As it happened: Lions beat Australia in first Test Down Under
The Lions' Dan Sheehan scores his side's third try against Australia. Pic: David Davies/PA Wire.
1:23pm: Andy Farrell wants these Lions to be remembered as the best ever. Quite the target, especially after this showing. Farrell got the result (no mean feat) but not the complete performance. More to come? Got to be.
1:17pm: Joe Schmidt: 'That last 30 minutes, we earned our way back into the game. I'm proud of the players and the way that we fought. I learned that we've got character and we've got courage. Against a team like the Lions, you've got to be so accurate.'
1:10pm: "This is something I didn't think I was ever capable of," says Dan Sheehan.
1:05pm: "I thought we did the shirt proud," says Andy Farrell. "I thought the backrow was immense, to a man."
12:58pm: Tadhg Beirne is named player of the match by Sky Sports. "Proper Test match," says Tadhg. He says discipline will be one of the main areas for the Lions to work on ahead of next week's Test in Melbourne.
"We got the job done, roll on next week!"
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
Player of the Match Tadhg Beirne reacts to a dominant Lions win in Brisbane 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hywNqWjHMR
12:55pm: Perfect outcome for Lions. A victory yet with a ragged, scrappy second-half performance to work on means that they will take nothing for granted for the rest of the series.
12:54pm: A much improved final quarter from Australia, some substitutions that will give Joe Schmidt plenty of food for thought and will make the Lions uneasy looking ahead to next week.
80 mins: Time is up but we'll have a Lions lineout 5m from the Aussies' try line. The Wallabies steal the lineout and kick it out. It's game over. The Lions win 27-19 in Brisbane and lead the series 1-0.
Tate McDermott with a late try for the Wallabies! 🇦🇺 The hosts are finishing strongly in Brisbane 💪 pic.twitter.com/wkz7kOYBLJ
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
78 mins: Australia are on the Lions 5m line now. Try Australia! Replacement scrum-half Tate McDermott gets over. Both sides have scored three tries.
74 mins: Marcus Smith kicks the penalty. The Lions extend their lead to 27-12.
72 mins: Lions are in the Australia 22 for the first time in quite a while. They have a penalty advantage now for hands in the ruck. The Lions will take a shot at goal right in front of the posts to absolutely kill the game.
68 mins: Try Australia! Carlo Tizzano, just moments on the pitch, gets it. Ben Donaldson kicks the conversion.
67 mins: Penalty advantage for Australia. They are just metres from the Lions' try line now.
67 mins: Finn Russell is replaced by Marcus Smith.
66 mins: Lions have lost their composure and sense of themselves. Bench has not made an impact. Danger of letting Wallabies back into game.
63 mins: Lovely grubber kick down the line by Wilson but Harry Potter can't produce a moment of magic (sorry) to get an Australian try. That was much better by the Wallabies.
62 mins: Wallabies out-half Tom Lynagh goes off and is replaced by Ben Donaldson. For the Lions, Ronan Kelleher replaces Dan Sheehan.
61 mins: No try as Suaalii did not release the ball after being tackled before he touched down.
61 mins: Hold on. The TMO is looking at the score. There are a few moments for the TMO to look at here.
60 mins: Try Australia! A score the Aussies, the game and the series (already) really needed. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gets over for the try.
59 mins: Australia inch towards the try line but the Lions give away another penalty. Ben O'Keeffe warns Maro Itoje that another penalty will result in a yellow card.
58 mins: Tadhg Furlong goes off and Will Stuart is on. Bundee Aki is on for Sione Tuipulotu, and Ben Earl for Tom Curry. For Australia, Tom Robertson comes on for Allan Alaalatoa.
57 mins: Australia get over the try line but it's held up. They will come back for a penalty advantage. Lynagh kicks to the corner again.
56 mins: Australia have a penalty for a high tackle. Lynagh kicks towards the corner. It's an Aussie lineout 10m from the Lions' try line.
53 mins: Australia seem totally unable to bring their second line of attack into the picture. Struggling with balls out the back and getting it beyond one out carry after one out carry, from forwards and backs. They look very disjointed and uneasy.
51 mins: "Very, very, very clunky," says ROG about the Australian attack as a pass goes to ground. They do win a penalty off the scrum though. Lynagh kicks down the line but the Lions win a turnover.
