Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the British and Irish Lions’ first game of a busy summer schedule, with Warren Gatland’s team taking on Japan in Edinburgh today.
We’ll have all the action as it happens in Murrayfield.
There’s also plenty of good reading on The42 to get you in the mood, starting with Garry Doyle’s exclusive interview with Robbie Henshaw, which you can read here.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
26 Jun 2021
2:14PM
Murray Kinsella also caught up with David Wallace, who was part of the last Lions tour to South Africa in 2009, and you can find their chat here.
You can also read Garry Doyle’s match preview here, and find our refresher on Japan here, who play a Test game today for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Lions' captain Alun Wyn Jones at the coin toss with Referee Pascal Gaüzère and Japan captain Michael Leitch. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
26 Jun 2021
2:33PM
We’re just half an hour out from kick-off now, here’s a reminder of how Japan will line up today.
🚨 Member announcement!
Introducing the Brave Blossoms that are set to take in the British and Irish Lions 🦁 this Saturday in a first ever meet between the two teams.
Right, the teams are out on the pitch, just five minutes to go now. Japan wearing a very fetching blue kit today.
26 Jun 2021
3:02PM
And we’re underway in Murrayfield.
26 Jun 2021
3:06PM
3mins: A lively start. Tadhg Beirne gets up the win the first lineout of the day, and Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima has already made a smart break down the right wing.
26 Jun 2021
3:12PM
7mins: The Lions visit the Japan 22 for the first time today, launching an attack off a lineout but it ends with a big turnover from Japan, who look really up for this.
Meanwhile, Alun Wyn Jones is already done for the afternoon due to what appears to be a wrist or arm injury. A big blow for the Lions captain, who doesn’t look happy at all. Hopefully it’s nothing too series. Courtney Lawes comes in to take his place.
26 Jun 2021
3:14PM
9mins: A big moment for Jack Conan who produces a huge turnover as Japan attack the Lions 22. The Leinster man has made some big plays in the opening minutes here.
13mins: That’s a really well-worked try by the Lions. They moved the ball at pace, with a good carry from Robbie Henshaw, before Adams produced some really smart footwork to get over the line in the corner. Dan Biggar nails the conversion and the Lions are up and running.
26 Jun 2021
3:23PM
TRY – Duhan van der Merwe
26 Jun 2021
3:26PM
British & Irish Lions 14 Japan 0
19mins: This is really good work from the Lions. Warren Gatland’s team are moving the ball so quickly from the breakdown, and the tempo is causing Japan problems, with Van der Merwe spotting a gap and peeling down the short-side to run in unchallenged.
Biggar again slots the conversion, and the Lions are very much in control at Murrayfield.
23mins: That’s as easy as it gets for the Lions. A simple lineout move sees the Lions set up in a good position, and Conor Murray feeds Henshaw, who ran a good line to burst through and dot down. Biggar makes it 3/3 from the tee, and Warren Gatland will be very happy with the way his team have started.
Just before that, Justin Tipuric came off with what looked like another arm injury. Taulupe Faletau has taken his place.
26 Jun 2021
3:33PM
Here’s the second Lions try from Duhan van der Merwe.
40mins: Matsushima with some electric footwork to burn Conor Murray, but the attack breaks down. Japan get the scrum on the edge of the Lions’ 22, and go through the phases but make little ground in the face of some solid defensive work.
Japan eventually get the penalty, with Conan pinged, and kick to the corner.
HT: Japan work the ball from left to right from the lineout, and win another penalty as Matsushima has a snipe in the corner. Japan reset their but the Lions hold their ground well again, including big tackles from Tadhg Furlong and Bundee Aki, who wins possession and brings us to half-time.
26 Jun 2021
3:54PM
An encouraging first half for the Lions, although those two injuries to Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric will be cause for concern for Warren Gatland.
Some really nice, high tempo attacking rugby from the Lions, although there has been an expected lack of cohesion at time. We’ll be back with all the second-half action shortly.
26 Jun 2021
4:05PM
41mins: We’re back underway at Murrayfield.
