ALL WEEK WE’VE heard about ‘Test match animals’ and ‘big game players’ and when it came to the crunch, the Lions’ big hitters stepped up to swat the Wallabies aside, building a lead the hosts chased admirably in the second half, but one they never really looked capable of catching.
A half time advantage of 17-5 didn’t fully reflect the Lions’ dominance in Brisbane. Finn Russell was outstanding at 10, but a rare error saw him put too much on a crossfield kick that should have put Joe McCarthy in for a try. James Lowe also had to hold his hands up for failing to reach the line after ignoring two men in space off his right shoulder. Huw Jones went over but saw his score crossed off after failing to release the ball in the tackle.
Yet it felt the Lions could afford to lose those moments and not live to regret them. From the very start, with Tadhg Beirne swooping in for a turnover just 21 seconds in, the tourists looked more aggressive, more accurate and more dangerous. With ball in hand Andy Farrell’s men were sharp and connected. Without, their defence was snappy and organised, built on ferocious linespeed.
The Wallabies were hanging in, struggling to build on small flashes of promising play. Max Jorgensen’s 28th minute try was clinical and well-taken, coming at a point where the Lions would have started to sense the scoreboard wasn’t in line with the flow of the game, but instead of building on that positive moment Australia found themselves camped back in their 22, expending energy on defensive sets before Tom Curry finally muscled over for the Lions second try. Thirty-six minutes in, it felt a long way from Sione Tuipulotu’s opener inside the opening 10.
At half time the away dressing room would surely have felt confident of better underlining their superiority in the second period, but that did not materialise – the second 40 instead becoming increasingly disjointed as the Wallabies outscored their visitors 14-10.
This was a victory secured by a strong first 40 from Farrell’s men, where at times they looked levels above their opponents.
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Farrell will have enjoyed the energy and accuracy of his half-backs, Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park. He will have loved watching Tadhg Beirne deliver those big game moments he had flagged earlier in the week, the Munster captain stealing lineouts, winning turnovers and crunching ribs. Beirne, alongside the all-action Curry, was arguably the Lions’ standout player in that opening 40 but the candidates were wide and varied.
The Lions front row proved a notable point of difference. Ellis Genge carried hard as Dan Sheehan made himself busy in those wide channels he loves to occupy. At tighthead, Tadhg Furlong looked back to his dynamic best.
Furlong’s 57 minutes on the pitch in Brisbane brought his strongest display in years.
Dan Sheehan saw plenty of ball in the wide channels. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Wexford man was right in the thick of it from the off, making those barreling carries where he always manages to eke out a few extra yards, and throwing the clever passes which make him such an outstanding front row player and even beating two defenders with his footwork. Furlong’s soft hands allowed him connect beautifully as part of the Lions’ attacking plays, with the highlight a pinpoint 15-yard skip-pass fired off his left.
This was the energetic, impactful version of Furlong Farrell was hoping to get in Australia. To see the 32-year-old roll back the years was all the more encouraging in the context of the season he’s had.
Across the 24/25 campaign Furlong only made it onto the pitch nine times, starting just five games for Leinster. After missing Ireland’s November internationals his sole Six Nations outing came off the bench in the final round defeat of Italy.
A troublesome calf kept him out of Leinster’s URC run-in and the player himself has admitted there were times he feared this third Lions tour wouldn’t happen for him.
Farrell was always going to give the tighthead every chance and crucially, Furlong has been able to play his way into form through regular game time on tour. He came off the bench for the opening warm-up win over Argentina in Dublin and followed up with outings against the Brumbies, Waratahs and Force since touching down in Australia.
By starting today’s opening Test in Brisbane, the Leinster player continued an impressive record of starting the last seven straight Lions Tests. His showing today suggests he will extend that stat further on this tour.
He’s perhaps lucky to have that opportunity – with his second-half clear-out out on centre Len Ikitau deemed foul play, but referee Ben O’Keeffe kept his cards in his pocket.
The Lions will head into the second Test in fine shape, but with frustrations. Farrell will feel his team should have killed this contest earlier and while they saw it out with some comfort, the Wallabies were able to strike for two late tries to take the gloss off the scoreboard.
However a first Test is all about winning and the Lions will be confident they have more to come after negotiating their way through this opener with relative ease. And with crucial players like Furlong in such encouraging form, the Wallabies have a real job on their hands to avoid a series whitewash.