50 mins: The TMO is looking at a clearout by Tadhg Furlong where there is head contact. It's just a penalty for Australia, no card. "The mitigation is the fact the player is rising up," says referee Ben O'Keeffe.
50 mins: Andy Farrell going to the bench early. A good move. Wallabies are on the rack.
49 mins: Another change for the Lions Andrew Porter is on in the front row in place of Ellis Genge. For the Aussies, Angus Bell comes on and James Slipper goes off. Billy Pollard replaces Matt Faessler.
46 mins: Penalty for the Lions. Russell kicks to halfway.
44 mins: Joe McCarthy goes off, possibly limping as he does so, and is replaced by Ollie Chessum. "It looks like an injury, most definitely, his gait doesn't look good," says Ronan O'Gara on commentary. McCarthy was superb in the first 40.
The PERFECT start to the second half from the Lions 🦁 pic.twitter.com/gvrZ5BpjBF
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
42 mins: Try Lions! Dan Sheehan goes over in the corner. That came off the back of a lineout turnover by Tom Curry. Finn Russell kicks the extras.
40 mins: Tom Lynagh kicks off. The second half is underway.
11:55am: Part of me was hoping for a red card for Curry to inject a bit of life into the contest. How he escaped without a yellow is mind boggling.
11:53am: The Lions take a 17-5 lead into the interval and on the first 40 minutes' evidence, Andy Farrell's much-debated back-row selections have been thoroughly vindicated. Flankers Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry were everywhere in that first half, bashing, smashing and poaching with openside Curry claiming the tourist's second try just before the break.
11:51am: Shades of Melbourne 2001? Lions led 11-6 back then at half time but should have been much further ahead. Australia made most of it in second half and went on to win series. Lions needed that Tom Curry try just before half time to quell nerves. Few chances gone begging.
Half-time: The teams head into the dressing rooms. That moment of brilliance from Max Jorgensen is the only thing keeping this game alive. It was all Lions bar that moment.
40 mins: Tom Curry tackles Tom Lynagh in the air. The referee says it's just a penalty for the moment.
Tom Curry is over the line for the Lions' second try 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FuIa94D0mI
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
36 mins: Try Lions! Tom Curry goes cover from close range. Russell kicks the conversion.
34 mins: The ball comes loose from Lowe's grasp metres from the line but they will comeback for an advantage. Russell kicks to the corner. Sheehan finds Itoje with a short throw to the front of the lineout. The Lions get over the line but it's held up. They come back for another penalty for an offside. The Lions tap and go.
32 mins: Finn Russell kicks crossfield but Joe McCarthy knocks on in the corner. Another step further forward and the Ireland second row would have been celebrating a try.
MAGIC! 🪄 Max Jorgensen stuns the Lions to get the Wallabies back into the game in Brisbane! 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/8C73fDhlvn
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
29 mins: Try Australia! Max Jorgensen catches a box kick over Hugo Keenan and races over the line. That's the score Australia and the game needed. Tom Lynagh doesn't make the conversion.
27 mins: Lions need to settle. Getting sloppy. Little dust-up suits Wallabies. Get back to strong, direct running and Lions will be fine. So important that they don’t concede.
25 mins: Australia win a turnover on the Lions 10m line. "Oh no," says Ronan O'Gara to consecutive poor kicks by the Wallabies. It's been a scrappy few minutes. Lions loosehead Ellis Genge loses the ball in contact. It'll be a scrum for Australia between their 22 and 10m line.
22 mins: Harry Potter so unlucky with a kick which goes out of touch just inside the Lions try area. Hugo Keenan judged it to perfection. A bounce the other side of the corner flag and the momentum was with the Aussies, instead it's with the Lions here who have a scrum inside the Australian half.
TRY DISALLOWED ❌
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
Lions celebrations are short-lived as Huw Jones is adjudged to have committed a double movement in the process of scoring the try. pic.twitter.com/E4bJ8gPZuA
20 mins: Jamison Gibson-Park goes wide and finds James Lowe who has Jones inside him. Wait. The TMO is checking for an infringement by Jones just before he touched down. The try has been disallowed by referee Ben O'Keeffe as Jones did not release the ball after being tackled. That keeps the Wallabies in the game.
19 mins: Try Lions! It's another Scottish centre, this time Huw Jones.
17 mins: The Lions defence is so quick and aggressive. Australia are on the Lions 22 but Andy Farrell's side win the turnover and clear. Lynagh finds touch. The Lions will have a lineout on halfway.
