Fullback injury sours B&I Lions' unbeaten run
MATCH REPORT: British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell will be having some sleepless nights, despite his team retaining their unbeaten run on the tour of Australia.
The B&I Lions were too strong for the Brumbies, missing eight national team players, in Canberra on Wednesday.
The tourists outscored their hosts by five tries to four in the Australian capital for a 36-024 win – their fourth consecutive triumph of the trip Down Under.
However, the win came at a cost, as Blair Kinghorn became the second tour fullback to suffer an injury.
Kinghorn departed the field in the 24th minute, replaced by utility back Marcus Smith.
The injury came a week after Elliot Daly suffered a tour-ending broken arm.
The Scotland fullback, Kinghorn, who made his debut against the Waratahs this past Saturday, was expected to be the first-choice No.15.
The 28-year-old attempted to play on for a while, but was later treated with ice to his knee on the sideline.
Kinghorn had already entered the game with strapping to his right thigh, but this new issue looked far more serious.
Following Farrell’s decision to replace Daly with his son, Owen, the Lions will be left with only one recognised fullback, Hugo Keenan, now.
Even then, Keenan missed the start of the tour due to a calf injury which cut short his season with Leinster, before having to pull out of the match against the Reds with an illness – a match Daly was a last-minute replacement for.
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In a frigid Canberra, the visitors started slowly but found their groove as they count down to the first Test, building on a 19-10 half-time lead to bank a fourth consecutive win since landing in Australia.
In the Lions’ previous two games against the Brumbies, Australia’s top Super Rugby side, only two points had separated them each time – the tourists won 30-28 in 2001 and lost 14-12 in 2013.
This time the Lions were convincing winners as players jostle for position in Andy Farrell’s team for the opening Wallabies Test in Brisbane on July 19.
After two statement wins over Western Force and Reds, the tourists were scrappy against the Waratahs, struggling to convert territory and possession into points.
In response, Farrell named his strongest side of the tour so far and they were more cohesive, marshalled by English skipper Maro Itoje.
They cut down on the handling errors and showed more attacking intent under the guidance of Scottish playmaker Finn Russell, although the defence was leaky with the hosts’ crossing four times.
While the Brumbies were without their top players, who are on Wallaby duty, they still boasted plenty of firepower and had a brilliant start.
Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan gave away a penalty and the Brumbies launched into a rolling maul that saw Tuaina Taii Tualima burrow over after just four minutes.
The tourists woke from their slumber and levelled 10 minutes later when Bundee Aki broke the defence, with Russell luring two defenders before offloading for lock Chessum to dot down.
They should have had another try soon after but Ireland winger James Lowe failed to ground the ball and the opportunity went begging.
Having lost Elliot Daly to a broken arm last week, there was a further fullback blow for the Lions when Blair Kinghorn went off in the half for a head injury assessment and did not return, with Smith replacing him.
The Lions dialled up the pressure and Lowe had another chance on the half-hour mark, which this time he took after sharp hands from Sheehan and Jack Conan.
Russell added the extras for a 12-5 lead, but the Brumbies kept coming and struck back with another well-deserved try, courtesy of winger Corey Toole.
But a goal-line dropout by the Brumbies as the hooter sounded cost them, with the Lions gathering and attacking the line, with Smith finishing for a 19-10 lead at the break.
An early second-half try to Garry Ringrose, who got on the end of a Smith grubber kick, stretched their advantage to 26-10, but the hosts again hit back when substitute Hudson Creighton scythed through the defence.
The Lions did not panic and a Russell penalty increased their buffer before a converted try by Josh van der Flier put the game beyond reach.
The scorers
For the Brumbies
Tries: Taii Tualima, Toole, Creighton, Bowron
Cons: Lonergan, Debreczeni
For the British and Irish Lions
Tries: Chessum, Lowe, Smith, Ringrose, Van der Flier
Cons: Russell 4
Pen: Russell
Yellow card: Tom Hooper (Brumbies, 80 – cynical foul, slapping the ball down)
Teams:
Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead, 14 Ben O’Donnell, 13 Ollie Sapsford, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Lachie Shaw, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 Lington Ieli.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Lachie Hooper, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Hudson Creighton.
British & Irish Lions: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Joe McCarthy, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Josh van der Flier, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Mack Hansen.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
*Additional reporting by AFP