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Tadhg Furlong rolls back the years in Brisbane
ALL WEEK WE’VE heard about ‘Test match animals’ and ‘big game players’ and when it came to the crunch, the Lions’ big hitters stepped up to swat the Wallabies aside, building a lead the hosts chased admirably in the second half, but one they never really looked capable of catching.
A half time advantage of 17-5 didn’t fully reflect the Lions’ dominance in Brisbane. Finn Russell was outstanding at 10, but a rare error saw him put too much on a crossfield kick that should have put Joe McCarthy in for a try. James Lowe also had to hold his hands up for failing to reach the line after ignoring two men in space off his right shoulder. Huw Jones went over but saw his score crossed off after failing to release the ball in the tackle.
Yet it felt the Lions could afford to lose those moments and not live to regret them. From the very start, with Tadhg Beirne swooping in for a turnover just 21 seconds in, the tourists looked more aggressive, more accurate and more dangerous. With ball in hand Andy Farrell’s men were sharp and connected. Without, their defence was snappy and organised, built on ferocious linespeed.
The Wallabies were hanging in, struggling to build on small flashes of promising play. Max Jorgensen’s 28th minute try was clinical and well-taken, coming at a point where the Lions would have started to sense the scoreboard wasn’t in line with the flow of the game, but instead of building on that positive moment Australia found themselves camped back in their 22, expending energy on defensive sets before Tom Curry finally muscled over for the Lions second try. Thirty-six minutes in, it felt a long way from Sione Tuipulotu’s opener inside the opening 10.
At half time the away dressing room would surely have felt confident of better underlining their superiority in the second period, but that did not materialise – the second 40 instead becoming increasingly disjointed as the Wallabies outscored their visitors 14-10.
This was a victory secured by a strong first 40 from Farrell’s men, where at times they looked levels above their opponents.
Farrell will have enjoyed the energy and accuracy of his half-backs, Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park. He will have loved watching Tadhg Beirne deliver those big game moments he had flagged earlier in the week, the Munster captain stealing lineouts, winning turnovers and crunching ribs. Beirne, alongside the all-action Curry, was arguably the Lions’ standout player in that opening 40 but the candidates were wide and varied.
The Lions front row proved a notable point of difference. Ellis Genge carried hard as Dan Sheehan made himself busy in those wide channels he loves to occupy. At tighthead, Tadhg Furlong looked back to his dynamic best.
Furlong’s 57 minutes on the pitch in Brisbane brought his strongest display in years.
The Wexford man was right in the thick of it from the off, making those barreling carries where he always manages to eke out a few extra yards, and throwing the clever passes which make him such an outstanding front row player and even beating two defenders with his footwork. Furlong’s soft hands allowed him connect beautifully as part of the Lions’ attacking plays, with the highlight a pinpoint 15-yard skip-pass fired off his left.
This was the energetic, impactful version of Furlong Farrell was hoping to get in Australia. To see the 32-year-old roll back the years was all the more encouraging in the context of the season he’s had.
Across the 24/25 campaign Furlong only made it onto the pitch nine times, starting just five games for Leinster. After missing Ireland’s November internationals his sole Six Nations outing came off the bench in the final round defeat of Italy.
A troublesome calf kept him out of Leinster’s URC run-in and the player himself has admitted there were times he feared this third Lions tour wouldn’t happen for him.
Farrell was always going to give the tighthead every chance and crucially, Furlong has been able to play his way into form through regular game time on tour. He came off the bench for the opening warm-up win over Argentina in Dublin and followed up with outings against the Brumbies, Waratahs and Force since touching down in Australia.
By starting today’s opening Test in Brisbane, the Leinster player continued an impressive record of starting the last seven straight Lions Tests. His showing today suggests he will extend that stat further on this tour.
He’s perhaps lucky to have that opportunity – with his second-half clear-out out on centre Len Ikitau deemed foul play, but referee Ben O’Keeffe kept his cards in his pocket.
The Lions will head into the second Test in fine shape, but with frustrations. Farrell will feel his team should have killed this contest earlier and while they saw it out with some comfort, the Wallabies were able to strike for two late tries to take the gloss off the scoreboard.
However a first Test is all about winning and the Lions will be confident they have more to come after negotiating their way through this opener with relative ease. And with crucial players like Furlong in such encouraging form, the Wallabies have a real job on their hands to avoid a series whitewash.
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