15 mins: James Lowe puts a bit too much on a kick. Australia will scrum just inside the Lions half.
13 mins: Tuipulotu's try comes directly as a result of a terrible inaccuracy off the base of the Australian maul by Fraser McReight. Australia look more like the team that are cobbled together from four different countries so far.
9 mins: Try Lions! Great hands by the Lions off the scrum. They have another penalty and go wide. Russell turns back inside and finds his Scotland teammate Sione Tuipulotu with a looping pass over the Wallabies defence. It was a beautiful pass. Russell adds the extras.
WE HAVE LIFT OFF IN BRISBANE! 🦁 pic.twitter.com/W65qXcIW5O
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 19, 2025
8 mins: Advance Australia Fair? Wallabies very much on the back foot at the moment and the nagging anxiety that this might be a blowout series (which suits no-one) begins to stir.
8 mins: Poor execution by Australia. The Lions have a scrum in the middle of the pitch.
6 mins: Russell kicks in behind Harry Potter who touches the ball on the way out. It'll be a lineout for the Lions inside the Australia 22. Dan Sheehan with the throw. Nice carry by Tadhg Furlong but Australia win the penalty near their own line. That's an important one for the Wallabies as the Lions looked dangerous.
3 mins: Important tackle from James Lowe as Australia put a nice attacking move together.
2 mins: It goes straight between the posts from Russell. Lions lead 3-0. Jack Conan claims the Australia kick off.
1 min: Penalty for the Lions at the opening breakdown. Tadhg Beirne takes the plaudits from teammates for a great steal. Russell will take a shot at the posts.
1 min: Finn Russell gets the game underway and Australia claim the kick off.
10:59am: Ready for anthems. Or anthem. Thank God no Clive Woodward Lions anthem of 2005. That didn’t turn out too well.
10:58am: The pyrotechnics light up Suncorp Stadium. We're nearly ready for kick off.
10:40am: Brisbane city centre was turned red all day with Lions jerseys everywhere and here at Suncorp Stadium it seems like Wallabies supporters are outnumbered by at least four to one with 20 minutes to kick off.
10:29am: Can’t remember a contest so weighted in the Lions' favour. A win is the minimum objective. In truth, Lions are 10-12 point favourites.
10:28am: Ronan O'Gara wonders if the Lions are rolling the dice by not having Owen Farrell on the bench. "I think the call for back up ten had to be Owen Farrell," ROG said in his Irish Examiner column. "The Lions can’t afford to lose Finn Russell early. The Wallabies will be licking their lips if that scenario arises."
10:27am: Nothing like the opening vibe of a Lions series. Gabba in 2001 still sends shiver down the spine, the night the Sea of Red flooded into town. Looks like a repeat show in 2025. Mick Cleary
"The best player that's ever played the game" 1️⃣
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 18, 2025
Andy Farrell's former teammate Terry O'Connor with some huge praise for the British & Irish Lions head coach 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/h9DE8SNznH
10:26am: "Winning the opening Test is key as it keeps you in the fight to the final whistle on the last day of action," says Donal Lenihan, someone intimately familiar with the Lions. "That’s the clear goal for the Lions. Given the list of injuries the Wallabies have had to cope with, Schmidt may have to settle for a competitive performance in the hope that the cavalry return next week in time to keep the series alive." You can read Donal's column here.
10:25am: We're 35 minutes from kick-off of the first of three Tests between the Lions and Australia.
H Keenan (Ireland); T Freeman (England), H Jones (Scotland), S Tuipulotu (Scotland), J Lowe (Ireland); F Russell (Scotland), J Gibson-Park (Ireland); E Genge (England), D Sheehan (Ireland), T Furlong (Ireland); M Itoje (England) – captain, J McCarthy (Ireland); T Beirne (Ireland), T Curry (England), J Conan (Ireland).
R Kelleher (Ireland), A Porter (Ireland), W Stuart (England), O Chessum (England), B Earl (England), A Mitchell (England), M Smith (England), B Aki (Ireland).
T Wright; M Jorgensen, J-A Suaalii, L Ikitau, H Potter; T Lynagh, J Gordon; J Slipper, M Faessler, A Alaalatoa; N Frost, J Williams; N Champion de Crespigny, F McReight, H Wilson - captain.
B Pollard, A Bell, T Robertson, T Hooper, C Tizzano, T McDermott, B Donaldson, A Kellaway.
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