26 Jun 2021
4:08PM
Half-time did not go as planned for the lucky 16,000 at Murrayfield.
Murrayfield announces it is closing its bars to audible boos.#BILvJPN
43mins: Liam Williams getting some treatment now after a collision with Ryoto Nakamura, who caught Williams right on the nose with an attempted tackle. He’ll be ok to continue.
26 Jun 2021
4:12PM
45mins: Jack Conan thought he had a try, but the play is called back for a knock on. Dan Biggar had played a love chip through for Liam Williams, but the bounce of the ball just evaded the Lions’ fullback and skipped towards Conan.
We have a TMO check, and the replays show the ball clearly moved forward after hitting Williams’ hand.
46mins: We have another TMO check after Courtney Lawes thinks he’s over. However the replays show he lost control of the ball in his grounding.
Tadhg Furlong with a really powerful carry in the lead up to that disallowed try, getting some momentum despite a handful of Japan players hanging out of him.
48mins: What a moment for Beirne. The Munster man showed good pace after running a smart line, slicing through from the edge of the 22 to dive in under the posts. Biggar makes no mistake with the conversion.
At the third time of asking, the Lions have their first try of the second half.
26 Jun 2021
4:22PM
Really good stuff from Beirne, who has looked sharp today.
56mins: The Lions have changed their entire front row now, with Wyn Jones, Kyle Sinkler and Jamie George all on the pitch.
Owen Farrell has also come in at centre, replacing Bundee Aki, and the Saracens man was immediately in Robbie Henshaw’s ear. It will be interesting to see how those two gel together for the next 25 minutes or so.
59mins: Japan are finally on the scoreboard. Himeno powers over off the back of an efficient lineout move, getting across with a little help from Ryoto Nakamura, although Courtney Lawes will feel he should have done better in the tackle.
Yu Tamura adds the extras.
26 Jun 2021
4:36PM
64mins: A high tackle from Robbie Henshaw results in a Japan penalty, and Tamura goes for the posts after some initial confusion, but drags his kick to the left and wide.
Another change for the Lions as Liam Williams makes way for Anthony Watson.
68mins: Japan will the momentum now, playing some of their best rugby of the day. They get a chance to put some more points on the board with a Tamura penalty, and this time the Japan out-half splits the posts.
26 Jun 2021
4:45PM
70mins: Alun Wyn Jones pops up on the screen, and doesn’t look too uncomfortable as he chats to his teammates on the Lions bench. We’ll get an update on the nature of his injury from Warren Gatland after the game.
The Lions are currently down to 14 men, as Jack Conan goes off with an injury and isn’t replaced. We didn’t see what happened Conan, but it doesn’t appear to be anything too serious.
26 Jun 2021
4:49PM
74mins: Himeno close to adding a second try for Japan, but Beirne and Henderson do well to hold him up over the line. Japan playing some really nice rugby now, showing good hands in the passages of play leading up to Himeno’s drive at the line.
26 Jun 2021
4:51PM
The shortlist for man of the match is splitting opinion. A lot of love for Jack Conan’s performance today, but he doesn’t make the cut.
Do let us know your man of the match in the comments, Irish bias fully encouraged.
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 26, 2021
26 Jun 2021
4:54PM
78mins: Another really great break from Matsushima, who has looked so sharp in flashes today, but he slips at he gets into the Lions 22. Japan with all the ball now as the clock enters the final few minutes.
26 Jun 2021
4:55PM
79mins: Dan Biggar named man of the match, a good outing for the Wales out-half.
A comfortable outing for the Lions, who win by 18 points in Murrayfield. A few nice moments in attack but also plenty to work on, with the Lions’ defensive work lacking a little cohesion at times.
A few injury worries too, and we’ll get an update on Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Jack Conan shortly.
The Irish contingent will all be happy with their work today, with Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan in particular standing out.
Japan, for their part, grew into the game and looked more like the team that lit up the 2019 World Cup in the latter stages of the second half. Next up for them is a visit to Dublin to play Andy Farrell’s Ireland, while the Lions jet off to South Africa tomorrow.
