British Lions hit straps to sprint past plucky Reds
Murray Wenzel |
Hunter Paisami barged back into Wallabies calculations before the British & Irish Lions swallowed up the fast-starting Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
The tourists were made to work for Wednesday’s 52-12 victory in front of 46,435 fans at Suncorp Stadium after the hosts scored first and then led 12-7 midway through the first half.
There were more injury dramas for the tourists though, fullback Hugo Keenan (illness) a late scratching and his replacement Elliot Daly (forearm) failing to finish and requiring scans before the team move to Sydney.
The setback comes after scrumhalf Tomos Williams (hamstring) was ruled out of the tour on Monday with a hamstring injury.
Spots in the Wallabies midfield are at a premium with Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set to combine in the centres against Fiji on Sunday.
But bustling centre Paisami, after being pulled from Australia’s camp to instead front up against the Lions, gave Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt plenty to ponder ahead of the first Test in Brisbane on July 19.
His first touch was a rampaging run that set up Jeffery Toomaga-Allen’s first try and he kept the Lions guessing with short tactical kicking and stoic defence.
“Expected nothing less from Hunter … quality, got us on the front foot,” Reds coach Les Kiss said.
“That’s how we created the momentum. He was pretty good.”
When Kalani Thomas’s grubber was brilliantly swept up on the half-volley by Josh Flook to score, the Reds looked a chance of joining their 1899 and 1971 side in knocking off the visitors.
The Lions, who beat the Force 54-7 with 14 different starters on Saturday, were clunky early but found their groove approaching halftime.
Andrew Porter burrowed over to put them ahead before No.10 Finn Russell, who booted four-of-four conversions before exiting after 50 minutes, straightened the attack and Duhan van der Merwe soared to score inside the left corner post.
Lock Maro Itoje made an impact in his first outing as Lions captain and cashed in with a try after Bundee Aki’s storming run and scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park darted from the ruck.
Unable to penetrate, the Reds got desperate and Huw Jones plucked Tim Ryan’s ambitious chip and raced 60 metres to score.
Winger Tommy Freeman scored twice while substitute Gary Ringrose iced the contest with an 85th-minute try as the tourists pushed beyond 50 points for the second time in five days.
“We put on the table what we wanted to early,” Reds coach Les Kiss said.
“We just couldn’t keep it going.
“Their power comes through gradually and consistently, and not just in twos and threes.”
Hooker Matt Faessler, another Wallabies squad member, was solid in a 50-minute stint in his return from a hamstring injury while Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (shoulder) put his case forward after being a regular in Schmidt’s teams last year.
Russell, the only Lion to start in both games, looked dangerous in his first partnership with Gibson-Park while No.7 Jac Morgan earned man-of-the-match honours for his damage around the ruck.
Coach Andy Farrell will have a chance to shuffle his deck again when the Lions play the NSW Waratahs on Saturday.
“In parts,” Farrell said of their improvement.
“The Reds came out of the blocks very well. They were aggressive, direct, challenging. It’s not just down to us.
“Once we got some continuity we played some excellent rugby.
“We kept our manner in the right way, wasn’t too high or too low.”
AAP
