The British and Irish Lions remain unbeaten on their Australian tour after surviving an almighty scare from the First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne.
In what was a physical — and at times fiery — encounter, the Lions nervously emerged as 24-19 victors at the Docklands stadium in their midweek match on Australian soil, with just the second and third Tests remaining.
They were forced to cling to their five-point lead for the final 10 minutes after the First Nations and Pasifika XV refused to give up against their highly fancied opponents.
With Lions coach Andy Farrell resting almost his entire match-day squad from the 27-19 win over the Wallabies in the first Test, the tourists produced an unconvincing display.
They conceded a series of breakdown penalties and coughed up a comfortable first-half lead to the First Nations and Pasifika XV, who only came together as a squad last week.
Farrell may not be concerned, however, as he is not expected to tinker with his line-up for Saturday’s second Test at the MCG, with many of the Lions side too only joining the tourists in the last seven days as injury cover.
The home side had to do without Wallabies back-rower Pete Samu, who was barred from taking part due to a pre-tour condition enforced by the Lions surrounding the eligibility of players.
Darcy Graham scored for the Lions, but then had to go off with an ankle injury. (AP Photo: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
In only the fifth minute of play on Tuesday night, the First Nations and Pasifika XV were temporarily reduced to 14 players when winger Triston Reilly was issued a yellow card for making contact with Darcy Graham’s head in a tackle.
Reilly’s indiscretion had stopped what appeared to be a certain try, but it did not take the Lions long to get on the scoreboard via Jamie Osborne’s five-pointer in the seventh minute.
Fin Smith added the conversion and he was again called up to the kicking tee three minutes later after Graham crossed the stripe for the Lions’ second try.
Trailing 14-0, the First Nations and Pasifika XV did not bow their heads and their efforts were rewarded in the 18th minute when Reilly — having only just returned to the field — scored his side’s opening try.
The Lions, just outside their 22, launched an attacking movement towards the left flank, with fullback Blair Kinghorn throwing an audacious long ball to his support players.
Chancing his arm, Reilly sprinted out of the defensive line and picked off Kinghorn’s pass to score under the posts, giving his captain Kurtley Beale the easiest of conversion attempts.
Triston Reilly scored an intercept try to get First Nations Pasifika on the board. (Getty Images: Jonathan DiMaggio)
The healthy crowd of 30,420 were again brought to their feet in the 22nd minute as the First Nations and Pasifika XV levelled the score at 14-14.
Consecutive penalties allowed them to march their way towards the Lions’ goal line, with back-rower Seru Uru crashing over from a ‘pick and go’ play for a converted try.
The Lions’ predicament was not helped by lock James Ryan earning a yellow card for a lack of discipline in the lead-up to Uru’s score.
They rallied, however, and seemingly were on the cusp of a third try when they had a line-out throw deep inside the First Nations and Pasifika XV’s 22.
But they knocked the ball on during a driving maul off the line-out, and the score remained deadlock as time ran out in the first half.
Lions keep their noses in front
The Lions began the second half with renewed vigour, camping themselves inside the First Nations and Pasifika XV’s half.
They were rewarded for their territorial advantage in the 44th minute when they stretched their opponents’ defence out wide for Osborne to score his second try of the evening.
Openside flanker Josh van der Flier was denied a try not long after Osborne’s effort and it took some time before the Lions added to their lead.
They did so in the 63rd minute through a try down the left flank, scored by winger Duhan van der Merwe.
Enjoying a 10-point buffer on the scoreboard, the Lions seemed to be on the verge of closing out the match inside the final 15 minutes.
But upon working their way down field, the First Nations and Pasifika XV cut back the Lions’ lead with Melbourne-raised replacement Rob Leota scoring his side’s third try in the 70th minute.
Time became the enemy of the First Nations and Pasifika XV, however, and the Lions were able to hold on to clinch the win.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key Events
Live updates: First Nations Pasifika vs Lions
First Nations Pasifika XV: 19 (Tries: Reilly, Uru, Leota. Con: Beale 2/3)
British and Irish Lions: 24 (Tries: Osborne 2, Graham, van der Merwe. Con: F Smith 2/4)
Thanks for being with us
Well, a big scare for the Lions indeed, but a win nonetheless.
The Lions will look very different on Saturday without their late call ups, as they look to wrap up the series at the MCG in front of what is expected to be an absolutely enormous crowd.
Myself, Luke Pentony and Michael Doyle will be on hand to bring you all the action from that match – and I can’t wait to do so.
Thanks for being with us, we’ll see you again on Saturday.
Lions given a ‘bit of a fright’
Here’s the Lions coach, Andy Farrell.
“We gave ourselves a bit of a fright,” he says.
“Congratulations to the First Nations and Paskifia team, that’s some effort from those boys.
“They were physical … they made it a hard fought contest.”
