The British and Irish Lions suffered a defeat in their first match of the year against Argentina, falling 28-24 in Dublin.
Adjustments are anticipated by coach Andy Farrell, who will seek solutions this week before the match against Western Force in Perth next Saturday.
Match Highlights
The match served for several players to leave a good impression on Farrell. Tommy Freeman and Jac Morgan stood out.
Freeman demonstrated his danger with the ball from the start. After an outstanding performance in the Six Nations with England and a good campaign with Northampton, Freeman showed his talent from the beginning. He didn’t try to force plays and remained calm during the match.Morgan, one of the two Welsh players on the team, along with Tomos Williams, proudly led his country. He was strong in the contest for the ball and made good runs, proving to be a challenge for the Argentinian defenders. He is expected to contribute consistent work and be a great leader.
Competition on the third line is intense, but Morgan left a strong impression.
Communication is key
The main frustration for the Lions will be that, when they got their game going, they looked very good.
Freeman, Duhan van der Merwe, and Sione Tuipulotu, in particular, looked threatening with most of their touches. However, they failed to maintain that level of play for the necessary time.
An ambitious pass, a risky play or an extra pass instead of building pressure through phases undid their good work. It is necessary to earn the right to attack.
The good news is that all these aspects are under your control. It will only require time and good communication.
Farrell will have enjoyed the fluid rugby he saw at certain moments, but he will remind his team that they are a new group and cohesion cannot be rushed too much.
The alignment urgently needs improvement
Alignments, especially with a new group, can be tricky to master. They require practice and communication.
The hookers Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ronan Kelleher struggled, losing several throws.
Both players have experience, so it is expected that they will correct the mistakes, but it is a key area that they must improve before facing the Wallabies.
Joe Schmidt’s knowledge of the Lions players, especially the Irish ones, is profound and he will undoubtedly look for areas he can exploit. It cannot become a persistent problem for this team, as the lineup is a crucial area in modern rugby. They must demonstrate that they have fixed it as soon as possible, which will occur against Western Force next week.
