ultimately pleased with their efforts in the first Test.
“It was a tough old game. No game of rugby is perfect, that definitely wasn’t perfect from us,” he said.
“It puts us in a good position because we can have some honest conversations off the back of that game, there’s lots for us to build on, we’re not complacent or comfortable.
“We put pressure on ourselves, particularly exiting our half. But we will build, get better and move on.”
The Lions now head to Melbourne for a midweek clash against the First Nations & Pasifika XV on Tuesday, July 22, before the second Test at the MCG on Saturday, July 26.
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