Lions Tour: Lions win in unconvincing fashion

New South Wales Country 3 Lions 46 (full-time)

The Lions cruised to a comfortable win against New South Wales Country today without remotely hitting top gear.

The tourists scored six tries during a 17-minute spell after they were held 3-3 following a poor opening quarter.

Just before the game started, a minute’s silence was held in a mark of respect for Australian Rugby Union liaison official Anton Toia, who died suddenly yesterday.

He had been attached to the Lions for their 10-match trip, and the tourists paid their own tributes by wearing black armbands.

England wing Ben Cohen scored two tries and set the ball rolling when full-back Iain Balshaw sent him over for his first, in the 25th-minute, but the scoreline would have been different had home full-back Nathan Croft not missed three kickable penalties.

The Lions forwards stepped up a gear just before the break, flanker Colin Charvis powering over before centre Scott Gibbs marked his tour bow through a short-range touchdown.

Scrum-half Austin Healey added a fourth try in injury-time, fly-half Neil Jenkins kicking three conversions and a penalty, but there was little for coach Graham Henry to enthuse about.

Jenkins kicked a penalty and skipper David Young barged over for a 45th-minute try which Jenkins converted, but the Lions could then manage only one more touchdown.

Gibbs and prop Jason Leonard both went off nursing cuts, Gibbs later returning, and there was a Lions debut for Irish flanker David Wallace.

Wallace, who only arrived in Australia today as replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio, went on for man of the match Martin Corry midway through the second period.

Cohen collected his second try on 62 minutes, Jenkins converting for a 16-point haul, and then Cohen was denied a hat-trick when whistle happy referee Greg Hinton harshly adjudged him to be offside.