07/05/25 08:06:00
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07/05 08:04 CDT British and Irish Lions grind out a 21-10 win over Waratahs for
a third win in 8 days
British and Irish Lions grind out a 21-10 win over Waratahs for a third win in
8 days
SYDNEY (AP) --- The British and Irish Lions had their toughest win of the
Australian tour so far, holding off the New South Wales Waratahs 21-10 on
Saturday in their third game in eight days.
Big back-to-back wins over Western Force and Queensland Reds followed a similar
patterns where the Lions surged in the second half against the local Super
Rugby teams to post 50-plus scores.
It was a different rhythm in Sydney, with a third different captain for the
Lions and another re-arranged lineup ahead of the three-test series against the
Wallabies.
The Lions led 14-5 at halftime and, despite having vast superiority in
possession and field position, had to struggle for an 11-point win.
"The Waratahs played a great, combative game, and made it very difficult
especially at the breakdown and in the contact work and with the line speed,"
Lions head coach Andy Farrell said. "It's good learning for us.
"We found a way in the end, but to have so much possession and territory, and
so many turnovers, you know, we need to be better than that."
A Jones double
Center Huw Jones scored close-range tries in the 12th and 35th minutes to give
the Lions a 14-0 lead, although the Waratahs had a try by flanker Charlie
Gamble overturned by the Television Match Official for a lineout obstruction in
between.
The Waratahs scored from the second kick restart, sending the ball to the short
side where winger Darby Lancaster beat some forward defenders, was knocked off
balance by Hugo Keenan's covering tackle before scrambling the last five meters
to score in the left corner. That made it 14-5 at halftime.
The Lions hadn't conceded after a second-half point in their opening two wins
but that run ended less than two minutes after the break, when Waratahs hooker
Ethan Dobbins crashed over after a driving maul from a lineout, with two backs
joining the maul.
Jack Bowen's conversion attempt hit the near upright, leaving the score at
14-10.
The Lions were denied an almost immediate try in response by some desperate
cover defense before scrumhalf Alex Mitchell scored in the 55th, darting to the
shortside from a ruck after sustained pressure from a scrum penalty and a
stream of Waratahs errors.
Finn Smith converted to make it 21-10 and it appeared the Lions were starting
to get on a roll again, particularly when man-of-the-match Mitchell kicked a
50-22 to give the Lions another ideal attacking opportunity.
He then threw the last pass for replacement prop Ellis Genge to drive over the
tryline on the hour, but the ball was lost in the tackle and the Waratahs held
firm.
The Lions barged over again in the 76th but had a try disallowed for a lineout
obstruction in the buildup, and weren't able to cross again in a scrappy,
error-strewn encounter.
The Lions dominated in every key statistic, with 62% of possession, 70% of
territory, double the amount of visits to the opposition quarter and triple the
number of line breaks, but lacked the accuracy to fully convert that ascendency.
"A lot of dropped balls, a lot of turnovers ... a bit frustrating from our end
in terms of not being very clinical and that kind of cohesiveness not being
there," said Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne, who led the Lions in Sydney. "It was
very physical and we probably lacked the physicality a bit in the game at
times, and that's something that we're definitely going to have to look at and
step up."
Farrell arrives
Former England captain Owen Farrell joined the Lions to replace Elliot Daly,
who broke his left forearm in the second half against the Reds. Farrell was
with the squad in the stands watching the game on Saturday --- laughing when
the TV cameras showed him on a giant stadium screen.
Farrell, now on his fourth Lions tour, hasn't played an international since
leading England at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Next games
The Lions are now 3-0 since a 28-24 loss to Argentina in a warmup in Dublin
before the traveling to Australia for a nine-game tour, which includes three
tests against the Wallabies on July 19, 26 and Aug. 2.
The British and Irish squad will next play the Canberra-based Brumbies on
Wednesday.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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