So, with Pollock ruled out (calf issues can be difficult to shake off, so it’s a definite concern for Andy Farrell), Scott Cummings gets a shot at redemption after a really poor outing against the Western Force this time last week.
Hugo Keenan finally gets his Lions bow after being ruled out with a stomach bug against the Reds. His potential fullback rival, Blair Kinghorn, starts on the left wing having joined the touring party late after Toulouse’s Top 14 final success last Saturday.
The Waratahs are severely under-strength with only the out-of-form Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway released by Joe Schmidt. Seven more Waratahs remain with the Wallabies ahead of tomorrow morning’s meeting with Fiji.
A cool story: Englishman Jamie Adamson, who made 11 Super Rugby appearances for the Waratahs during the season just gone, will play against the Lions today before donning a Lions jersey as a fan for their game against the Brumbies next Wednesday. He’s heading to that game with his family!
Former Ireland coach Mike Catt is also now steering the Waratahs’ attack, so he’s knocking around Allianz Stadium this morning.
Waratahs attack coach Mike Catt. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Blair Kinghorn of the Lions. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Kiwi Paul Williams is today’s referee.
WARATAHS: Lawson Creighton; Andrew Kellaway, Lalakai Foketi, Joey Walton, Darby Lancaster; Jack Bowen, Teddy Wilson; Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins, Taniela Tupou; Fergus Lee-Warner, Miles Amatosero; Rob Leota, Charlie Gamble, Hugh Sinclair (captain).
Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Jack Barrett, Daniel Botha, Matt Philip, Jamie Adamson, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Henry O’Donnell.
LIONS: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Blair Kinghorn; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham; Scott Cummings, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne (captain), Josh van der Flier, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Jac Morgan, Ben White, Marcus Smith, Duhan van der Merwe.
Another nice bit of trivia from today’s lineups: both captains — Hugh Sinclair of the Waratahs and Tadhg Beirne of the Lions — are former Lansdowne FC players!
Sinclair played for the Dublin club during the 2013/14 campaign.
Jordie Barrett of New Zealand and Theo Attissogbe compete for a high ball. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
5 Jul
10:52AM
Fancy a post-match podcast after every Lions game?
Just under 10 minutes until kick-off.
Murray Kinsella is on the ground in Sydney, and he and I will record a post-match podcast for The 42 subscribers at full-time.
You can get your first month for €1, which will give you access to four rugby pods per week during this Lions tour! No catch, no long-term commitment — just a euro for the next four weeks and you can see how you find it.
1′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Paul Williams sounds his whistle and Fin Smith gets us underway at Allianz Stadium!
5 Jul
11:05AM
2′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Scott Cummings immediately makes some amends for his poor outing against the Western Force: a handling error by Hugo Keenan sees Darby Lancaster charge deep into the Lions’ 22′ but his offload is intercepted by a diving Cummings, who prevents a certain try for the hosts!
That would have been some start for the Waratahs, who are up against it here.
5 Jul
11:08AM
5′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Finlay Bealham wins an early scrum pen on Tom Lambert!
5 Jul
11:10AM
7′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: The cameras at Allianz Stadium find recent Lions call-up Owen Farrell. Will Stuart behind him joins in with the boos from the Aussie fans in the ground. Farrell in stitches at his reception.
12′ – TRY FOR THE LIONS! Two in two for Huw Jones!
After Pierre Schoeman won the scrum pen, the Lions gained an attacking lineout in the Tahs’ 22′.
Ryan took it cleanly and off first phase, the Scottish midfield duo link up with aplomb.
Sione Tuipulotu offloads at the gainline to Jones, who rushes through under the sticks.
Fin Smith adds the afters.
5 Jul
11:21AM
19′ – WARATAHS 0-7 LIONS: Bealham and Schoeman again destroy the Tahs’ scrum and the Lions are attacking from a lineout on the Aussies’ 5′.
A Waratah changes his bind in the maul and the Lions have another pen — they go back to the line after wasting the advantage.
5 Jul
11:24AM
20′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Excellent maul D by the Waratahs this time and the Lions’ attack breaks down with a loose pass by Mitchell which is dropped backwards by Ryan and eventually knocked on by Cowan-Dickie.
5 Jul
11:31AM
26′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Lions have been totally dominant but the Waratahs have won back-to-back pens — the latest for Ben Earl going off his feet in his own 22′ — and they’re attacking on the Lions 5′.
First chance for the hosts since Scott Cummings intercepted Darby Lancaster’s early offload.
Lions stray offside and play goes dead. Another Tahs pen and they’ll tap and go…
5 Jul
11:32AM
29′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Earl offside — play dead again. Ref Williams warns Beirne that the next bold boy will go to the bin.
