Tadhg Furlong: 'I think there's good growth there... it doesn't feel like we're far away'

What is a concern is the fact that head coach Farrell picked what looked like his strongest starting line-up for the match-up with Stephen Larkham’s Super Rugby semi-finalists. 

Lions prop Tadhg Furlong. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

It should come as no surprise that the British & Irish Lions continue to produce “clunky” performances when you listen to Tadhg Furlong’s comparison of a typical scrum training week with Ireland to the realities of three matches in eight days on tour in Australia.

Andy Farrell’s squad was back in the air early on Thursday, bound from Canberra to Adelaide ahead of Saturday’s tour match against an Australia/New Zealand XV, the final opportunity to click before the opening Test against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies seven days later in Brisbane.