Andy Farrell expects 'different game' for Lions in second Test against Wallabies

The Lions led 24-5 after 42 minutes but the Aussie fought back, eventually losing 27-19. 

"I thought we let them back into the game," Andy Farrell said about the Lions' second half performance against Australia. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Delighted and very satisfied following his side’s 27-19 first Test victory over Australia, British & Irish Lions boss Andy Farrell nevertheless admitted his squad expected more from themselves after handing the Wallabies a way back into the game.

The Lions had led 24-5 after 42 minutes, thanks to first-half tries from Sione Tuipulotu and Tom Curry, and a Dan Sheehan score straight after the break. Finn Russell kicked all three of his conversions, and the Lions should have been further ahead but saw a Huw Jones try struck off following a video review while James Lowe was held up over the line.

And when Australia head coach Joe Schmidt got more from his bench than the Lions did from theirs, the tourists' initiative was lost and their powerhouse first 45 minutes gave way to a spirited fightback from the home side. Tries from replacements Carlo Tizzano and Tate McDermott added to the first half score from Max Jorgensen to close the gap, though Marcus Smith, on for Russell, gave the Lions some much-needed breathing space with a late penalty.

Head coach Farrell was happy to take the rough with the smooth given his touring party will head to Melbourne on Sunday with the ability to secure the series victory at the MCG on Saturday.

First, the positives. The Lions delivered a huge statement of intent from the kick-off as two of his most-discussed selections, flankers Tom Curry and man of the match Tadhg Beirne combined to win a penalty, which Russell dispatched for a 3-0 lead just a minute in to the delight of the majority of a sold-out 52,226 Suncorp Stadium crowd.

Curry packed the first punch in a devastating one-two, with a shuddering tackle on the Wallabies' most-capped player James Slipper, unsettling the loosehead prop to allow Beirne in for the knockout blow, a trademark jackal.

It set the tone for a highly impressive first half that extended into the start of the second and it proved enough to give the Lions an excellent opportunity to land a first series victory since Warren Gatland’s 2013 squad defeated Australia. That is not to be taken lightly and asked his was satisfied in his post-match media conference, Farrell said: “Very. “These football teams would have been desperate for it today and to get off to a winning start is huge.

“Obviously, that puts the pressure on for next week and it keeps us in the tour certainly up until the last game, that is guaranteed. Absolutely delighted, big occasion, big game, we know what coming to Suncorp means to Australia so they would have been targeting this, so delighted to come away with this victory.

“I felt we started the game pretty well, certainly physically and that gave us a bit of momentum into how we played that first half on the back of that. Our game control was pretty good, I have no doubt in the second half Australia would have been pretty pleased with their physicality as well. Each game is different and the second game will take care of itself.” 

That the Wallabies rebounded from a narrow Brisbane defeat in the series opener a dozen years ago to level the series seven days alter in Melbourne was not lost on Farrell, Gatland’s defence coach for the Lions in both 2013 and 2017.

“We know what is coming and we know what happened in the second half and how much more there is in us so we roll onto the second game knowing full well what happened in 2013 when an Australia team becomes desperate, it is difficult to handle so we expect a different game next week. But having said that we expect more of ourselves as well.

“I thought we let them back into the game. It doesn’t really matter if you think the game is won or lost. I thought we let them back into the game with regards to a lack of discipline in the second half.

“That gave them a bit of a sniff to get back in the game physically. When you give a few penalties away, or you are under warnings, or there is a loose offload or carry, that pressures you a bit and we started losing a few collisions. I believe that is a fantastic place to be because there is so much more in us.”