REPORT: Sensational tries help the Lions beat the Chiefs in Hamilton

The British and Irish Lions will go into the Test Series against the All Blacks on the back of two convincing wins as they thumped the Chiefs 34-6 in Hamilton today.
With the Test Series only four days away, the tourists were keen to back up their 32-10 win over the Maori All Blacks last Saturday and it proved fruitful with the forwards getting the squeeze on their Super Rugby opposition in the first-half before the backs had some fun in the second.
They led 13-6 at the break as Dan Biggar kicked two penalties as well as converting Jack Nowell’s try while the Kiwis had Stephen Donald kick two penalties.
That was all the Chiefs could contribute to the scoresheet as the second half was all about the Lions with the forwards being awarded a penalty try before Nowell and Jared Payne scored two sensational tries.

The Lions controlled possession and territory early on and Biggar opened the scoring with a penalty ten minutes in but their good start was hampered by a yellow card to Joe Marler for an unnecessary shoulder charge on his opposite man Nepo Laulala.

It merely slowed the tourists down however and after the forwards put the Chiefs under pressure at the scrum and then at the breakdown, Biggar extended the lead with a second successful penalty.
But just before Marler returned to the field, former Bath fly-half Donald put the Chiefs on the board with a penalty of his own.
The first try of the game came after 25 minutes and it was the Lions who crossed the whitewash laying the platform with a solid scrum before Exeter wing Nowell rumbled over coming off his wing.
Biggar converted and the lions had that ten-point lead once more to end a solid first half hour but it was reduced to seven points on stroke of half-time with Donald slotting his second penalty on the last play.

After the scrum in the first half, it the lineout’s turn to put the Chiefs to the sword and when a powerful drive that was heading towards the try line was stopped illegal by Mitchell Brown, referee Jerome Garces had no qualm about running under the posts and awarding a penalty try as well as sending Brown to the bin.

With the Chiefs on the ropes, the Lions unleashed their best back line move of the tour with Liam Williams unleashing Elliot Dally down the left wing.
Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw were in support and when the latter was tackled on the 22, James Haskell was on hand to make sure the ball got out quickly.

Courtney Lawes at half-back moved the ball out wide and after sack passes from Biggar and Iain Henderson, the ball ended in Nowell’s hand. The flying wing manipulating the defence and accelerated into the gap before beating the last defender for a sensational try which ultimately put the game to bed.
Biggar converted and only four minutes later the backs were at it again, Nowell caught a clearance kick, found Williams who launched the counter attack before offloading to Payne for another fine score.

The scoreline didn’t change in the last 15 minutes of the game despite the Chiefs trying to at least get a try for their effort but after the set-piece and the backs moves, it was the defence’s turn to show their guile and close the game out.
SCORERS
For Lions
Tries: Nowell 25, 59 penalty 54 Payne 65
Conversions: Biggar 25, 59, 65 penalty 54
Penalties: Biggar 10, 18
For Chiefs
Penalties: Donald 21, 40
TEAMS
Lions: Williams, Nowell, Payne, Henshaw, Daly, Biggar, Laidlaw; Marler, Best, Cole, Henderson, Lawes, Haskell, Tipuric, Stander
Replacements: Dacey, Dell, Francis, Hill, AW Jones, Davies, Russell, Seymour
Chiefs: Stevenson, Pulu, TNW, Fa’auli, Alaimalo, Donald, Christie; Fisiihoi, Polwart, Laulala, Bird, Allardice, Brown, Boshier, Sanders
Replacements: Elliot, Ross, Moli, Messam, Karpik, Taumateine, L Laulala, Tiatia
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)