British & Irish Lions win first Test against Wallabies

The British and Irish Lions beat Australia 23-21 in a brutal first Test in Brisbane to take a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series.
Tries from Welsh wingers George North and Alex Cuthbert, as well as 13 points from Leigh Halfpenny, were enough to seal the victory over an injury ravaged Australia, as the returning Kurtley Beale failed to kick last gasp penalties for the match.
The Lions will now attempt to secure the series in Melbourne next Saturday.
The hosts started well and Brian O’Driscoll, playing on his fourth Lions tour, was penalized twice at the breakdown by referee Chris Pollock, but Wallaby fly-half James O’Connor missed both attempts at goal.
A moment of genius followed as superstar Will Genia tapped a penalty from inside his own 22 and broke 50 metres before kicking through for rugby league convert Israel Folau to touchdown under the posts on his Test debut.
Welsh full-back Halfpenny reduced the deficit to 7-3 before a spectacular North kick return resulted in the giant try-machine scoring in the corner to put the Lions ahead for the first time.
Pressure from a Lions rolling maul led to North being denied a second score by the TMO as Folau and Genia bundled the Northampton Saints bound flyer into touch. Yet penalty advantage was being played and Halfpenny slotted over the kick to make it 13-7.
Moments later, Folau turned from defence to attack as he took a pass on the Lions ten-metre line and beat several defenders to score his second try and see the Wallabies trail 13-12 at the break as O’Connor missed the conversion.
Australia, who had lost Christian Lealiifano, Berrick Barnes and replacement Pat McCabe to injury, were exposed in midfield after 48 minutes as Alex Cuthbert burst through for a second Lions try.
Immediately from the restart the Wallabies were able to strike back as O’Connor posted his first penalty goal making it 20-15.
A further Australian penalty on the hour, this time from replacement full-back Beale, whittled the tourists’ lead down further, yet a Halfpenny repost restored the margin to five points.
Beale, returning to the fold after recent disciplinary issues, then broke from half-way giving the hosts field position for the Rebel to kick his second three-pointer.
The hosts continued to press the Lions defensive line and two errors by the Lions gave Beale the opportunity to give Australia victory. The mercurial Melbourne man was unable to take his chances, missing with the final kick of the match, and the Lions held on 23-21.
For the British & Irish Lions:
Tries: North, Cuthbert
Conversions: Halfpenny 2
Penalties: Halfpenny 3
For Australia:
Tries: Folau 2
Conversion: O’Connor
Penalties: O’Connor, Beale 2
British & Irish Lions: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Brian O’Driscoll, Jonathan Davies, George North; Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Alex Corbisiero, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones; Alun-Wyn Jones, Paul O’Connell; Tom Croft, Sam Warburton (Capt.), Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, Sean Maitland.
Australia: Berrick Barnes; Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Christian Lealiifano, Digby Ioane; James O’Connor, Will Genia; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander; James Horwill (Capt.), Kane Douglas; Ben Mowen, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu.
Replacements: Saia Fainga’a, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Pat McCabe, Kurtley Beale.
SAM KNIBBS
Read the full analysis and reactions from Nick Cain and Matthew Emery in tomorrow’s edition of The Rugby Paper.