Lions: Taylor blow for Lions

Simon Taylor was today confirmed as the Lions’ latest injury casualty.

The 21-year-old Scottish back-row forward, who went on as a second-half substitute during yesterday’s record 116-10 victory over Western Australia, has suffered ligament damage to his left knee.

Taylor underwent tests this morning, and has remained with the Lions squad for their seven-hour flight from Perth to Townsville ahead of next Tuesday’s game against a Queensland President’s XV.

England’s Martin Corry is already on route from Canada to act as cover, and he is expected in Townsville tonight.

Taylor joins hooker Phil Greening, who also has a knee problem, on the sidelines, with Scotland’s Gordon Bulloch also travelling out.

The call-ups come just one game into a 10-match trip.

Both players were considered unlucky to miss out when the Lions squad was announced six weeks ago, yet have now been handed quickfire opportunities.

The Corry situation unfolded in a matter of hours, so much so that the dust had hardly settled on an embarrassingly easy win.

Wing Dan Luger and number eight Scott Quinnell both bagged try hat-tricks, while there were two touchdowns each for Rob Howley, Neil Back and Iain Balshaw, with Simon Taylor, Mark Taylor, Will Greenwood, Austin Healey, Brian O’Driscoll and Danny Grewcock also scoring.

England star Balshaw departed near the end after taking a blow in the chest area, but it is not thought to be serious, and neither is flanker Richard Hill’s back strain which forced him off at half-time.

Fly-half Ronan O’Gara booted 26 points, completing a rout which eclipsed the 1974 Lions’ 97-0 success against South African side South Western Districts.

Healey’s brilliant 74th-minute solo try brought up the century, leaving Western Australia’s former Saracens fly-half Duncan McRae mesmerised by what he had witnessed.

‘‘They showed some great running rugby, which the northern hemisphere is not renowned for, and it looks all set up for a superb Test series,’’ he said.

‘‘I thought the Lions were outstanding, they couldn’t really have done any more. In terms of starting a tour, you would have to say it was awesome.’’

Lions coach Graham Henry labelled it a ‘‘six out of 10’’ performance, acutely aware that opposition standards will rise steeply from now on.

Western Australia’s plucky amateurs predictably failed to compete in any department, yet second-half tries from wing Brent Becroft and replacement Robbie Barugh will have annoyed Lions defence coach Phil Larder.

‘‘We only have a short period of time before the first Test, and the players’ nature is to be hyper-critical, so we will analyse every second of this game,’’ he said.

‘‘There is a huge amount of work to be done and a long way down the road to go, but we’ve got something to work from now, which is very important.’’

Second-row forwards Danny Grewcock and Malcolm O’Kelly were among those praised by Henry, while the likes of Quinnell, Howley, Greenwood and Hill also put down impressive markers.

Wholesale changes are likely for Tuesday as Henry tries to give most of the squad an early work-out, that team being announced early tomorrow morning following a seven-hour charter flight across Australia.