We’ll have a full report and all the reaction on site shortly. Thanks for joining our live coverage today.
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As it happened: British and Irish Lions v Japan
LAST UPDATE | 26 Jun 2021
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the British and Irish Lions’ first game of a busy summer schedule, with Warren Gatland’s team taking on Japan in Edinburgh today.
We’ll have all the action as it happens in Murrayfield.
There’s also plenty of good reading on The42 to get you in the mood, starting with Garry Doyle’s exclusive interview with Robbie Henshaw, which you can read here.
Murray Kinsella also caught up with David Wallace, who was part of the last Lions tour to South Africa in 2009, and you can find their chat here.
You can also read Garry Doyle’s match preview here, and find our refresher on Japan here, who play a Test game today for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
We’re just half an hour out from kick-off now, here’s a reminder of how Japan will line up today.
Looks like a great occasion in Edinburgh, with 16,000 supporters due in Murrayfield today.
Right, the teams are out on the pitch, just five minutes to go now. Japan wearing a very fetching blue kit today.
And we’re underway in Murrayfield.
3mins: A lively start. Tadhg Beirne gets up the win the first lineout of the day, and Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima has already made a smart break down the right wing.
7mins: The Lions visit the Japan 22 for the first time today, launching an attack off a lineout but it ends with a big turnover from Japan, who look really up for this.
Meanwhile, Alun Wyn Jones is already done for the afternoon due to what appears to be a wrist or arm injury. A big blow for the Lions captain, who doesn’t look happy at all. Hopefully it’s nothing too series. Courtney Lawes comes in to take his place.
9mins: A big moment for Jack Conan who produces a huge turnover as Japan attack the Lions 22. The Leinster man has made some big plays in the opening minutes here.
TRY! Josh Adams has a try on his Lions debut.
British & Irish Lions 7 Japan 0
13mins: That’s a really well-worked try by the Lions. They moved the ball at pace, with a good carry from Robbie Henshaw, before Adams produced some really smart footwork to get over the line in the corner. Dan Biggar nails the conversion and the Lions are up and running.
TRY – Duhan van der Merwe
British & Irish Lions 14 Japan 0
19mins: This is really good work from the Lions. Warren Gatland’s team are moving the ball so quickly from the breakdown, and the tempo is causing Japan problems, with Van der Merwe spotting a gap and peeling down the short-side to run in unchallenged.
Biggar again slots the conversion, and the Lions are very much in control at Murrayfield.
Here’s Josh Adams’ opening try.
TRY – Robbie Henshaw
British & Irish Lions 21 Japan 0
23mins: That’s as easy as it gets for the Lions. A simple lineout move sees the Lions set up in a good position, and Conor Murray feeds Henshaw, who ran a good line to burst through and dot down. Biggar makes it 3/3 from the tee, and Warren Gatland will be very happy with the way his team have started.
Just before that, Justin Tipuric came off with what looked like another arm injury. Taulupe Faletau has taken his place.
Here’s the second Lions try from Duhan van der Merwe.
And here’s try number three, which had a very Irish flavour to it.
40mins: Matsushima with some electric footwork to burn Conor Murray, but the attack breaks down. Japan get the scrum on the edge of the Lions’ 22, and go through the phases but make little ground in the face of some solid defensive work.
Japan eventually get the penalty, with Conan pinged, and kick to the corner.
HT: Japan work the ball from left to right from the lineout, and win another penalty as Matsushima has a snipe in the corner. Japan reset their but the Lions hold their ground well again, including big tackles from Tadhg Furlong and Bundee Aki, who wins possession and brings us to half-time.
An encouraging first half for the Lions, although those two injuries to Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric will be cause for concern for Warren Gatland.
Some really nice, high tempo attacking rugby from the Lions, although there has been an expected lack of cohesion at time. We’ll be back with all the second-half action shortly.
41mins: We’re back underway at Murrayfield.
Half-time did not go as planned for the lucky 16,000 at Murrayfield.
