And on that note, I will say goodbye.
It wasn’t pretty from the Lions, but it was effec … oh.
See you on Wednesday for the Blues v Lions. Ta ra.
Warren Gatland's reaction
“We got held up over the line four times, we created some chances, just a little bit of inaccuracy but we might have pulled away,” says Gatland.
“We got a lot out of tonight’s game compared to playing the Barbarians in Hong Kong. It was a good hit out for us I was pleased with the energy from the bench, I thought that was important. Some things to work on but a win is a win.”
And on Bryn, he says: “He caused us some problems in that first half, I thought he played pretty well in that first half. A win-win really.”
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Match report
The Lions may have been rusty but let’s not forget that the Barbarians only spent a week together too. They were inspired, really showcasing that New Zealanders have inherent skills that we just do not see in the north.
For the Lions, it’s a win. And, um, yeah.
One out of one, I’m pretty pleased, they played with nothing to lose. It wasn’t perfect but it’s a building block and we’ll keep improving,” says Sam Warburton, with a glass half-full appraisal of that match.
“We kept letting them back in the game, giving them easy outs. It’s much easier said than done and better teams will punish us there.”
Full time: New Zealand Barbarians 7-13 Lions
Really not very good from the Lions. There are reasons behind it – jet-lag and their lack of preparation time, not to mention an inspired Barbarians – but they would get roased by all five Super Rugby sides if they play like that again.
They were improved for 10 or 15 minutes after the break, Farrell making a bit of an impact but even he was not immune from the Lions torpor, missing a relatively simple penalty.
80 mins: The Lions have a free-kick … and Farrell kicks it out. The Lions have spluttered their way to victory.
79 mins: Here comes the maul … but Vunipola pinches it and the Lions will have a scrum. The Lions can breathe. Nearly.
78 mins: The Barbarians win the lineout and win another penalty … Lualala can go for the corner. It’s conservative but it’s a lineout within the Lions 22 … I’ll say again, surely not …
76 mins: Farrell clears well but the Barbarians come again. Still in their own half though with Tipuric leading the defensive line. But the Barbarians have a penalty. There is a huge tension among the Lions who would not have though they would be less than a score ahead at this stage.
75 mins: Free-kick to the Barbarians and Matich, who has impressed from the bench, but the Lions hold firm and they will now have the put-in to the scrum. They are not where they want to be on the field though.
74 mins: The Lions think they have pinched it back but Tipuric has knocked it on so it’s a Barbarians scrum on the Lions 22 … oh to be a fly on the wall at the Hansen household at the moment.
72 mins: Laulala grubbers through but T’eo dives on the loose ball. Reece has a go though, then so does Laulala. The Barbarians have worked their way up to the 22. Surely not …
71 mins: Again, the Lions fail to get the maul going which will be hugely frustrating for the coaches. It’s a penalty for the Barbarians and they’re up to half way.
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70 mins: Farrell goes high and Tipuric recovers before feeding Webb. The Barbarians scramble though and force the knock-on. It’s another Barbarians scrum near their posts. The home side clear, not particularly far though, and Moriarty is in the wars again.
68 mins: It’s a scrum to the BaaBaas in their 22 after a red shirt knocked on the rebound. A bit of handbags involving Moriarty, who has been waiting for one of those you get the feeling. The BaaBaas miss touch with their penalty.
66 mins: The Lions win a penalty on the 22, towards the left, and Farrell will go for goal. Boos ring out but it’s a compliment to the Barbarians. Farrell doesn’t miss many … but he wallops the left-hand post. Deary me.
Tipuric comes on for Warburton.
65 mins: The Lions have stolen it again though and the Barbarians are pinged for offside from the the resulting box-kick. Farrell kicks the Lions to the Barbarians 22.
64 mins: A big hit from Jones, who has grown into this game but Webb gives a penalty away at the breakdown and the Barbarians kick to touch. Another chance for the hosts to strike back.
62 mins: Again the Lions can’t get the rolling maul going but Webb finds a decent touch. It’s a BaaBaas lineout on the 10-metre line but Kruis steals it.
