The British and Irish Lions stuttered to an unconvincing 21-10 victory over a dogged New South Wales Waratahs side, taking a step backwards with an error-prone performance on the third leg of their tour of Australia.
Centre Huw Jones crossed twice in the first half and Alex Mitchell added another try early in the second but the Lions were held scoreless for the final 26 minutes of the match on a frustrating night that saw few press their Test cases.
The Waratahs, roared on by the majority of a crowd of 40,568, scored tries through Darby Lancaster and Ethan Dobbins and trailed by only four points early in the second half. The Super Rugby side showed the Wallabies the way for the three-test series in late July and August with an uncompromising physicality all over the park that knocked the Lions off their stride.
Follow all of the latest from Sydney with our live blog below:
Waratahs vs Lions live
- The Lions secure sloppy win over Waratahs
- Lions are unbeaten since arriving in Australia but could face tougher test
- TRY! Waratahs 0-7 LIONS (Huw Jones, 12 minutes)
- TRY! Waratahs 0-14 LIONS (Huw Jones, 33 minutes)
- TRY! WARATAHS 5-14 Lions (Darby Lancaster, 35 minutes)
- TRY! WARATAHS 10-14 Lions (Ethan Dobbins, 42 minutes)
- TRY! Waratahs 10-21 LIONS (Alex Mitchell, 55 minutes)
- FT: Waratahs 10-21 Lions
Error-strewn British and Irish Lions labour to victory over Waratahs
13:27
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Owen Farrell watched from the stands as the British and Irish Lions laboured to a 21-10 victory over New South Wales Waratahs in what was comfortably their worst performance since arriving in Australia.
A fortnight out from the first Test against the Wallabies and the Lions struggled to put away a side that finished eighth in the Super Rugby table and had lost five of their last six matches.
Even the arrival of a heavyweight bench could not provide the lift Andy Farrell’s men needed at Allianz Stadium and a dismal second-half made for grim viewing with Alex Mitchell’s 55th-minute try at least providing some breathing space.
FT: Waratahs 10-21 Lions
13:14
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Harry Latham-Coyle
A pretty honest assessment from Andy Farrell, as one would expect from the Lions head coach. Plenty to review on the flight to Canberra tomorrow.
Andy Farrell speaks to Sky Sports
13:09
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Harry Latham-Coyle
“I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied. You have to celebrate every win but with the amount of territory and possession we had, we had so many dropped balls - to say we left a few out there would be an understatement.
“It’s a good learnning for us, a different type of game with it being close and under pressure. We didn’t come out of the blocks hard enough and we need to address that. The ground was wet for some reason, they played hard at the breakdown and with good linespeed and sometimes we overplayed. There are some good learnings either way.
“We obviously have to state the obvious - the Waratahs have been waiting a long time for this chance and we have to be ready for that. The Brumbies are a great side, so we know what we are in for there. Owen Farrell probably won’t be in the 23 because of the jet lag and the protocols, it normally takes a bit longer.”
And here's captain Tadhg Beirne, wearing a frown
13:04
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
“It probably wasn’t the step forward we were looking for,” Beirne admits to Sky Sports. “We took a step up in terms of our scrum and our line out but it’s a bit frustrating to not be as clinical as we wanted to be tonight.
“They were just individual errors. I dropped a couple of balls myself. They are easy fixes - on another day we catch all of those, but that’s the frustrating part.”
Lions scrum half Alex Mitchell speaks to Sky Sports
13:02
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Harry Latham-Coyle
“It was a bit of a scrappy game, we struggled at the breakdown and in the air. Credit to the Tahs, they were quality today and made everything a fight.
“I think we just struggled with a bit of a greasy ball. The errors and discipline let them back into the game. It makes a game out of it. They’ve got some quality individuals and their jackal threat across the back row made by job really tough.
“As half-backs, we needed a bit more control - we were a bit loose with the ball. We got a bit of that but errors kept them in the game. We need to go again. Sydney has been amazing so far and I’m loving the tour, everyone’s been really nice.”