Tahs go to the line. Five-metre lineout on the left-hand side.
5 Jul
11:36AM
Disallowed try for the Waratahs. Waratahs 0-7 Lions
29′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS
The hosts’ sustained pressure almost pays off as openside Charlie Gamble breaks off the attacking maul and powers over the line despite the efforts of Mack Hansen and Alex Mitchell.
But the TMO spots that Fergus Lee-Warner was ahead of the jumper during the previous lineout and referee Williams chalks off the score to boos from the home crowd.
Frustrating for the hosts but the correct decision.
5 Jul
11:38AM
31′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Lee-Warner is pinged again, this time for playing a man in the ruck from an offside position, just outside his own 22′.
Lovely hands by Taniela Tupou as the Tahs attack the short side inside the Lions half.
The tighthead puts away Lancaster, who bursts through a tackle attempt that Hugo Keenan would probably like to have back, and dots down in the left-hand corner.
After a TMO review for a clear-out on Hansen by that man again, Lee-Warner, referee Williams awards the try! Might have been lucky to get away with a tucked arm, there, albeit Hansen was extremely low.
41′ – TAHS 5-14 LIONS: A final Lions attack of the half breaks down when Mack Hansen’s diving offload drops behind Luke Cowan-Dickie on the left wing and the Waratahs turn the ball over at the ensuing breakdown.
It’s been similar to the opening halves against the Force and the Reds: promising attack but too many errors by the tourists, who will likely still cut loose in the second half against tiring, inferior opposition.
Huw Jones’ two tries and Fin Smith’s pair of conversions have them in front at the break.
Catch you in 15!
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
5 Jul
12:06PM
Second half
41′ – TAHS 4-15 LIONS: Jack Bowen restarts the game and the Lions concede a pen inside their own 22′ shortly afterwards.
Great chance for the hosts to get this back within a score straight off the bat in this second half!
42′ – TRY FOR THE WARATAHS! ETHAN DOBBINS OFF THE BACK OF THE MAUL!
The home side are right back in this one!
Bowen’s conversion is poor, however, and clips the left-hand post from the near side.
5 Jul
12:10PM
45′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: The Lions come close to an immediate response!
After an excellent break by Mitchell, Kinghorn, off one knee, swivels and feeds Van der Flier down the left.
The Ireland back row bolts for the line but knocks it on as he stretches full-length for the score. Good scramble defence by the Tahs. Goal-line drop-out.
5 Jul
12:18PM
51′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: The Lions have been shocking in this second half. Farrell has made a raft of changes.
5 Jul
12:22PM
54′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: Lions’ replacement front row win a scrum pen in the Tahs’ 22′.
Five-metre lineout, now, and a chance to stretch the lead…
Lovely finish by Mitchell who dummies off the back of the maul, switches direction and dummies again, and waltzes over for the Lions’ third try.
Smith converts from left of centre.
Big impact by the replacement forwards already.
5 Jul
12:28PM
Disallowed try for the Lions. Waratahs 10-21 Lions
60′ – WARATAHS 10-21 LIONS: The Lions have upped the gears now but Ellis Genge has had a score chalked off — he knocked it on over the line full reach, a bit like Josh van der Flier earlier.
5 Jul
12:41PM
69′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Such a disjointed Lions performance. Scrappy last 10 minutes or so.
Waratahs aren’t going to win this game — but they’re enjoying it thoroughly.
They were 40-point underdogs and the locals in Sydney feared an even worse hiding. Instead, they’ve given the Lions their toughest outing since Argentina in Dublin.
5 Jul
12:44PM
72′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Ben White on for his Lions debut.
Lions scrum wins its sixth or seventh penalty. Chance deep in Tahs’ territory goes a-begging when Charlie Gamble — superb all night — wins the jackal pen on his own 5′.
5 Jul
12:49PM
Disallowed try for the Lions. Waratahs 10-21 Lions
76′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Ellis Genge scores from a lineout maul but Ben Earl is penalised for being in front of the jumper at the previous lineout, similar to the disallowed Charlie Gamble score earlier for the hosts.
5 Jul
12:53PM
77′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Marcus Smith hits one of the worst kicks to touch you’ll ever see, it goes dead and doesn’t even flirt with the touchline.
Smith had actually made a positive impact off the bench at 10 until then, but that moment kind of encapsulates the Lions’ performance.
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As it happened: New South Wales Waratahs v British & Irish Lions, Australia Tour 2025
How’s everyone? Welcome, all, to The 42′s live coverage of the British & Irish Lions’ meeting with the Waratahs in Sydney.
It’s Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you blow-by-blow action from 11am when the game kicks off at Allianz Stadium.
The Lions have been forced into a late change ahead of kick-off, with Henry Pollock missing out with a calf issue.
