First Nations and Pasifika XV 19 British and Irish Lions 24
A footnote in history and, indeed, one that will quickly be consigned to Lions history. The tourists at least maintained their unbeaten record on Australian soil since that opening defeat to Argentina but this was probably their least convincing performance and one that will have little bearing on the Test Series.
The invitational Pasifika XV certainly threw everything at the Lions, hanging into the contest gamely, crashing into the collisions, forcing all manner of errors, feasting off scraps and certainly making a strong case for them to have more fixtures.
As for the Lions, Jamie Osborne justified his call-up with an eye-catching two-try performance and ditto, at the other end of his Lions’ journey, Owen Farrell, who showed that class is permanent and given Marcus Smith appeared to go off due to an HIA, the coach’s son could come into the picture for the second Test.
Andy Farrell's Lions fire the first shot in Australia
Ben White had another fine, composed game at scrumhalf, while Garry Ringrose’s earlier introduction than expected allowed him to showcase his ability with a strong hour on the pitch. And to his credit, Blair Kinghorn recovered from two interceptions to play well thereafter.
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The Lions had more joy with strike plays than in building much cohesion through the phases. James Ryan being taken off after an hour might be a pointer towards some involvement in the Test series, but few if any enhanced their Test claims.
Initially, this had looked the kind of Lions romp which many expected, as they duly roared into a 14-0 lead inside the first dozen minutes.
It could have been an even more fruitful start but for Filipo Daugunu’s tackle on Darcy Graham forcing his foot over the touchline before giving a try-scoring inside pass to Duhan van der Merwe after Blair Kinghorn had hit the line tellingly as the Scottish outside three linked skilfully.
As it was, Graham was tackled dangerously high with the next tackle, this time by Triston Reilly, as he caught the Scottish winger in the jaw with his shoulder but, as is the way of the game nowadays, his yellow card was not even upgraded to a two-minute red on review.
Still the Lions ruthlessly exploited the resulting space in the backfield and on the edge from two strike plays off attacking lineouts as first Owen Farrell stepped into first receiver chipped high into space, ensuing a high bounce which the chasing Jamie Osborne gathered and withstood three tackles to take his first Lions try within eight minutes of his debut very sharply.
Next, White and Fin Smith moved an out the back play to the edge, with the latter’s long left to right pass giving Graham the chance to finish. Smith also converted well.
But Graham’s eventful Lions debut would sadly prove short-lived as the distraught Scottish winger departed with an apparent ankle injury. He was replaced by Ringrose, with Osborne demonstrating his versatility by shifting to the right wing.
Whereupon the first half entirely flipped on one moment, which showed how the Lions had been lulled into thinking this was a little too easy, or a little like an exhibition match, as Kinghorn opted for a long skip pass to two team-mates on the edge inside his own half and Triston Reilly picked off the intercept try.
Emboldened and encouraged, the Pasifika XV struck quickly again when a rapid quick tap by livewire scrumhalf Kalani Thomas led to Fijian flanker Seru Uru powered through Henry Pollock and James Ryan. The latter was also binned for tackling Thomas within 10 metres of the tap.
The Lions were indebted to an intercept by Jamie George as the knock-ons, missed penalties to touch and scrum penalties saw the Lions become a little ragged. After Kinghorn coughed up another intercept, the Lion shad to scramble before Duhan van der Merwe covered Reilly’s grubber into the in-goal arear with the last play of the half.
The Lions regrouped effectively at the break. Within five minutes of the resumption, the Lions’ backs combined for a third first phase try off a lineout going left to right, as Farrell pulled the ball back for Smith and Kinghorn’s long pass gave Osborne a run-in for his second try.
Josh van der Flier had another ruled out after Ringrose had slightly nudged the ball forward after White kicked loose ball toward the Pasifika try-line. The Pasifika XV then produced a superb defence set when the Lions bombarded their line with a power game, although the Lions’ attack coaches would have been disappointed that the halves or Owen Farrell hadn’t used the unmarked Osborne on the edge.
Eventually though, after Osborne and van der Merwe were each secure under the high ball, Ringrose and Osborne put the Lions on the front foot in turn, before Smith and Farrell combined to put van der Merwe over; Farrell dummying Reilly deftly in a classy touch.
Once again it looked as if the Lions would pull clear but once again they failed to do so. Instead, the Pasifika finally won a kicking duel to earn some territory and Jarrah McLeod latched on to a long throw by hooker Richie Asiata and after they pummelled the line, another replacement Rob Leota had a walk-in from close-range.
That ensured some squeaky moments for the Lions until the end, one fine turnover by Pollock being wasted by a lost lineout, but they got there in the end.
Scoring sequence: 8 mins Osborne try, F Smith con 0-7; 11 mins Graham try, F Smith con 0-14; 18 mins Reilly try, Beale con 7-14 mins; 23 mins Uru try, Beale con 14-14; (half-time 14-14); 45 mins Osborne try 14-19; 64 mins van der Merwe try, 14-24; 71 mins Leota try 19-24.
First Nations & Pasifika XV: Andy Muirhead (First Nations); Triston Reilly (First Nations), Lalakai Foketi (Maori & Tonga), David Feliuai (Samoa), Filipo Daugunu (Fiji); Kurtley Beale (First Nations, capt), Kalani Thomas (Maori); Lington Ieli (Fiji), Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Samoa), Taniela Tupou (Tonga), Darcy Swain (Samoa), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Samoa), Seru Uru (Fiji), Charlie Gamble (Tonga), Tuaina Taii Tualima (Samoa).
Replacements: Jack Debreczeni (Cook Island) for Daugunu (13 mins), Jarrah McLeod (First Nations) for Feliuai (41 mins), Richie Asiata (Samoa) for Paenga-Amosa, Mesake Doge (Fiji) for Tupou both (46 mins), Rob Leota (Samoa) for Uru (52 mins), Harrison Goddard (First Nations) for Thomas, Marley Pearce (Maori & First Nations) for Leli (both 55 mins), Mesake Vocevoce (Fiji) for Taii Tualima (67 mins).
Sinbinned: Reilly (5-15 mins)
British & Irish Lions: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland), Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Owen Farrell (Saracens/England, capt, Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland); Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England), Ben White (Toulon/Scotland); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland), Jamie George (Saracens/England), Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/Englan.
Replacements: Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Graham (17 mins), Ben Earl (Saracens/England) for Morgan (51 mins), Tom Clarkson (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Bealham (51 mins), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) for Ryan (55 mins), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) for F Smith (67-73 mins), Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) for George, Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) for Schoeman (both 74 mins).
Not used: Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England),
Sinbinned: Ryan (23-33 mins).
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
