British and Irish Lions suffer injury in Test tune-up
Steve Larkin |
The British and Irish Lions have demolished an Australia and New Zealand invitational outfit 48-0, but the tune-up has come with a cost.
The Lions lost England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie to suspected concussion in Saturday night’s Adelaide Oval fixture.
The 32-year-old was hurt as the tourists put the polish on preparations for the Test series opener against the Wallabies in Brisbane next week.
The Lions enter the first Test unbeaten in five tour games, but with significant concern over Cowan-Dickie.
The experienced Englishman was crunched in a tackling collision with AUNZ co-captain Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the opening half.
Lions staff will consider sending for a replacement for Cowan-Dickie.
“We will see how things pan out in the next 24 hours,” coach Andy Farrell said.
Cowan-Dickie was stretchered off as the Lions made early inroads against a combined Australia and New Zealand squad featuring 17 players with international experience.
Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe was the chief beneficiary of his side’s dominance, scoring two of his three tries in an early 13-minute span.
Van der Merwe opened scoring in the seventh minute when piercing through the left side after some slick work from Ireland’s Hugo Keenan.
Just three minutes later, Ben White crossed after a grab-and-go, before van der Merwe added his second try in the 20th minute.
The Lions held a commanding 17-0 lead before Cowan-Dickie’s injury in the 36th minute took the sting from the opening half before a 43,124-strong crowd.
“It’s nice to get a good performance and then roll into a Test series with in a nice shape,” Farrell said.
Soon after the restart, the tourists extended their command when Sione Tuipulotu sliced with ease through the disjointed locals.
The Lions led 24-0 when coach Farrell summoned his son and ex-England captain Owen from the bench for his first outing of the tour.
Farrell was involved in the set-up of the Lions’ next try when Scott Cummings tore through a hole in the 62nd minute.
Just two minutes later, van der Merwe completed his hat-trick when again gifted time and space from a sagging defence, before Ronan Kelleher added another.
Henry Pollock then beat AUNZ’s Harry McLaughlin-Phillips in a dive for another try in a fifth consecutive tour win – the Lions opened with a 54-7 trouncing of Western Force, before accounting for the Reds (52-12), Waratahs (21-10) and Brumbies (36-24).
AAP