Skipper Tadhg Beirne moves to six in Pollock’s stead and Scott Cummings starts at lock.
Duhan van der Merwe comes onto the bench, which is now a 5-3 split.
Hope you’re having a nice Saturday morning. Full teams coming up momentarily!
So, with Pollock ruled out (calf issues can be difficult to shake off, so it’s a definite concern for Andy Farrell), Scott Cummings gets a shot at redemption after a really poor outing against the Western Force this time last week.
Hugo Keenan finally gets his Lions bow after being ruled out with a stomach bug against the Reds. His potential fullback rival, Blair Kinghorn, starts on the left wing having joined the touring party late after Toulouse’s Top 14 final success last Saturday.
The Waratahs are severely under-strength with only the out-of-form Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway released by Joe Schmidt. Seven more Waratahs remain with the Wallabies ahead of tomorrow morning’s meeting with Fiji.
A cool story: Englishman Jamie Adamson, who made 11 Super Rugby appearances for the Waratahs during the season just gone, will play against the Lions today before donning a Lions jersey as a fan for their game against the Brumbies next Wednesday. He’s heading to that game with his family!
Former Ireland coach Mike Catt is also now steering the Waratahs’ attack, so he’s knocking around Allianz Stadium this morning.
Kiwi Paul Williams is today’s referee.
WARATAHS: Lawson Creighton; Andrew Kellaway, Lalakai Foketi, Joey Walton, Darby Lancaster; Jack Bowen, Teddy Wilson; Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins, Taniela Tupou; Fergus Lee-Warner, Miles Amatosero; Rob Leota, Charlie Gamble, Hugh Sinclair (captain).
Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Jack Barrett, Daniel Botha, Matt Philip, Jamie Adamson, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Henry O’Donnell.
LIONS: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Blair Kinghorn; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham; Scott Cummings, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne (captain), Josh van der Flier, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Jac Morgan, Ben White, Marcus Smith, Duhan van der Merwe.
Referee: Paul Williams [New Zealand].
Another nice bit of trivia from today’s lineups: both captains — Hugh Sinclair of the Waratahs and Tadhg Beirne of the Lions — are former Lansdowne FC players!
Sinclair played for the Dublin club during the 2013/14 campaign.
It’s been a busy start to the day:
New Zealand just about survived a major scare against a France side containing eight debutants in Dunedin.
Wales’ woes continue: they collapsed late against Eddie Jones’ Japan to suffer an 18th straight Test defeat.
And Scotland held off a spirited fightback by the Maori All Blacks to begin their summer with a win.
Just under 10 minutes until kick-off.
Murray Kinsella is on the ground in Sydney, and he and I will record a post-match podcast for The 42 subscribers at full-time.
You can get your first month for €1, which will give you access to four rugby pods per week during this Lions tour! No catch, no long-term commitment — just a euro for the next four weeks and you can see how you find it.
Take a look here if you’re so inclined!
1′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Paul Williams sounds his whistle and Fin Smith gets us underway at Allianz Stadium!
2′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Scott Cummings immediately makes some amends for his poor outing against the Western Force: a handling error by Hugo Keenan sees Darby Lancaster charge deep into the Lions’ 22′ but his offload is intercepted by a diving Cummings, who prevents a certain try for the hosts!
That would have been some start for the Waratahs, who are up against it here.
5′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: Finlay Bealham wins an early scrum pen on Tom Lambert!
7′ – TAHS 0-0 LIONS: The cameras at Allianz Stadium find recent Lions call-up Owen Farrell. Will Stuart behind him joins in with the boos from the Aussie fans in the ground. Farrell in stitches at his reception.
12′ – TRY FOR THE LIONS! Two in two for Huw Jones!
After Pierre Schoeman won the scrum pen, the Lions gained an attacking lineout in the Tahs’ 22′.
Ryan took it cleanly and off first phase, the Scottish midfield duo link up with aplomb.
Sione Tuipulotu offloads at the gainline to Jones, who rushes through under the sticks.
Fin Smith adds the afters.
19′ – WARATAHS 0-7 LIONS: Bealham and Schoeman again destroy the Tahs’ scrum and the Lions are attacking from a lineout on the Aussies’ 5′.
A Waratah changes his bind in the maul and the Lions have another pen — they go back to the line after wasting the advantage.
20′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Excellent maul D by the Waratahs this time and the Lions’ attack breaks down with a loose pass by Mitchell which is dropped backwards by Ryan and eventually knocked on by Cowan-Dickie.
26′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Lions have been totally dominant but the Waratahs have won back-to-back pens — the latest for Ben Earl going off his feet in his own 22′ — and they’re attacking on the Lions 5′.
