The Lions will go into Test 1 next Saturday on the back of a comprehensive 48-0 win over the Australia & New Zealand Invitational side in Adelaide. The performance will have pleased the Lions coaches and again shows how finely tuned a team can be and also how close the fine margins are at top level of professional sport.
The Lions have steadily built over the first few weeks of the tour and have tried certain combinations up front as well as in the back line. All aspects with the exception of goal kicking which wasn’t great this morning will have pleased Andy Farrell and his staff. The set piece and restart worked well after a few games where things didn’t go quite how they might have liked.
Several players put their hands up for Test selection and another aspect of the performance was no player went on a solo run and was selfish in defence or attack. The combo of Tuipulotu and Jones made the most of another shot outside Fin Smith and brought the back three into the game on many occasions.
That aforementioned back 3 worked tirelessly with Hansen, Keenan and Van Der Merwe covering back and although Van Der Merwe had a moment or two to forget he still managed 3 tries on the night. The selection meetings will be very interesting as the week goes by.
Amazing how 1 game can swing the pendulum one way or the other, last Wednesday, people would have picked a 23 to play Australia but off the back of this morning you can be sure there will be a few changes to supporters sides to now play in the opening Test next weekend.
The aggression in defence as well as the accuracy in attack means that things that have been worked on from week to week have been looked at and the constant work done by the likes of Vinnie Hammond as well as the players has paid off in the video analyst room.
The Lions scored a few top quality tries and will be happy that what is being worked on is coming to fruition at the right time. You have players putting the hand up and pushing each other and that can only bode well.
The scrum and line out were almost faultless bar a few scrum penalties in the second half, that aspect will please the coaches. The discipline at the breakdown was another positive and yes they gave up a few penalties but they have improved and are listening to what referees are looking for over the course of an 80 minute game.
It is great to see everything starting to come to fruition as the key part of the tour comes into view. As I mentioned the way a team can tailor itself and try and peak at the opportune moment is great to see.
The work that Gary Keegan has done in the background has helped them be the best versions of themselves up to this point of the tour. They seem to be a very in tune group that doesn’t seem to have the same divisions as there may previously have been on other tours.
It is all eyes on the first Test next Saturday and to see can the Lions drive on from the first couple of weeks and start the series on the right note and go 1-0 up in the Series.
The last Series win was 12 years ago in Australia and Lions supporters will be very hopeful similar to both 24 years ago in 2001 and also 12 years ago in 2013 that the Lions can win the first Test and set up the Series perfectly.
Roll on 11am next Saturday for the 1st Test in the 2025 British and Irish Lions Series…..