43mins: Liam Williams getting some treatment now after a collision with Ryoto Nakamura, who caught Williams right on the nose with an attempted tackle. He’ll be ok to continue.
45mins: Jack Conan thought he had a try, but the play is called back for a knock on. Dan Biggar had played a love chip through for Liam Williams, but the bounce of the ball just evaded the Lions’ fullback and skipped towards Conan.
We have a TMO check, and the replays show the ball clearly moved forward after hitting Williams’ hand.
46mins: We have another TMO check after Courtney Lawes thinks he’s over. However the replays show he lost control of the ball in his grounding.
Tadhg Furlong with a really powerful carry in the lead up to that disallowed try, getting some momentum despite a handful of Japan players hanging out of him.
TRY – Tadhg Beirne
British & Irish Lions 28 Japan 0
48mins: What a moment for Beirne. The Munster man showed good pace after running a smart line, slicing through from the edge of the 22 to dive in under the posts. Biggar makes no mistake with the conversion.
At the third time of asking, the Lions have their first try of the second half.
Really good stuff from Beirne, who has looked sharp today.
56mins: The Lions have changed their entire front row now, with Wyn Jones, Kyle Sinkler and Jamie George all on the pitch.
Owen Farrell has also come in at centre, replacing Bundee Aki, and the Saracens man was immediately in Robbie Henshaw’s ear. It will be interesting to see how those two gel together for the next 25 minutes or so.
Worth another watch…
TRY – Japan (Kazuki Himeno)
British & Irish Lions 28 Japan 7
59mins: Japan are finally on the scoreboard. Himeno powers over off the back of an efficient lineout move, getting across with a little help from Ryoto Nakamura, although Courtney Lawes will feel he should have done better in the tackle.
Yu Tamura adds the extras.
64mins: A high tackle from Robbie Henshaw results in a Japan penalty, and Tamura goes for the posts after some initial confusion, but drags his kick to the left and wide.
Another change for the Lions as Liam Williams makes way for Anthony Watson.
Penalty – Japan (Tamura)
British & Irish Lions 28 Japan 10
68mins: Japan will the momentum now, playing some of their best rugby of the day. They get a chance to put some more points on the board with a Tamura penalty, and this time the Japan out-half splits the posts.
70mins: Alun Wyn Jones pops up on the screen, and doesn’t look too uncomfortable as he chats to his teammates on the Lions bench. We’ll get an update on the nature of his injury from Warren Gatland after the game.
The Lions are currently down to 14 men, as Jack Conan goes off with an injury and isn’t replaced. We didn’t see what happened Conan, but it doesn’t appear to be anything too serious.
74mins: Himeno close to adding a second try for Japan, but Beirne and Henderson do well to hold him up over the line. Japan playing some really nice rugby now, showing good hands in the passages of play leading up to Himeno’s drive at the line.
The shortlist for man of the match is splitting opinion. A lot of love for Jack Conan’s performance today, but he doesn’t make the cut.
Do let us know your man of the match in the comments, Irish bias fully encouraged.
78mins: Another really great break from Matsushima, who has looked so sharp in flashes today, but he slips at he gets into the Lions 22. Japan with all the ball now as the clock enters the final few minutes.
79mins: Dan Biggar named man of the match, a good outing for the Wales out-half.
FULL-TIME: British & Irish Lions 28 Japan 10
A comfortable outing for the Lions, who win by 18 points in Murrayfield. A few nice moments in attack but also plenty to work on, with the Lions’ defensive work lacking a little cohesion at times.
A few injury worries too, and we’ll get an update on Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Jack Conan shortly.
The Irish contingent will all be happy with their work today, with Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan in particular standing out.
Japan, for their part, grew into the game and looked more like the team that lit up the 2019 World Cup in the latter stages of the second half. Next up for them is a visit to Dublin to play Andy Farrell’s Ireland, while the Lions jet off to South Africa tomorrow.
We’ll have a full report and all the reaction on site shortly. Thanks for joining our live coverage today.
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Liveblog Minute-by-Minute Murrayfield British and Irish Lions Japan