First chance for the hosts since Scott Cummings intercepted Darby Lancaster’s early offload.
Lions stray offside and play goes dead. Another Tahs pen and they’ll tap and go…
29′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Earl offside — play dead again. Ref Williams warns Beirne that the next bold boy will go to the bin.
Tahs go to the line. Five-metre lineout on the left-hand side.
29′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS
The hosts’ sustained pressure almost pays off as openside Charlie Gamble breaks off the attacking maul and powers over the line despite the efforts of Mack Hansen and Alex Mitchell.
But the TMO spots that Fergus Lee-Warner was ahead of the jumper during the previous lineout and referee Williams chalks off the score to boos from the home crowd.
Frustrating for the hosts but the correct decision.
31′ – TAHS 0-7 LIONS: Lee-Warner is pinged again, this time for playing a man in the ruck from an offside position, just outside his own 22′.
Lions, now, with a five-metre lineout…
33′ – TRY FOR THE LIONS! HUW JONES AGAIN!
Super finish from the Scotland 13 who steps one defender and shrugs off a couple more before reaching for the line slightly right of the posts.
That’s a gutting turn of events for the Waratahs, but Huw Jones is having a day.
Smith converts — again an easy one.
35′ – TRY FOR THE WARATAHS! DARBY LANCASTER!
Lovely hands by Taniela Tupou as the Tahs attack the short side inside the Lions half.
The tighthead puts away Lancaster, who bursts through a tackle attempt that Hugo Keenan would probably like to have back, and dots down in the left-hand corner.
After a TMO review for a clear-out on Hansen by that man again, Lee-Warner, referee Williams awards the try! Might have been lucky to get away with a tucked arm, there, albeit Hansen was extremely low.
Conversion drifts wide.
Lions lead 14-5.
41′ – TAHS 5-14 LIONS: A final Lions attack of the half breaks down when Mack Hansen’s diving offload drops behind Luke Cowan-Dickie on the left wing and the Waratahs turn the ball over at the ensuing breakdown.
It’s been similar to the opening halves against the Force and the Reds: promising attack but too many errors by the tourists, who will likely still cut loose in the second half against tiring, inferior opposition.
Huw Jones’ two tries and Fin Smith’s pair of conversions have them in front at the break.
Catch you in 15!
41′ – TAHS 4-15 LIONS: Jack Bowen restarts the game and the Lions concede a pen inside their own 22′ shortly afterwards.
Great chance for the hosts to get this back within a score straight off the bat in this second half!
42′ – TRY FOR THE WARATAHS! ETHAN DOBBINS OFF THE BACK OF THE MAUL!
The home side are right back in this one!
Bowen’s conversion is poor, however, and clips the left-hand post from the near side.
45′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: The Lions come close to an immediate response!
After an excellent break by Mitchell, Kinghorn, off one knee, swivels and feeds Van der Flier down the left.
The Ireland back row bolts for the line but knocks it on as he stretches full-length for the score. Good scramble defence by the Tahs. Goal-line drop-out.
51′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: The Lions have been shocking in this second half. Farrell has made a raft of changes.
54′ – TAHS 10-14 LIONS: Lions’ replacement front row win a scrum pen in the Tahs’ 22′.
Five-metre lineout, now, and a chance to stretch the lead…
55′ – TRY FOR THE LIONS! ALEX MITCHELL!
Lovely finish by Mitchell who dummies off the back of the maul, switches direction and dummies again, and waltzes over for the Lions’ third try.
Smith converts from left of centre.
Big impact by the replacement forwards already.
60′ – WARATAHS 10-21 LIONS: The Lions have upped the gears now but Ellis Genge has had a score chalked off — he knocked it on over the line full reach, a bit like Josh van der Flier earlier.
69′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Such a disjointed Lions performance. Scrappy last 10 minutes or so.
Waratahs aren’t going to win this game — but they’re enjoying it thoroughly.
They were 40-point underdogs and the locals in Sydney feared an even worse hiding. Instead, they’ve given the Lions their toughest outing since Argentina in Dublin.
72′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Ben White on for his Lions debut.
Lions scrum wins its sixth or seventh penalty. Chance deep in Tahs’ territory goes a-begging when Charlie Gamble — superb all night — wins the jackal pen on his own 5′.
76′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Ellis Genge scores from a lineout maul but Ben Earl is penalised for being in front of the jumper at the previous lineout, similar to the disallowed Charlie Gamble score earlier for the hosts.
77′ – TAHS 10-21 LIONS: Marcus Smith hits one of the worst kicks to touch you’ll ever see, it goes dead and doesn’t even flirt with the touchline.
Smith had actually made a positive impact off the bench at 10 until then, but that moment kind of encapsulates the Lions’ performance.
The less said about that one the better.
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