THE BRITISH AND Irish Lions fell 30-15 to New Zealand in the first Test this morning, with fleeting glimpses of quality simply not enough to stay in touch with the world’s finest side.
The All Blacks pounded their visitors up front for the majority of proceedings, and were simply more clinical than Warren Gatland’s tourists who left a couple of scores out on the field, and also shipped a couple of soft scores themselves.
Indiscipline, too, proved costly for the Lions, who conceded 11 penalties to New Zealand’s 6, with Beauden Barrett continuing the form which had seen him land 13 of his last 14 kicks in black leading up to today’s outing.
Were it not for a consolation try by Rhys Webb at the death, it might have looked a lot worse, yet there remains a sense that if the Lions were more ruthless themselves it might have looked a hell of a lot better. Here are the Lions player ratings from the first Test in Auckland.
Backs
Liam Williams: 7
A spectacular gamble and break resulted in one of the all-time great Lions tries. Sensational display, almost flawless, though that one flaw — a dreadful drop — cost the tourists seven points.
Anthony Watson: 6
Made a couple of scintillating breaks and proved capable under the high ball. One glaring handling error near 60 minutes.
Jonathan Davies: 7
Missed tackle led to crucial Ioane score for the hosts, but Davies was extremely effective offensively. Finished with an assist, could have had another early doors, and was explosive in the second half.
Ben Te’o: 6
Defensively solid, though as rousing as his hit on Sonny Bill Williams was, it sent the Lions marching 40 yards backwards. Solid carries and offloads throughout.
Elliot Daly: 5
Instrumental in the Lions’ first score. Rinsed by Ioane for the 20-year-old’s game-killing score in the corner.
Owen Farrell: 4
Tackled efficiently but frequently driven backwards. Perhaps the biggest victim of New Zealand’s ferocious line-speed, which stifled the Saracens fly-half.
Conor Murray: 6
Unusually found wanting in a couple of collisions. Kicked well, and contributed a lot to attacks in broken field.
Forwards
Mako Vunipola: 6
11 tackles made, but scarcely made a yard off seven carries.
Jamie George: 6
17 tackles in an hour, but no real impact in the loose.
Tadhg Furlong: 5
An error-strewn performance from the Wexford man in his first Lions Test.
Alun Wyn Jones: 4
Not his finest hour. Offered little with or without ball. Just three carries. Nine tackles.
George Kruis: 4
Handling errors halted Lions momentum on more than one occasion. A performance not in keeping with his tour to date.
Peter O’Mahony (capt): 6
One line-out steal and a couple of loose balls gathered at crucial junctures. That said, no guarantee today’s captain retains his place for second Test.
Sean O’Brien: 7
Probably the standout forward on a day the Lions pack was bossed. 44 metres gained and a try scored. A fine outing.
Taulupe Faletau: 6
Frequently found himself on the back foot but made 20 tackles of his own.
Replacements
Ken Owens: 5
Jack McGrath: 5
Kyle Sinckler: 6
Maro Itoje: 6
Sam Warburton: 5
Rhys Webb: 7
Jonathan Sexton: 4
Leigh Halfpenny: 5
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If you think O’Mahony isn’t guaranteed a start next week then you must start rating ice hockey games or something because you know nothing about rugby!!! Turnovers at the breakdown, turnover at the line out, 4 tackles on Kieran Reid, tiding up loose ball, tracking the ball carrier and carrying himself. Get a new job!!!
@Jimmy Dox: No doubt he deserves to start next week but Gatland is liable to shoehorn Warburton in at 6 despite his shortcomings…
@Jimmy Dox: the Lions back row as a unit were destroyed by the NZ trio who balanced each other and were very effective.
It’s an area the Lions must fix by next week.
I don’t know what the answer is.
@Sam Harris: next game is on Tuesday and next test is next Saturday.
@Jimmy Dox: ice hockey is a very complex game…lots of nuances
@Jimmy Dox: Watch SOB try and watch POMs effort..Truly embarrassing, he didn’t even break in to a jog. he was beside SOB when play caught up to them and POM barely jogged as all the lions ran past.
Far from the most knowledgeable rugby man but it seems in modern rugby the coaches seem to stick to pre planned substitutions. Bringing teo o Mahony and George off completely lost momentum. Granted the two forwards had put in a big shift. Don’t think Farrell sexton is the answer either. Harsh on Daly too. Thought he was pretty good and like Williams was prepared to give it a go. Kruis had one of those days!
@John Michael Mcdonald: How was your man Maro Itoje not on the pitch? He’s one of the finest athletes to grace a rugby pitch surely?
@An_Beal_Bocht: he isn’t very welsh
@John Michael Mcdonald: agree the ABs moved ahead once subs came on and made little impact. The box kick has it’s place but it’s predictable and greed up defenders. Apart from tactical changes, I’d stast with a different lock pairing (perhaps Itoje and Henderson) with Kruis on the bench. I’d also replace Warburton with CJ.What else can one do? The 8910 axis didn’t work that well. I’d like Farrell to do more of the decision-making and execution.
Very disappointing performance from both 2nd Rowers…. really felt their handling errors and Jones obvious lack of fitness cost us…
Stander and best have to be involved either o Mahoney or Warburton don’t carry well at all and best is very good at slowing ball down
@colin looby: stander as brilliant as he is, won’t fix the breakdown issue, warburton is the one who’s meant to but he appears to no longer be capable of doing so. If you want to compete with them on the ground, tipuric is the only one who could potentially add to it but he hasn’t been himself this tour either. And you also aren’t gonna drop o brien he was possibly our best forward. O’Brien to 8 maybe as I felt Pom gave us more than faletau. It’s no easy fix.
@madman2009: Great analysis. Has anyone told Joe Schmitz or Les Kiss this vital information.
@Trevor Johnston: they already know. Take a look at the start of the Ireland Scotland game.
There are sure to be changes in the back row. PO’M likely to lose out to Warburton, Stander and Lawes may come in to consideration
Also, look at the difference this AB second row made compared to that we beat in Chicago
@Simon Clarke: Retallick was exceptional tonight. Absolute beast of a player.
Time to step back from the furlong show. 5 was generous for him today. 2 scrum penalties and the second one was the game changer. But Sob is back better than ever!
Warren gatland 3. Howley 2. Best thing from these tests is That ticket wont have anything to do with the next one
Very harsh rating for furlong. He was sensational. Made a huge amount of tackles , took the ball up when needed, solid in scrum and made a block down….yet his performance was full of errors? Sounds like regurgitated rubbish from Stuart Barnes
@Shane O’Neill: ahhhhhhh solid in the scrum?????? Didn’t you see the Reiko I one try from a car crash scrum by furlong? ?? Also an Earley scrum penalty! He needs to be dropped if we’re to have any chance next week and will be!
It’s time to put an end to the Peter O Mahoney show. Not for the first time on this tour he failed to stamp any authority on the game. For those referring to his line out steal look again, it was a total screw up by NZ and fell into POMs arms he didn’t even jump. And for the lions lionouts he won, all bar one were uncontested. He’s unable to carry pretty much. He made some tackles but that’s it. More than his single tackle last week, yes single! Definitely drop him and bring someone like stander in, granted he’s fairly one dimensional but at least he will get us over the gainline. Something every carrier struggled to do today.
@Sean Masterson: good man Sean you obviously know more than most of the experts and most reasonable people watching the game. Peter O’Mahony had a good game. Was good in the lineout and in open play by disrupting. Very hard for a back row to impose themselves in the game if they are on the back foot.
@donal bigley: he was good in the lineout, of course he was, no one even jumped against him. Itoje came on immediately and had a proper steal, POM didn’t get near any of theirs. Isn’t that why he’s picked? Give me one example how he disrupted the all blacks please. Whatever happened to all the talk of him being a thorn in the side of the opposition, a nuisance? I’m not seeing any of that. No niggle from him whatsoever. He’s offering very little at this level. I’m a fan of the player and proud he’s Irish but these are facts. Why is everyone going on like he’s some God, he’s not. People putting him at the same level as POC, come on! It was another average outing this Saturday by him, better than last weeks ghost performance.
@Sean Masterson: He was dead on his feet at 30 mins. Watch SOB try back and how hard he worked to get up to the line, POM the other had could barely manage a jog and got left behind. Granted heads 13 tackles but he only touched the ball 3 times..
@Paul K Murphy: Of course NZ excel in the game purely because POM is off the pitch. Nothing to do with the fact they twist the knife against their opposition after the hour mark on every occasion. Did I say anything about him being picked for Munster or Ireland, did I say that was wrong? Did I say it was wrong that he was chosen on a lions tour? No I didn’t. Oh yeah he’s class at rucks of course he is, I’d kind of expect that at this level. But look at him at 15 mins and 20 seconds and come back to me on that. Petty point I don’t even like to make but when clowns like u attack valid points and then make even more moronic points that he’s a great rucker you kinda have no choice.
@Paul K Murphy: ah sure we could go on all night at each other. But let’s face facts, he was poor last week and average at best today. I’m not saying others were much better. You will see from my initial comments that my whole point from the outset was that we all need to stop saying he is now Irelands golden boy and putting him on a pedestal along with POC or BOD he’s no where near that. Genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if he’s left out next weekend. He’s not bringing to the table everything people said he would before the tour started. But sure we will let gatland decide
@Paul K Murphy: but he didn’t even hit rucks yesterday, he was very pedestrian and the lions were dominated at the breakdown. The fact remains he hasn’t delivered on what everyone thought he would on this tour. All he is doing is winning uncontested lineouts. He’s not even anywhere close to getting over the ball for a jackal. He’s not playing with his usual aggression nor is he being a nuisance like we know he can be. But people in this country think he can do no wrong. The worst part is people think the game went down the swanny because he came off. So the lions lose a scrum and that’s because the 6 has been taken off? And the 100% success rate in the lineout falls apart because he’s off also? Nothing to do with new props in the scrum and new hooker at lineout. Reality check lads!
For a man with his reputation I thought SOB was anonymous not worthy of a 7 , bar turning up at the end of that great move , what else did he do ? Didn’t impose himself in the rucks , I didn’t see any breakthrough runs … he maybe lucky to get a place for the next game . Lions have bigger problems to solve though
@Tommy Greene: SOB and Davies were the only players that justified their place in the team. If you think SOB was anonymous then you were watching a different game!!
@John Flynn: has happened me before , but he wasn’t a 7
The hype all week and then thrashed as usual. Why do they even bother getting on the plane? Real rugby players against private school bores. Lol
Sinkler stander henderson and itoje need to start next week to get the lions over the gainline..the forwards were poor today. Sexton henshaw and Davies at 10 12 13. And put north on the wing.
@Bilko Fitz: Too many changes there and there’s no way, on tour form, the team is improved by Henderson, Henshaw or North
Daly gets 5 cause he was rinsed by the fastest player on the pitch? Harsh enough
4 for Daly? GTFO
Pure tosh the Lions weren’t that bad
The AB were simply clinical in all areas
It is possible for the Lions to win , will be hard but is possible
The ratings are just tosh
Amazing performance by the Lions to give the ABs a run for their money ! I mean a team who have only been together for 3 weeks challenge the World Champions . Hats off to the
Only someone who knew nothing about rugby would rate Furlong poorly. There are too many people these days, with an opinion, who know SFA about rugby.
Ken Pepper, don’t you have your finger nails to paint or daisy chains to make?
@Gary: your dad does them for me
Sexton 4?
@Colin Mehigan: yeah I was looking at that too…..probably a bit generous on that performance!