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Lancaster (34'), Dobbins (41')
Tries
Jones (11', 32'), Mitchell (54')
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Smith (12', 33', 55')
British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell lamented his team’s inability to capitalise on their dominant territory and possession during their 21-10 win over New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday.
Centre Huw Jones scored twice before halftime at the Sydney Football Stadium, and scrumhalf Alex Mitchell dummied his way over for a second after the break. Too often though tries went begging due to individual or collective errors.
It was the case even after the final whistle.
The ball went wide to wing Duhan van der Merwe, but he took too long to decide whether to go wide or cut back in. By the time he decided to go wide the Waratahs cover defence had arrived and while he got the ball free, it bounced off Ben Earl’s foot to end the match.
“We're satisfied with the winning, but the amount of territory and possession that we had and to come away with so much lost ball, turnovers, etc…to say that we left a few out there was an understatement,” Farrell told Sky Sports.
BOSSING THE SET PIECE
“It's good learning for us, because it was a different type of game, close and under pressure. Again, we didn't come out of the blocks hard enough. We need to address that. We need to address our exits after scoring tries, because we need to be more clinical there.
“Sometimes we overplayed. I thought it was better when we when we played more direct and off nine. Playing on slowest ball and then shovelling, shovelling ball on and trying to find a way when it's wet, it isn't the right thing to do. You are going to lose collisions.”
The Lions improved their set piece from previous matches and won multiple penalties at the scrum.
However, they conceded 13 penalties and 19 turnovers to a team that competed fiercely at the breakdown, most notably flanker Charlie Gamble, who continues in the footsteps of Phil Waugh and Michael Hooper in a Waratahs shirt.
“It was a bit of a scrappy game, and we struggled a bit at the breakdown and in the air, but we found a way to get a few points on the board and get the win,” Mitchell told Sky Sports. “They were quality today. They made everything a fight.
BRUMBIES UP NEXT
“We're not there yet but we're getting there. We just struggled with a bit with the greasy ball. The breakdown made it tough for us. The errors and discipline let them back into the game.”
The Lions will now travel to Australian capital Canberra to face the ACT Brumbies on Wednesday.
They were Australia’s strongest team in this year’s Super Rugby, but one player who is unlikely to play is Owen Farrell, who replaced the injured Elliot Daly earlier in the week.
“Probably not,” Farrell senior said when asked. “I don't know. With jet lag, etc, you’ve got to go through protocols. So normally, that takes a few more days I would have thought.”