FT: Waratahs 10-21 Lions
13:00
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Harry Latham-Coyle
Credit, though, must go to the Waratahs, who made that a real scrap and really did stay in the fight. Very good stuff from Charlie Gamble, Fergus-Lee Warner (mostly) and the rest of their pack, standing up to the Lions physically despite their scrum-time inferiority,
FT: Waratahs 10-21 Lions
12:59
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Not the outing that Andy Farrell will have wanted from his side - though might that have clarified a few things with the Tests drawing near? It’s been a good couple of hours, you’d say, for those not involved, while the lack of direction and grasping of the contest perhaps underscored part of the reason why Owen Farrell is now on tour. Plenty to ponder, though, for the tourists as they prepare for the Brumbies on Wednesday, when we might well see a few combinations that will carry into the first Test in a fortnight.
FULL TIME: Waratahs 10-21 Lions
12:57
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 82 minutes
12:56
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Duhan van der Merwe is lumberjacked by the touchline and the ball trundles into touch out of the ruck. That’ll do it - the end of a night that the Lions will probably hope to forget, even if victory is theirs.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 81 minutes
12:55
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
One last chance for the British and Irish Lions to find something to savour out of the Sydney slop with the Waratahs knocking on having tried to go the length in minute 80. Andy Farrell, spectacles on, furiously clicked his multi-coloured pen as he jots down a note.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 80 minutes
12:54
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Well, if that doesn’t sum it up - Lions captain Tadhg Beirne lets a pass hit him in his chest and takes a tonking as he drops it.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 78 minutes
12:53
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
We are now probably past the point of the Waratahs snatching victory. This really hasn’t been great from their illustrious opponents, though - remember the Super Rugby Pacific side are missing a fair few Wallabies.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 77 minutes
12:51
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
God, bits of this really have been wretched from the Lions - Marcus Smith fails to find touch with his punted penalty, skewing it dead.
No try! Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 76 minutes
12:50
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Aha - just as the Waratahs had been denied by a lifter’s action in the first half, so the Lions are here. Ben Earl had slid in front of his hoisted teammate, preventing initial access to the ball-carrier as the maul was formed - perhaps pernickety, some will feel, but it is a clear penalty in the laws.
The try tally remains at three for Andy Farrell’s men with timing running short to add to it.
Try? Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 76 minutes
12:49
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Lions kick to the corner and maul their way closer and closer. Down it all comes in a great pile - referee Paul Williams thinks he has seen a grounding but wants to make certain? Ben White, finally on at scrum half, was amongst things but Ellis Genge looks to be the scorer, if indeed it has been scored...
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 74 minutes
12:47
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Charlie Gamble rolls the dice again on a breakdown contest - and his luck’s in, another penalty his way as he limpets over the ball. The openside has been rather excellent.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 72 minutes
12:44
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s a good job their scrum has gone so well. Tadhg Furlong looks to be working up to speed after a slow start to the tour, though his angle might have prompted questions from other officials.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 71 minutes
12:43
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Sound the klaxon - a Lions knock-on. It really feels like they’ve snatched at their chances tonight, 14 handling errors now.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 69 minutes
12:41
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Lovely stuff from a brace of Englishman: Ben Earl batters and bursts past three Waratahs in quick succession to deliver momentum, before Marcus Smith paints a beautiful rainbow to send Duhan van der Merwe into space. But the Lions just haven’t resourced rucks well enough tonight - Darby Lancaster gets over the ball and earns a penalty with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Furlong late arrivals as the cleanout crew. That detail needs to be much, much better if they are going to find their flow.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 67 minutes
12:40
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Still no Ben White, slightly strangely, the scrum half still awaiting a first outing in a Lions shirt off the bench after being called in following Tomos Williams’s injury last week. Alex Mitchell has had a bright enough night around the fringes but his kicking game probably hasn’t quite been where he would want it to be.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 66 minutes
12:38
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Sadly, however, for the hosts, the scrum has been shaking all night. Ellis Genge folds Daniel Botha to earn a penalty.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 65 minutes
12:36
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A moment of misfortune for the Waratahs, Huw Jones seemingly slapping the ball down as Charlie Gamble offloads but a knock-on given against the home team.
