Porter And Ringrose Score As Lions Rack Up Half-Century Against Reds

2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR:

Wednesday, July 2 –

QUEENSLAND REDS 12 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 52, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Scorers: Queensland Reds: Tries: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Josh Flook; Con: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
British & Irish Lions: Tries: Tommy Freeman 2, Andrew Porter, Duhan van der Merwe, Maro Itoje, Jac Morgan, Huw Jones, Garry Ringrose; Cons: Finn Russell 4, Finn Smith 2
HT: Queensland Reds 12 British & Irish Lions 21

The lively Reds led twice during the first 40 minutes, crossing through Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and Josh Flook, but converted tries from Tommy Freeman, Andrew Porter, and Duhan van der Merwe gave the Lions a 21-12 half-time lead.

Andy Farrell’s men went on to take a firm grip on the game, with their bench influential once again. Captain Maro Itoje, player-of-the-match Jac Morgan, Freeman, Huw Jones, and Garry Ringrose made it seven tries without reply.

Jamison Gibson-Park was the only debutant in the Lions’ starting XV, as Hugo Keenan was unable to play due to illness. Five Ireland players started, and three more came on as replacements, including another first-timer in James Ryan.

After recording back-to-back victories on Australian soil, the tourists will head to Sydney to play the NSW Waratahs on Saturday. The main injury concern coming out of today’s clash was full-back Elliot Daly, who started in place of Keenan and injured his left forearm in an attempted tackle.

A knock-on and a scrum penalty prevented the Lions from taking advantage of early field position. Seven minutes in, the Reds were clinical from their first visit to the opposition 22, the initial incision coming from Hunter Paisami’s tackle-breaking run.

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips was up in support, and the Lions were unable to stall the attacking wave. Number 8 Joe Brial made a big carry to bring them closer before former Ulster prop Toomaga-Allen wrestled his way over for a seven-pointer.

Queensland’s defence gained further encouragement when Bundee Aki was held up from a lineout maul. Wales flanker Morgan caught the eye with a well-won breakdown steal, and a carry into the Reds’ 22, only for a subsequent rip to bring the attack to an end.

The Lions lost ground with another scrum penalty, but made the possession count in the 19th minute. Playing with a penalty advantage from a maul, Finn Russell wrapped around and linked with Daly to put Freeman over out on the right.

Following Russell’s conversion to make it seven points apiece, van der Merwe got himself out of a hole when defending a tricky cross-field kick from the impressive Paisami.

However, a few minutes later, Kalani Thomas’ clever kick exploited some space with centre Flook snapping up the ball ahead of van der Merwe to make it 12-7 to the Les Kiss-coached hosts.

Van der Merwe and Freeman swiftly threatened at the other end, the latter stopped just short. A five-metre penalty was tapped by Rónan Kelleher, and his Leinster and Ireland team-mate Porter crashed over in the next phase, supported by Ollie Chessum and Morgan.

Russell knocked over the conversion from straight in front to give the Lions a 29th-minute lead. A solid defensive set denied the Reds the chance to respond, and despite a Will Stuart knock-on during a pacy counter attack, the men in red soon pushed further ahead.

Five minutes before the break, Gibson-Park took a free-kick quickly inside Queensland’s 22, knitting the phases together in crisp fashion before slick hands from Chessum and Conan put van der Merwe over in the left corner. The conversion was bang on target from Russell.

There were some frustrating moments for the Lions closing in on the interval, as they failed to deal with a kick and almost allowed Lachie Anderson through for a opportunist try. Back on the attack, they left a probable score behind them when Kelleher knocked on.

Within five minutes of the restart, Farrell’s charges had their fourth converted try on the board. Aki’s muscular carry got them well over the gain-line, and then Gibson-Park’s snipe and inviting offload back inside gave Itoje the chance to crash over beside the posts.

The Lions skipper then stole a lineout to break up some Queensland momentum, and the replacements contributed handsomely to Morgan’s 55th-minute effort, stretching the scoreline to 35-12.

Opting for a scrum from a penalty straight in front of the posts, replacement out-half Fin Smith combined with Aki before Alex Mitchell’s precise pass released the Welsh openside for the try-line.

An Aki turnover penalty had the hungry Lions back on the front foot shortly afterwards, and they continued to wear down the Queensland defence.

Aki and Morgan combined to good effect on the right wing, before England international Freeman twisted out of two tackles to touch down at the end of 11 fast-paced phases.

Aki’s centre partner Jones was next over the whitewash, gobbling up Tim Ryan’s kick in an attempted chip-and-chase to dart clear and put 35 points between the teams (47-12). Itoje earned the plaudits beforehand with an interception inside the tourists’ 22.

Morgan’s effectiveness at the breakdown, forcing two penalties, led to a late bout of pressure. The Lions also earned a scrum penalty advantage before Smith’s skip pass set up Ringrose, who was playing on the right wing, to go over in the right corner.

TIME LINE: 7 minutes – Queensland Reds try: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen – 5-0; conversion: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips – 7-0; 19 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Tommy Freeman – 7-5; conversion: Finn Russell – 7-7; 25 mins – Queensland Reds try: Josh Flook – 12-7; conversion: missed by Harry McLaughlin-Phillips – 12-7; 28 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Andrew Porter – 12-12; conversion: Finn Russell – 12-14; 35 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Duhan van der Merwe – 12-19; conversion: Finn Russell – 12-21; Half-time – Queensland Reds 12 British & Irish Lions 21; 44 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Maro Itoje – 12-26; conversion: Finn Russell – 12-28; 55 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Jac Morgan – 12-33; conversion: Fin Smith – 12-35; 59 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Tommy Freeman – 12-40; conversion: Fin Smith – 12-42; 65 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Huw Jones – 12-47; conversion: missed by Fin Smith – 12-47; 80+4 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Garry Ringrose – 12-52; conversion: missed by Fin Smith – 12-52; Full-time – Queensland Reds 12 British & Irish Lions 52

QUEENSLAND REDS: Jock Campbell (capt); Lachie Anderson, Josh Flook, Hunter Paisami, Tim Ryan; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Kalani Thomas; Aidan Ross, Matt Faessler, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Josh Canham, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Seru Uru, John Bryant, Joe Brial.

Replacements: Josh Nasser for Faessler, Angus Blyth for Salakaia-Loto, Isaac Henry for Flook (all 53 mins), George Blake for Ross, Sef Fa’agase for Toomaga-Allen (both 57), Ryan Smth for Canham, Louis Werchon for Thomas (both 58), Conor Vest for Brial (63).

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Elliot Daly (Saracens/England); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland).

Replacements used: Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) for Stuart, Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) for Porter, Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England) for Russell (all 50 mins), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) for Gibson-Park, Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England) for Kelleher (both 51), James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Chessum (58), Ben Earl (Saracens/England) for Aki, Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Daly (both 66).

Referee: James Doleman (NZR)