The British and Irish Lions continued to warm up for their three-Test summer series against Australia with a 36-24 win over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
Andy Farrell picked what many consider to be his likely Test team for Wednesday’s clash with Australia’s best-performing Super Rugby franchise at the GIO Stadium and received an overall mixed display, with Blair Kinghorn limping off early to present another key injury concern.
While the Lions took an obvious step forward in attack with five tries - and three more over the line not grounded - to follow a thoroughly scrappy 21-10 victory against the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday, they also made another sluggish start and conceded four tries, shipping double-digit penalties as their breakdown struggles continued and committing more frustrating handling errors.
There were plenty of positives to take from a fourth consecutive win Down Under but also remain a number of issues to work on for Farrell’s side 10 days out from the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19, with only one more warm-up fixture to come now - against a strong-looking AUNZ Invitational XV at the Adelaide Oval this weekend.
The Lions looked to be caught cold again on a chilly winter’s night in Canberra, conceding early penalties before the weakened Brumbies - missing a host of Australian internationals in Allan Alaalatoa, James Slipper, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Len Ikitau, Billy Pollard, Tom Wright and Noah Lolesio - capitalised on a ferocious start with just four minutes on the clock through number eight Tuaina Taii Tualima, whose opening try went unconverted.
The Lions’ attack looked rather out of sync once more, until they took advantage of a needless spilled pass forward and hit back after quarter of an hour, England forward Ollie Chessum showing his handling skills as he was put through to level the score ahead of a botched conversion attempt by Finn Russell.
The momentum continued to swing back and forth in a high-tempo affair and the Lions thought they had gone ahead when James Lowe finished in the left corner, but the try was not given on the field and there was nothing conclusive on the TMO replays to overturn that decision.
The Lions then lost Kinghorn - the front-runner to be their Test starter at full-back - to what looked like a knee injury that he initially tried to play through, failing to hide his frustration as he limped off the pitch, replaced by Marcus Smith.
Ireland wing Lowe would not be denied and finished off a wonderful passing move as the Lions’ attack finally clicked in devastating fashion, the ever-influential Russell destined not to miss again from the tee for the rest of the night.
The two sides traded further tries late in the first half to make it 19-10 to the Lions, Smith breaking through with the clock in the red after prolific wing Corey Toole had punished some narrow defending for the Brumbies.
The Lions had their fourth try seven minutes after the interval, Garry Ringrose collecting Smith’s clever kick through to score and give the tourists some breathing space.
You sensed that the Lions would likely start to pull away, just as they did in huge wins over the Western Force and Queensland Reds to kick off the tour, but, like the Waratahs before them, the Brumbies showed impressive resolve and answered shortly afterwards through centre Hudson Creighton to make it 26-17.
The Brumbies’ competitiveness in their quest to follow up a famous win from 2013 was shown by the Lions opting to kick a penalty through Russell to extend their lead on the hour mark.
A trademark burst from the fit-again Henry Pollock had the Lions back deep in the 22 and the home defence could not hold out as Josh van der Flier, whose earlier effort was not given with no clear evidence of grounding, finished off a ruthless rolling maul with just over 10 minutes to go.
But the Lions still could not shut the door in defence as replacement hooker Liam Bowron scored from close range to bring the Brumbies back within 12, Chessum then denied his second try at the death after the ball was ruled as being held up after review.