Hang on, it seems the TMO has finally intervened...referee Paul Williams corrects his call and it will be a scrum for the Tahs.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 62 minutes
12:34
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It was at this point in their two outings in Australia so far that the Lions really started to move up through the gears, but the Waratahs are scrambling superbly. Mack Hansen eats up metres down the right touchline but is then isolated; Paul Williams whistles sharply to award the hosts a penalty.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 61 minutes
12:31
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Marcus Smith is on the park at fly half and launches one of his trademark crossfield kicks...though the Lions’ attacking adventures are halted as Duhan van der Merwe had been in touch earlier in the movement on the opposite touchline.
Jac Morgan has also been introduced; Josh van der Flier takes leave.
NO TRY! Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 60 minutes
12:29
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
An untimely loss of grip from Ellis Genge! The prop looked to have scored the British and Irish Lions’ fourth after hitting a good angle on the shoulder of Alex Mitchell, but the Englishman loses control of the ball as he contorts his limbs to ground, and a try given on the field is soon chalked off after a review of the footage.
Waratahs 10-21 Lions, 58 minutes
12:27
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Australia really do have some real depth on the openside. Charlie Gamble has been excellent tonight and secures another breakdown penalty with a perfectly-timed jackal.
That’s not hugely helpful, though - the penalty is curiously taken quickly and fails to find touch, before Alex Mitchell flips the field with a superb 50/22.
TRY! Waratahs 10-21 LIONS (Alex Mitchell, 55 minutes)
12:26
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
That should steady the stomachs of the Lions - sharp stuff from Alex Mitchell and a simple score.
The Lions suck the bodies in with the maul and then Fin Smith drags more out to the blindside with a darting switch of direction. Mitchell follows his fly half but doesn’t give him the ball, dummying and finding the space himself to snare a try. Smith converts.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 53 minutes
12:22
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
What a peculiar passage of play! Jack Bowen has a total brainfart, starting his run to kick after a free kick is given at the scrum and then tossing it to Taniela Tupou, who slices a rare punt into touch. Of course, Bowen never tapped it, `so it will be a Lions scrum.
And Ellis Genge immediately gets in to Tupou, reigniting their rivalry on England’s tour of Australia in 2022. Genge draws a scrum penalty which Fin Smith belts into the corner.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 52 minutes
12:20
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A limping Blair Kinghorn isn’t what Andy Farrell will want to see having just removed Hugo Keenan. Kinghorn has gone to full-back with Van der Merwe on.
Dan Sheehan makes an immediate impact with a battering ram counter-ruck, though it isn’t long before the tourists cough up the ball again. Kinghorn appears to be fine for now.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 51 minutes
12:19
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another curious kick! The Lions get to the outside and Mack Hansen surely has to step inside off his right boot between the bodies rushing across...but for some reason the wing tries to kick ahead for himself, allowing the Waratahs to cover!
Here are some changes. Off go Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan and Hugo Keenan; enter Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy and Duhan van der Merwe.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 49 minutes
12:16
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A similar situation - Alex Mitchell’s box kick 30 metres out from the Waratahs line is a trifle aimless, and he might therefore be grateful for the blocking fingers of opposite number Teddy Wilson that send it spinning into the midriff of a forward, who knocks on.
Mahe Vailanu is on for Ethan Dobbins at hooker for the Tahs, Dobbins taking leave after that maul score.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 48 minutes
12:14
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Stony faces in the Lions coaching box, though it is they who will feed this scrum after a Waratahs charge down of a chip kick is knocked on by Australia hands. Will Andy Farrell be contemplating early changes?
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 46 minutes
12:13
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
An eighth handling error from the Lions soon arrives, captain Tadhg Beirne having buttered his fingers alongside his teammates.
