The British and Irish Lions began with a bang to dominate Australia, claim the first test, and maintain their unbeaten run in Brisbane.
Jorgensen (28'), Tizzano (67'), McDermott (78')
Tries
Tuipulotu (8'), Curry (35'), Sheehan (41')
Donaldson (68', 78')
Conversions
Russell (9', 36', 42')
Penalties
Russell (1'), Smith (73')
The British and Irish Lions began with a bang to dominate Australia, claim the first test, and maintain their unbeaten run in Brisbane.
Sione Tuipulotu gave the Lions a dream start with a try in the first 10 minutes, and Tom Curry and Dan Sheehan added further scores. Finn Russell kicked three conversions and a penalty, while Marcus Smith came off the bench and slotted a late three-pointer.
Max Jorgensen, Carlo Tizzano, and Tate McDermott scored tries for the Wallabies, and Ben Donaldson added a conversion.
The Lions fast start put the hosts on the backfoot, and their class shone through when it mattered.
Andy Farrell and his team will have a few niggles to iron out, but ultimately, they were too intense, too disciplined, and too accurate for the home side.
Joe Schmidt will be pleased with how his team rallied at times. He will wonder how they would have fared with Will Skelton and Rob Valentini, and there a few replacements who put themselves up to start in Melbourne next week.
DREAM START
It didn’t take long for the Lions to get on the scoreboard. Beirne won a penalty, and Russell gleefully accepted the chance to knock over three points.
The score set the visitors up to go on the offensive. Dan Sheehan broke the line, James Lowe carried on the attack, and after dismissing a cross-kick, Russell flung the ball to Tuipulotu for an easy run in for the first try.
Ten minutes in, and it was looking rosy.
Tom Lynagh put his team on the front foot with a kick that Hugo Keenan fumbled. The Lions rallied though, and after Jamison Gibson-Park switched the play, Huw Jones thought he had scored a second try, but it was ruled out for not releasing in the tackle.
Errors crept in. Tommy Freeman chipped straight to touch as the teams traded blows, and Aussie star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii struggled to get into the game.
BISH, BOSH, BEIRNE
Beirne was justifying his inclusion. He pinched a lineout near the Lions 22 and then linked up with Ellis Genge to charge forward.
Still, Australia won a useful penalty and then another from a scrum. The Lions defensive line wasn’t getting in place quick enough.
Their reward came after a weak Lowe clearance let Jake Gordon send up a bomb, and Jorgensen wrestled the ball from Keenan and raced away to the corner.
Lowe butchered a chance when he ignored Freeman on his shoulder, but Curry belied a quiet half to dive over from close range for the Lions’ second try. His luck was in, and on the stroke of halftime he avoided a yellow card for taking out Lynagh in the air.
SPICEY CURRY
If Curry had had a quiet first half, he started the second with a bang. First, he pinched an overthrown lineout and then linked with Jones to send Sheehan over in the corner.
Russell and Gibson-Park were comfortably in their armchairs, though there were times when those outside them were guilty of overplaying.
Still, the Lions defence stood firm, and Beirne continued to work hard.
The Aussie rallied around the hour mark. Harry Wilson was held up and referee Ben O’Keefe gave Maro Itoje put the Lions on a warning after numerous infringements. Suaalii thought he had scored but was pinged for not releasing.
A late bounce on the line denied Harry Potter a try. But the Wallabies kept coming and eventually Tizzano drove over.
Smith marked his entry with a penalty, but McDermott scored a deserved try by wiggling over late on.
Australia Starting XV (1-15) James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nicholas Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Jake Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright
Australia Replacements (16-23) Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway
British & Irish Lions Starting XV (1-15) Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell, James Lowe, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Tommy Freeman, Hugo Keenan
British & Irish Lions Replacements (16-23) Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki
