The Tour has finally started! Lions – Barbarians games have a long and storied tradition featuring some astonishing rugby from both sides. In Hong Kong, we could only hope for more of the same.
The Match
The Lions routed a hapless Barbarians side 59-8, running in eight tries to one in a display that could be charitably described as one sided. From the moment the television cameras panned to a voluminous and sweating BaaBaas coach, Dai Young, one the sidelines pre-match – you had a feeling it might not be their night. Played in horrendous conditions, with humidity reaching 94%, the Lions power game told in the second half as they reeled off try after try.
It was an encouraging debut for the Lions. Greater levels of fitness and some excellent set-piece work saw them well on top of the Barbarians from the very beginning. Leading the way were the veteran Welsh scrumhalf Mike Phillips and Irish lock Paul O’Connell. Aiding them were young guns Richie Gray who showed enough to be in serious reckoning for the Tests proper.
The match took a while to get going properly. An early penalty for Farrell had the Lions up after two minutes. The next bit of excitement came when Schalk Brits was marched for 10 minutes. The BaaBaas hooker looked surprised that belting Owen Farrell was considered against the law, but off he went after only seven minutes on the park. The Lions failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage, although some strong running from Jamie Roberts had them in good field position. A beautifully weighted kick to the corner from Farrell found a flying Sean Maitland, only for him to spill the ball over the line. The Barbarians would score next, a penalty to young centre Elliot Daly taking scores to 3-3 after 16.
Only a couple of minutes later that man Maitland made a break down the sideline, shrugging off some flailing Barbarian tackles before somehow endevouring to lose the ball again. The Lions monstered the Barbarians in the resulting scrum, earning themselves a penalty. Farrell knocked it over, making scores 6-3 after 20.
By this stage the Lions had had 70% possession and were simply dominant. Every time the Barbarians managed to get their hands on the ball they seemed determined to kick it away – scrumhalf Yachvili the main culprit. The Lions were sending heavy runners on inside lines down the middle of the park, lock Gray and inside centre Roberts prominent. The pressure finally told in the 27th minute. Phillips darted from a ruck and was dragged down agonisingly close to the tryling. The Lions remained patient and recycled, O’Connell diving over to score the first try of the tour. Farrell converted easily.
Phillips got in on the act not long after. Sniping from an attacking ruck just outside the Barbarians 22, he dragged the Barbarians winger Taku Ngwenya with him for an easy score. The Farrell conversion left scores at 20-3 with 10 minutes left in the half. Not five minutes later Farrell kicked a brilliant penalty from out wide to take the Lions to half time with a very comfortable 23-3 lead.
Two minutes after the half, Phillips scored himself some more meat – a nicely worked move off the back of a lineout saw him throw a dummy before waltzing over in the right corner.
Players were starting to get tired and the game beginning to open up. Justin Tipuric was held up just short after running an excellent support line on the shoulder of big prop Mako Vunipola. Shortly after, the Lions almost scored an astonishing team try. End-to-end, it started down the back with Stuart Hogg and Alex Cuthbert. They shifted left, Maitland broke away and kicked through for a flying Farrell who gathered but was unable to send Tipuric away – his pass blocked by Yachvili.
This seemed to remind the Barbarians what that club is all about. Hanging onto the ball, they finally managed to work some phases before Smokin’ Joe Rococoko decided to relive his glory days – leaving Toby Felatu for dead before popping the final pass for replacement scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali’i to score. The conversion was missed, scores 30-8 with 56 minutes played.
The game became somewhat of a procession from here. Johnny Sexton replaced Owen Farrell at flyhalf and immediately sparked things. Playing flat on the line, he had the backline humming – picking up inside and outside runners. Crashing over the advantage line, the big Lions players started to take a toll on the BaaBaas defence. Jonathon Davies scored after a fumbly buildup between himself and his centre partner Roberts. Giant winger Alex Cuthbert suddenly found himself in some space out wide on the right and had a gallop down the wing, scoring untouched. The conversion took things to 42-8 after 62 minutes.
The Barbarians started to chance their arm a bit more, but were consistently beaten back by a strong and agressive Lions defence. While they were able to string phases together, they were regularly marched backwards and ended up having to kick the ball away. Cuthbert was involved again, scoring in an almost identical spot after a break from replacement scrumhalf Conor Murray. With 10 minutes remaining, the Lions were up 47-8.
Two tries would come in the final 10 minutes. The first, to blindside flanker Dan Lydiate, came after a period of sustained pressure near the Barbarians try line. The Lions won a penalty, kicked for touch, quickly set a maul and Lydiate all but fell over the line. The final try would come after the siren, with replacement lock Alun-Wyn Jones strolling over in the corner. Sexton missed the conversion, leaving the final score a deserved 59-8.
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The Game Changer
The Lions were dominant from the get-go. The first try, to Paul O’Connell, in the 27th minute, opened the floodgates.
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The G&GR MOTM
Mike Phillips. The big man caused mayhem around the fringes, kicked well, drove his forwards around the park and added a couple of meat pies to top it off.
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Lions Watch
Big games from Richie Gray, Paul O’Connell, Mike Phillips and Justin Tipuric. Stuart Hogg was lively at fullback. Owen Farrell kicked well but offered nothing around the park. Johnny Sexton will be sleeping in cotton wool.
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The Details
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Score & Scorers
B&I Lions: 59
Tries: O’Connell, Phillips 2, Davies, Cuthbert 2, Lydiate, AW Jones
Conversions: Farrell 3, Sexton 2
Penalties: Farrell 3
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[one_half last=”yes”]Barbarians: 8
Tries: Fotuali’i
Conversions:
Penalties: Daly
Cards & citings
Brits (7m)
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