No try! Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 45 minutes
12:11
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Much more like it but Josh van der Flier can’t get there! Oh so close for the Ireland flanker, maybe four blades of grass from reaching the whitewash after an outstanding sniping break from Alex Mitchell had created the space. Blair Kinghorn had cleverly waited for support to arrive thereafter and connected with the openside flanker, but Van der Flier was felled metres short by an outstanding cover tackle and couldn’t quite extend his go-go-gadget arms to the line.
Waratahs 10-14 Lions, 44 minutes
12:10
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Lions know there are in a proper battle here. They just need to settle in again in this second half.
TRY! WARATAHS 10-14 Lions (Ethan Dobbins, 42 minutes)
12:08
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The rumbling mass gets there and Ethan Dobbins is the buried beneficiary!
In pile a couple of backs to lend their weight to the drive and the British and Irish Lions simply wilt! Through pile the bodies with their hooker at the heart of it, Dobbins flopping over wants he and his sky-blue brethren. Just what Dan McKellar and his staff would have wanted - though Jack Bowen’s conversion hits the upright.
Waratahs 5-14 Lions, 41 minutes
12:06
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A sloppy start. A soft penalty to open the second 40 against the Lions and the Waratahs are on the hunt for a second score, the forwards following the penalty down into the left corner.
Second half...
12:05
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
“A bit of our work in contact hasn’t been good enough,” Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth tells Sky Sports as the players re-emerge. “We’ve not managed our way through the game the way we want to. It’s been like this a bit in the first half of the games so far.”
It has been a pattern - often followed by a second-half surge. Can the Lions do so again? Back underway in Sydney.
HT: Waratahs 5-14 Lions
12:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Some errors are perhaps to be expected with how intricately the Lions are clearly trying to play, but on match four of the tour one might expect things to be clicking a little more regularly. In better news, Scott Cummings has bounced back well from a tough outing in Perth, and Pierre Schoeman and Finlay Bealham have had clear supremacy at scrum time.
Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones have shown their grooved partnership, too, though Hugo Keenan’s had a tricky time on Lions debut - he really should have made that tackle on Darby Lancaster as he hustled across as last man before the Waratahs wing’s score. The Irishman is normally solid as a rock in that sense, and perhaps showed a little bit of ring-rust after his recent spell on the sidelines.
HT: Waratahs 5-14 Lions
11:54
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A decent enough half, that, full of physicality and fury. Just as against the Brumbies on Wednesday, the Lions have had their attacking wings clipped by handling errors - the stats show five unforced fumbles, while a few soft penalties have prevented them building on their set-piece supremacy. The Waratahs have brought plenty of intensity, but you wouldn’t say too many in red have furthered their Test chances so far.
Back for more in a bit.
HALF TIME: Waratahs 5-14 Lions
11:52
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Waratahs 5-14 Lions, 41 minutes
11:51
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A try gone begging! Sublime hands followed by ridiculous ones from the Lions, Hugo Keenan and Mack Hansen sweeping around to create numbers on the extreme left, but the runners outside overrun them, and all Luke Cowan-Dickie can do is sprawl to prevent the pass hopping out of play as it tumbles behind him. The ball is eventually smuggled into touch to send everyone down the tunnel.
Waratahs 5-14 Lions, 39 minutes
11:49
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another canny kick from the Lions, this time from Hugo Keenan, pulls up just beyond the try line. The Waratahs look to play, as they have often tonight, but Darby Lancaster runs down a blind alley and is forced to part with his goods, booting the ball into a side street. The Lions will have a lineout on the fringes of the 22.
Waratahs 5-14 Lions, 37 minutes
11:47
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Well, you’d imagine that challenge might have been a bigger talking point were we already at the Tests - the Lions don’t seem that annoyed by the decision, though they would probably have a right to be aggrieved.
Anyway, the Waratahs would love another before the half to give them real belief into the interval. A booming punt from Blair Kinghorn pushes them back into their own in-goal.
TRY STANDS!
