Lions suffer against Waratahs: Unconvincing victory in Australia

The British & Irish Lions achieved a 21-10 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday, in a match of the third stage of their tour of Australia. The team’s performance left some doubts due to the mistakes made. Huw Jones scored two tries in the first half, and Alex Mitchell added another at the start of the second, but the Lions failed to score any points in the final 26 minutes of the match.

It was a bit messy, but we made it in the end, there’s still a lot to work on.

Alex Mitchell

A few things worked, but others didn’t.

Alex Mitchell

The Waratahs, spurred on by the fans, scored tries thanks to Darby Lancaster and Ethan Dobbins, and remained only four points behind at the start of the second half.

The Super Rugby team showed the Wallabies how to play for the three-match series in late July and August, with great physicality that destabilized the Lions.

Super proud, super proud.

Hugh Sinclair, captain of the Waratahs

We introduced ourselves, it was messy, but the Lions won’t be happy with that.

Hugh Sinclair, Waratahs captain

The Lions were looking for another win after their 52-12 victory against the Queensland Reds on Wednesday and their 54-7 start against the Western Force. It seemed the match was heading that way when they won a penalty in the first scrum and Jones broke through the defense to score the first try under the posts in the 12th minute. However, the Waratahs did not give up, and besieged the Lions’ line approaching the half-hour mark, with Charlie Gamble fighting to score, but the score was disallowed for obstruction.

The Lions attacked again and Jones scored his second try after breaking through the defenders from close range in the 33rd minute, but the Waratahs responded almost immediately. The flanker Rob Leota charged down the blindside and exchanged passes with Lancaster, who ran towards the line and received a tackle before getting back up to throw the ball and score a try.

Fin Smith’s two successful conversions sent the Lions into halftime with a score of 14-5, but the Waratahs reduced the difference in the first two minutes of the restart when hooker Ethan Dobbins scored the home team’s second try from a rolling maul.

Farrell made changes to his bench 10 minutes into the second half, and the Lions scored their third try thanks to a skillful dummy from Mitchell. Substitute Ellis Genge attempted to score five minutes after a run, but the ball fell to the ground before he touched it. The errors continued and stalled the Lions’ attack, while Gamble and Leota stood out leading the Waratahs’ pack in the fight for every possession.