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61 mins: Nearly. Vaka is fed with a huge long pass and he finds Finau inside but the Lions bundle into touch. Lions have the lineout near their own line.
60 mins: Test for George here but he picks out Jones. The rolling maul gets nowhere though and the Barbarians have forced the turnover. Barbarians will have the put in but this scrum is taking a while to set.
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58 mins: The Barbarians go through a number of phases, they really are so comfortable on the ball, before Gatland kicks to the corner with his usual precision. It’s Gatland’s last intervention as Webb comes on for Laidlaw for the Lions.
56 mins: Farrell has already impressed from the bench but Joseph knocks on. You get the feeling the Barbarians are clinging on a touch. Or put another way, if the Lions were a bit more clinical, there would be tries for the taking.
55 mins: Gatland goes to the skies again but Hogg makes a good catch this time and Te’o again makes yards. The Lions look a lot more comfortable now.
Try! NZ Barbarians 7-13 Lions
53 mins: Farrell produces a clever kick towards the corner and the Barbarians are scrambling. Gatland clears but the Lions come back at them. Moriarty almost breaks through, but for a desperate tackle from Reece, but Watson is spins over. Farrell converts from out wide.
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More Lions changes:
Vunipola on for Marler, George on for Best, Furlong on for Sinckler and Kruis on for Henderson
50 mins: The Lions have a penalty, within range, and Sinckler goes quickly. He’s turned over and that was a mistake from the prop, albeit his first. The Barbarians clear their lines.
49 mins: A promising move for the Barbarians is ended with a Lions turnover and Te’o runs hard and straight to bring the Lions into their opponents half before the home side’s replacement hooker Makalio absolutely wallops Alun Wyn Jones into next week.
Some replacements for the Lions: Farrell for Sexton and some others are imminent.
46 mins: The Barbarians get their hands on the ball again and fizz it around. Laulala fires a lovely offload and Reece has it down the left. Penalty for the Barbarians for a high tackle by Sexton.
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44 mins: This is better from the Lions. Sinckler again impresses and Laidlaw puts the Barbarians in the corner with a clever kick.
Penalty! NZ Barbarians 7-6 Lions
43 mins: Laidlaw makes no mistake. The Lions were more direct in the buildup to that penalty and they’ll be pleased they have managed to score so early.
Peeeeeeeeeep!
41 mins: Sexton kicks us off again and Gatland clears, straight down Sexton’s throat. Best has a carry and Seymour almost wriggles away up the middle. Lions have a penalty, just outside the 22 and Laidlaw, not Sexton, will kick at goal. Sexton is receiving a bit of treatment.
Half-time! NZ Barbarians 7-3 Lions
Well, well, well. Who’d have seen that coming, there is of course still 40 minutes to go but rest assured Warren Gatland and Andy Farrell will be spitting feathers at the moment. The Lions have been rusty, covered head to toe in cobwebs - best summed up by Stuart Hogg’s woes. It is understandable considering they arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday and there have been a few shining lights, Faletau, Sinckler and Te’o in particular.
For the BaaBaas, Gatland has been superb. His kicking arsenal is terrific and they have scored the only try of the half through their captain and hooker Anderson-Heather. The NZ Barbarians have farmers and shop workers in their team and they are considerably more comfortable on the ball.
That said, the Lions will surely put on the squeeze in the second half. Back soon. In the mean time, here’s something to cast your eye over until the second half is underway.
40 mins: Hogg and Watson try their best, Faletau has a go, then Sexton looks to go wide and it’s a dreadful pass. They were playing advantage however and they opt for a scrum. Joseph nearly gets there, it looks as though he might just have, but he’s held up. That’s it, the BaaBaas lead at half-time.
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39 mins: The Lions could really do with a score to take with them into half-time. They have it on the Barbarians’ 22. Jones has a go, then Joseph and now Hogg to Watson. Faletau is just short, Laidlaw thinks he might be over, but the referee says held up. Scrum to the Lions five metres out.
