Roberts expects things to get tougher from here

The British & Irish Lions have arrived in Sydney expecting an increase in intensity from their upcoming opponents ahead of the first Test with Australia in nine days.

A 10-try, 64-0 thumping of the Combined Country in Newcastle on Tuesday was the third comfortable win in four games for Warren Gatland’s squad with only Super XV big guns the Queensland Reds asking any serious questions of the tourists, outscoring them two tries to one before falling to the visitors 22-12 last Saturday.

The head coach knows his players needs a similar examination to the one Quade Cooper and his Reds posed and Lions centre Jamie Roberts is convinced the New South Wales Waratahs, coached by former Leinster boss Michael Cheika, will provide that when the teams clash at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.