‘Pretty inexcusable’: Jamie George
Former England skipper Jamie George is speaking to Stan now.
“They fronted up,” he says.
“We knew they would be pretty proud to represent that team
“There were parts of that game where they looked as little bit hungrier than us, which is pretty inexcusable.”
He says that the mismatch of players, all brought together late, didn’t have much time together.
A week ago George was in Argentina, and travelled for 43 hours to get here.
He says that he’d have swum here though, for a chance to wear a Lions jersey.
Huge wake up call
The lions needed a wake up call and they got that. A very proud team.
– Roly Bennett
This was a matchday 23 that had 20 changes from the Test team that played on Saturday.
But it was still jam-packed full of international talent.
It was a quality team in front of them too, playing with genuine heart.
A great game.
And yes, a wakeup call indeed.
‘It’s an amazing concept’: Beale
Kurtley Beale is speaking now.
“Really proud of the boys. It was a really special week this week,” he says on Stan Sport.
“We came out and did what we said we’d do, take it to the Lions.
“It’s an amazing concept, let’s hope it can continue.
“It’s a great platform for all the First Nations and Pasifika boys to aspire to this jersey.”
Owen Farrell: ‘I thought they were brilliant’
Here is Owen Farrell.
“Probably weren’t out best performance, but massive credit to the First Nations and Pasifika boys,” he says on Stan.
“I thought they came after us tonight.
“They came off the line and caused us trouble.
“It was a tough 60 minutes – I thought we made a mess of our breakdown. They caused some errors in what we did.
“But I’m thankful we got it done in the end.
“I thought they were brilliant.”
Charlie Gamble is player of the match
Charlie Gamble is player of the match.
“Obviously it’s been a pretty special week for all of us,” he tells Stan Sport.
“You’ve seen it out there, we’ve fought hard for each other.
“We didn’t give up until the end and, yeah, it’s been awesome to be part of this and hopefully this team keeps going in the future.”
He’s pretty happy with things – and why wouldn’t he me.
“We showed we deserved to be out there and played well for each other.”
FT: Lions hang on to win 24-19
80′ FIRST NATIONS PASIFIKA WIN THE LINEOUT!
THERE IS ONE LAST CHANCE AS THE LIONS OVERTHROW!
They have 60 metres to make history.
79′ TURNOVER LIONS!
AND THE PENALTY!
Henry Pollock pulls it out the bag! That’s brilliant!
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto with the power run, the youngster got over the ball and won it back. Brilliant.
79′ Two minutes to go
The First Nations Pasifika have the ball on half way.
Surely they can’t do it. Can they?
77′ First Nations Pasifika hand the ball over!
Oh that’s rotten luck! The Lions defence was stretched, the pass to Triston Reilly goes over his head though and it’s out for a Lions ball on the 22.
75′ Knock on Lions at the lineout!
The Lions have a lineout and due to the pressure from the First Nations Pasifika, they secure the knock on!
Very untidy at line out time from the Lions.
The kick from the First Nations Pasfika has the Lions on the back foot and the clearing kick is out 35 metres from the Lions line.
72′ First Nations Pasifika score!
Rob Leota dives over!
Lovely stuff from the First Nations Pasifika! Some serious pressure off the line line out.
They pound into the Lions defensive line, and the move the ball neatly to an isolated Leota who dives over to score.
The conversion is missed by Beale!
First Nations Pasifika – 19
British and Irish Lions – 24
70′ Lions have their line out picked off!
Oh, the Lions’ line out woes continue.
The First Nations Pasifika side kick long and then muscle Ringrose out over the sideline!
Brilliant from the First Nations Pasifika and they have a line out 10 metres out.
69′ Penalty Lions
The Lions have another penalty, this time for driving around the side of the ruck.
The Stan commentators are saying that the Lions got away with that a lot in the first Test and will be happy to see it penalised from here on out.
68′ Penalty Lions!
Darcy Swain is guilty of a neck roll on Scott Cummins.
The Lions kick to the corner.
Incidentally, Smith has been swapped out by Smith.
64′ Owen Farrell with the dummy as Duhan van der Merwe scores!
Great from the Lions skipper.
The Lions push forward and get on the front foot, earn the penalty advantage.
Get on the front foot, pass the ball to the left.
Lovely quick hands from Fin Smith, Owen Farrell throws a brilliant dummy and then finds Duhan van der Merwe to score in the corner.
The kick is missed again
First Nations Pasifika – 14
British and Irish Lions – 24
62′ A horror kick from Muirhead
Blimey, Blair Kinghorn does really well at one end to snaffle a ball out of the air under pressure.
It’s inside the 22 so he takes the mark free kick and goes deep to Andy Murihead.
Who then nails a teammate in the head and it’s accidental offside as a result.
Lions scrum 10 metres inside the First Nations Pasifika half.
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