Kerry in Hay has a question …
If it stays like this what will Gatso senior’s half-time talk be like? That boy of mine (lovely boy, his mother is proud) is making mincemeat of you (he does have good blood though) now get out there and smash them (but go easy on our Bryn, eh?)
37 mins: The Barbarians knock-on so the Lions have a scrum. Sexton looks to kick crossfield. They are using slightly different balls to those the Lions are used to apparently but that kick had far too much on it.
34 mins: Almost. A couple of scrums – that is somewhere the Lions have the upper hand – and Warburton almost finds route over. It’s a penalty though, he’s gone into the back over another red shirt. Gatland, not for the first time, earns his side another penalty and the Barbarians have it near halfway.
32 mins: Hogg is trying to make amends and he goes stepping through midfield. Moriarty slips away, as does Te’o again. He finds Hogg but the Scot can’t quite get there. He’s held up. Sinckler was involved in that passage of play too. He and Te’o the Lions’ standouts so far. Not much competition though, Faletau aside.
30 mins: Oooosh. The Lions are almost over in the right-hand corner. Watson can’t get their but really it’s Hogg’s fault. He’s butchered the pass to the winger. It came about with some more strong carries from Te’o and Sinckler. Hogg’s not having a good game.
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28 mins: Scrum after a scrappy period of play. Best makes a turnover and knocks it on before Gatland makes his first mistake with a sloppy pass out of play. The Barbarians make a mockery of how slippery the ball is with some wonderful handling but they’re eventually turned over.
26 mins: Gatland really has caught the eye and he picks out Vaka down the right with another inch perfect kick. The Lions turn over and Laidlaw hacks clear.
Wise words indeed from our columnist for the Lions tour …
Don't kick the ball loosely to NZ teams!!!! Great start by the NZ BaaBaa's #LionsNZ2017
— Nick Evans (@nick10evans) June 3, 2017
Try! NZ Barbarians 7-3 Lions (Anderson-Heather)
23 mins: And they’re over. Fully deserved. They’ve had all the ball and this time they’ve worked the captain Anderson-Heather over. Gatland, who has caught the eye so far, converts.
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22 mins: The Barbarians are back in front of the posts after a pretty rank clearance from Sexton gives Gatland the chance to go to the skies …
20 mins: Finau is off with a shoulder injury but the Barbarians still have a five-metre scrum. The Lions manage to slow the ball though and it’s knocked on by the Barbarians. Scrum to the Lions in front of their posts.
18 mins: Woof! What a break by Laulala and what tackle from Faletau. Laulala really should have made better use of a three on one, but his was the break nonetheless. He gave Faletau a sniff though and the Lions No8 made a super tackle on Finau, who was supporting Laulala.
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Penalty! NZ Barbarians 0-3 Lions (Sexton)
17 mins: The Lions crank up the pressure and win the penalty. It’s just to the right, Sexton will go for goal - he’s booed for his troubles but slots this one with no trouble. We’re up and running.
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15 mins: Shambles. The Barbarians work the ball well out to the right from a scrum, Vaka kicks forward and Hogg makes a complete ricket. Gatland then dinks over the top and Joseph doesn’t want to let Hogg have all the fun. Watson marks with what is almost certainly his first touch and the Lions have it in the Barbarians half.
13 mins: Moriarty carries strongly after Sexton puts Seymour through a small gap inside. The ball is worked to Te’o, who makes a break down the left, that’s encouraging. But the Barbarians are defending well. Te’o gets his hands on the ball again but is excellently tackled by Finau. Boshier impressing defensively too.
11 mins: Sexton was getting a bit of stick for kicking at goal, it’s not really what the crowd came to see, and Gatland shows him the way with a cheeky little restart.
9 mins: That’s a bit better – Sexton, Te’o and Seymour link nicely. The ball goes to ground but the Lions have a penalty. Sexton goes for goal – as the Barbarians should have done with one of their earlier penalties. It’s off target, in-keeping with how the Lions have started.
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7 mins: The Lions have a bit of possession after Vaka spills a Laidlaw box-kick. And they’ve earned a penalty. Sexton booms it into touch and the Lions can expect a bit of overdue territory. Let’s see what they have up their sleeves.