11:45
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Oh dear - this doesn’t look fantastic for the Waratahs or Lee-Warner. The lock has come in to clearout Mack Hansen and may have made head contact on the Lions wing...or not! Referee Paul Williams is happy that it isn’t foul play - somehow. Slightly perplexing, one must say, an arm tucked and the other making pretty forceful impact into the head of Hansen.
Anyway, the try stands.
TRY! WARATAHS 5-14 Lions (Darby Lancaster, 35 minutes)
11:43
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Waratahs hit back!
Maybe Taniela Tupou is really a scrum half? That’s outstanding from the massive tighthead, standing in for an absent Teddy Wilson and showing the instincts of an elite No 9. He picks and snipes before holding his feet and drawing Ben Earl to him, before eventually springing Rob Leota outside him. Leota puts Darby Lancaster away, the wing riding a tackle, stumbling and bumbling to the line.
Hang on, though - TMO Richard Kelly once again wants to have his input. Has Fergus Lee-Warner scuppered another score?
TRY! Waratahs 0-14 LIONS (Huw Jones, 33 minutes)
11:40
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Make mine a double! Huw Jones has his second, the feet sweet as he jinks and jives to the line from five metres out by beating a couple of would-be tacklers in a phone box.
That battle for starting centre shirts come the Tests is bubbling away nicely.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 31 minutes
11:38
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
I tell you, there have been some thunderous hits in this opening half. Both the Western Force and the Brumbies struggled to stay the course after fast starts but it feels like the physicality has ratcheted up again, here.
That’s poor game management, though: eight needless phases are played inside the Waratahs half and Fergus-Lee Warner (not having his best two minutes) eventually concedes another penalty.
NO TRY! Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 30 minutes
11:35
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Charlie Gamble has a try and don’t the Waratahs love it! The openside flanker burst free from the writhing mass of the maul and parts Alex Mitchell and Mack Hansen to get to the line.
The hosts are cock-a-hoop, getting in the faces of their tourists - but the TMO may poop their party, Richard Kelly believing he may have seen a spot of obstruction...and yep, that’s pretty clear-cut, alas. Fergus Lee-Warner had slid in front of the hoisted catcher at the lineout, preventing the Lions from accessing Miles Amatosero.
A shame, for the Waratahs deserved that. This has been a physical and frisky first half hour from the hosts. Penalty to the Lions.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 29 minutes
11:33
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another penalty. A double blast of the whistle from Paul Williams...but still the referee is not reaching to his pocket! Tadhg Beirne, the Lions captain, is warned about his side’s conduct - it was Ben Earl again with a ruck indiscretion.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 28 minutes
11:32
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Has Taniela Tupou got there? No, somehow denied! The hulking tighthead looked sure to score as he picked and drove around the corner, but the Lions got a body beneath him.
Not legally, mind - Luke Cowan-Dickie was offside. There’s no card but the pressure will keep coming on as the Waratahs tap and play at speed...
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 26 minutes
11:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Lions start strongly defensively but then concede a soft penalty, playing the scrum half at the base of the ruck unnecessarily with the ball already slow. Ben Earl the culprit, it would seem, unable to resist a shove through the breakdown after making a tackle. Back to the corner.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 24 minutes
11:29
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Not the best kick from Alex Mitchell, that - you can understand the idea as the scrum half dribbles something in behind off his left peg for those outside him to chase, but Lawson Creighton is across to cover, and finds an excellent booted reply.
That’s fine chasing, too, from the hosts - a penalty earned by Charlie Gamble at the breakdown allows them a chance to kick deep into Lions territory.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 23 minutes
11:27
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The set-piece holds stable for long enough to allow the hosts to clear - though they aren’t exactly out of their own end. A poor exit. The Lions will throw a lineout insidethe 22 once Finlay Bealham has been patched up.
He’s back amongst things. Can they strike for a second time?
