Gatland Test plans take shape

At last a game to savour, at least until the rain made handling conditions very difficult in the second half at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

The Queensland Reds, to their credit, came to play but the brittleness of their set-piece meant that a victory was always likely to be beyond them.

From Warren Gatland’s perspective this was the contest he has been chasing since setting out on tour, with the pace and intensity the Reds brought to the opening quarter more in line with what the Lions can expect in the Test series than anything experienced in the opening games.