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5 mins: With advantage, Gatland looks for a crossfield kick to Reece. It’s a touch overcooked but the Barbarians come back and kick the penalty to the corner. The Lions are covered in proverbial cobwebs.
4 mins: Gatland has made a decent start but Moriarty absolutely levels him. The Barbarians are having all of the ball at the moment and have a penalty. Gatland goes to the corner … the BaaBaas have a lot of pace out wide with Reece and Vaka, who has already broken the line down the right.
Peeeeeep!
1 min: Gatland junior gets us underway, and the Lions make a mess of it and it’s back with Reece and the Barbarians. An inauspicious start … but Laidlaw wellies clear.
Fireworks in Whangarei which must mean kick-off is almost upon us. It’s a 20,000 sell-out at Toll Stadium and it’s not raining. The players are in the tunnel, Warburton leads the Lions out with toy lion. Game on.
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While Gatland will have a checklist of things he wants to see, needless to say injuries head the list of things he’d rather not. At the risk of tempting fate, the Lions have a pretty clean bill of health at the moment – only Jared Payne and Ken Owens were unavailable for this match – but things go from bad to worse for the All Blacks.
Ryan Crotty who has been in excellent form for the Crusaders this season, has suffered a rib injury in today’s match with the Highlanders, for whom Ben Smith went off with concussion. Considering Sony Bill Williams is among those standing by for the All Blacks, the cupboard is hardly bare but it will be concerning for Steve Hansen nonetheless.
Weather update from our man on the ground …
Monsoon has finally abated and groundsman Mr K Canute has played a blinder... just one hour to go now until the #LionsNZ2017 tour kicks off.
— robert kitson (@robkitson) June 3, 2017
Hello!
Welcome to the curtain raiser of the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand. Warren Gatland’s troops open up against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians in the Whangarei, where it has been absolutely hosing it down. It’s the Queen’s birthday weekend in New Zealand but that has not stopped the heavens opening in the North Island.
This is a match that the Lions are expected to win, and win comfortably. It’s a bit of a no-win situation for them really - win big, and they were expected to, squeeze home and the anxiety creeps in. But Gatland will have a checklist of things he is looking for and among them will be developing combinations among his players and doing the basics well, no easy task considering the wet weather.
His team makes obvious sense – 13 of the 14 from the first training camp in Wales line up along with Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan Sexton, who gets an early chance to stake his claim for the Test No10 jersey. Owen Farrell is on the bench and it will be interesting to see who he comes on for.
For the Barbarians, Bryn Gatland is the standout name for obvious reasons but Lachlan Boshier is a highly-rated flanker who will give Sam Warburton a good workout. The BaaBaas have only been together for a week but they will try and throw the ball around in keeping with tradition.
Here are your teams – kick-off is just over half an hour away.
NZ Provincial Barbarians L Laulala; S Vaka (both Counties Manukau), I Finau (Canterbury), D Sweeney, S Reece (both Waikato); B Gatland (North Harbour), J Stratton (Canterbury); A Ross (Bay of Plenty), S Anderson-Heather (Otago, capt), O Jager (Canterbury), J Goodhue (Northland), K Mewett (Bay of Plenty), J Tucker (Waikato), L Boshier (Taranaki), M Dunshea (Canterbury). Replacements A Makalio (Tasman), T Fahamokioa (Wellington), M Renata (Auckland), M Matich (Northland), P Rowe (Wanganui), R Judd (Bay of Plenty), J Lowe (Hawke’s Bay), J Ngaluafe (Southland).
British & Irish Lions S Hogg; A Watson, J Joseph, B Te’o, T Seymour; J Sexton, G Laidlaw; J Marler, R Best, K Sinckler, AW Jones, I Henderson, R Moriarty, S Warburton (capt), T Faletau. Replacements J George, M Vunipola, T Furlong, G Kruis, J Tipuric, R Webb, O Farrell, E Daly.
Referee: A Gardner (Aus).
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Gerard will be here soon. Whilst you wait, have a read of his five things to look out for in today’s match:
