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White (4')
Tries
Sheehan (1'), Williams (15', 46'), Daly (35', 70'), Ringrose (51'), McCarthy (53'), Mitchell (80')
Donaldson (5')
Conversions
Russell (2', 16', 36', 51', 54'), Smith (71', 81')
British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell praised the way his team took the match away from Western Force in the second half in Perth to win 54-7 in their first match in Australia.
On Saturday, the hosts heaped early pressure on the Lions at Optus Stadium and former Exeter Chiefs scrumhalf Nic White scored their only points after Lions captain Dan Sheehan opened the scoring early on.
It set the hosts up to pile on the pressure, but while they found ways to breach the Lions defence, the tourists scrambled to keep them out and then stretched their lead with tries from Tomos Wiliams and Elliot Daly before halftime.
“Let's be honest, the Force took it to us,” Farrell told Sky Sports. “I thought they played a tough high-percentage game. They kept the ball really well and we kept them in good field position through our ill-discipline.
COMPOSURE AND CALM
“When we get our composure in the second half, we were able be nice and calm.”
Williams and Daly scored their second tries after halftime, though Williams went off immediately with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, which Farrell said they will assess.
Joe McCarthy, Garry Ringrose, and Alex Mitchell stretched the lead beyond the 50-point mark as their intensity increased in the second half.
“It was a real good test for us in that first half glad how we composed ourselves at half-time and kept our composure throughout the second half,” Farrell said.
“It is nice to get tries on the board and a few good individual performances. That is all good for the future, and we have to keep pushing one another.”
Force captain White is well-known to English rugby after three years and he was impressed with the Gallagher Premiership’s latest young tyro, Henry Pollock.
POLLOCK TO THE FORE
The Northampton man enjoyed a powerful showing, albeit one in which he received a yellow card shortly before halftime.
However, he helped set up two tries, one with a slick exchange with Josh van der Flier, and the second with an impudent kick and catch.
“Henry Pollock was certainly up to the hype,” White told Sky Sports. “From 50 minutes plus they kept the intensity, and he came into his own. It was so exciting for our guys to go up against them and in front of a record crowd it was unbelievable.
“We thought we put them under pressure but just couldn't take some of the opportunities we had. We certainly enjoyed it a lot. We are disappointed it fell away a bit at the end but that is what a quality Lions side can do.”
