First taste of defeat for outplayed British & Irish Lions against Brumbies
True to their style, the Super Rugby leaders played a near perfect tactical game as the tourists had no answer to Jake White’s pragmatic outfit.
Meanwhile, between a very poor lineout and being dominated at the breakdown, Warren Gatland‘s men are back to the drawing board with the first Test against the Wallabies only four days away.
Playing on the back foot for most of the game, the back line, which had Christian Wade, Billy Twelvetrees and Brad Barritt probably still jet-lagged after flying in from Argentina and the USA yesterday, struggled to link together and never threatened the Australian side in the wider channels.
Wade nearly scored on his first touch of the ball but on his first defensive play his weaknesses were exposed and Tevita Kuridrani easily bumped the London Wasp winger out of the way to score the opening try.
The Lions tried to get back into the game but countless mistakes prevented from turning good territory into points until the last play of the half and penalty from Stuart Hogg.
Mogg extended the lead with two penalties but Hogg replied with one of his own to make it 14-6 just before the hour mark.
Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole and Geoff Parling were introduced from the bench and it changed the whole dynamics of the game.
From then the lineout and the scrum functioned much better and the Lions started to dominate and with ten minutes to go they were trailing by only two points following two successful penalties from Owen Farrell but it wasn’t to be and the Brumbies could secure the triumph that was within their grasp 12 years ago.
For British & Irish Lions
Penalties: Hogg 2, Farrell 2
For Brumbies
Try: Kuridrani
Penalties: Mogg 3
British & Irish Lions: Rob Kearney; Christian Wade, Brad Barritt, Billy Twelvetrees, Shane Williams; Stuart Hogg, Ben Youngs; Ryan Grant, Rory Best (Capt.), Matt Stevens; Ian Evans, Richie Gray; Sean O’Brien, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Conor Murray, Owen Farrell, Simon Zebo.
Brumbies: Jesse Mogg; Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Andrew Smith, Clyde Rathbone; MattToomua, Ian Prior; Ruan Smith, Siliva Siliva, Scott Sio; Leon Power, Sam Carter; Scott Fardy, Colby Faingaa, Peter Kimlin (Capt.).
Replacements: Josh Mann-Rea, Jean-Pierre Smith, Chris Cocca, Etienne Oosthuizen, Jordan Smiler, Mark Swanepoel, Robbie Coleman, Zack Holmes.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
NICK VERDIER