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 21 minutes
11:25
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A scrum isn’t necessarily what the Waratahs will want given the power the Lions are putting on. A reset allows the burly men to draw breath.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 20 minutes
11:23
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Roars of delight from the Waratahs - that’s a serious defensive stand! They re-steel really effectively having initially lost ground after the lineout, with Fin Smith and Sione Tuipulotu shut down thereafter as they bid to play-make. Luke Cowan-Dickie spills a loose pass forward.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 19 minutes
11:22
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The giant Miles Amatosero is penalised for changing his mind to stall the Lions maul. The men in red might fancy another rumble...
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 18 minutes
11:21
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Waratahs just can’t get a foothold at scrum time. Taniela Tupou is coming under pressure from Pierre Schoeman and Finlay Bealham is well on top of Tom Lambert, a former Scotland U20 cap, on the other side.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 16 minutes
11:19
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Lions are going hard at plenty of breakdowns. There is load of scavenging threat in this side even with Henry Pollock out - Tadhg Beirne is a regular pilferer and Luke Cowan-Dickie is very good over the ball, too, to go along with Josh van der Flier and Ben Earl. Earl’s had a very lively start, busting out of a couple of tackles to help the Lions escape their own 22 a couple of minutes ago.
Waratahs 0-7 Lions, 14 minutes
11:18
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Not for the first time this tour, the Lions make a total mess of their restart receipt - a penalty from it is prodded to the corner by the Waratahs.
Taniela Tupou is sent thundering down the tramline around the front of the lineout but three Lions get in the way of the runaway bus. A fumble on the floor prevents the hosts from building real pressure - a shame.
TRY! Waratahs 0-7 LIONS (Huw Jones, 12 minutes)
11:16
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A page straight from the Scottish playbook and Huw Jones is in!
Huw-ipulotu strike! It’s a classic try from messrs Tuipulotu and Jones, the former taking it hard to the line and feigning the pull-back before delicately dabbing a pass into the hands of his onrushing centre partner. Through a gap Jones ushers, and there’s no stopping him.
Fin Smith adds the extras.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 11 minutes
11:14
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The scrum, though, is a growing concern. Another penalty for the tourists and Fin Smith finds the corner as the Lions bid to end this bright Waratahs start.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 10 minutes
11:13
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
This is really strong stuff from the Waratahs defence so far. The hits have been crunching and their edge discipline very good, not allowing the Lions to get to the outside. Mack Hansen’s speculator does find Ben Earl but the scramble is good.
Taniela Tupou thrusts out of the line in search of an intercept, but can’t quite gather it. Just a knock on, the officials conclude, despite an outstretched hand.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 10 minutes
11:13
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
This is really strong stuff from the Waratahs defence so far. The hits have been crunching and their edge discipline very good, not allowing the Lions to get to the outside. Mack Hansen’s speculator does find Ben Earl but the scramble is good.
Taniela Tupou thrusts out of the line in search of an intercept, but can’t quite gather it. Just a knock on, the officials conclude, despite an outstretched hand.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 7 minutes
11:10
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Lions work their shapes out the back of a forward pod, but Fin Smith is well corralled. Momentum stalls with the Waratahs shooting up out of the line with impressive intensity, and Alex Mitchell is forced to kick to touch for a spot of territory.
The Waratahs safely execute their clearing drill from close to their own line, a simple lineout accurately done and a platform set to allow Teddy Wilson to boot long.
The Lions attempt to play from near halfway, but Ben Earl slips in an untimely fashion! The explosive back row looked to be through a gap on to Mack Hansen’s pass otherwise.
In the stands, meanwhile, Owen Farrell gets mostly cheers as he is shown on the big screen - even as a couple of English Lions colleagues, including Will Stuart, mock him with fake boos.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 5 minutes
11:07
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
This time Paul Williams does blow his whistle - penalty against Taniela Tupou after Pierre Schoeman and he went down together.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 4 minutes
11:06
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Waratahs make a hash of their first lineout. Alex Mitchell will feed a scrum 12 metres inside his own half.
No clear supremacy. Reset. They’ll pack down again.
Waratahs 0-0 Lions, 2 minutes
1