Strong Start Gives Lions Series Lead Over Wallabies

2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR – FIRST TEST:

Saturday, July 19 –

AUSTRALIA 19 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 27, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Scorers: Australia: Tries: Max Jorgensen, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott; Cons: Ben Donaldson 2
British & Irish Lions: Tries: Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Curry, Dan Sheehan; Cons: Finn Russell 3; Pens: Finn Russell, Marcus Smith
HT: Australia 5 British & Irish Lions 17

Andy Farrell’s men will take a 1-0 Test series lead to Melbourne next week, having scored three converted tries through Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Curry, and Dan Sheehan before Australia’s bench had an impact.

The Lions were 10 points up with as many minutes on the clock, Finn Russell playing in his Scotland team-mate Tuipulotu for the series’ first try, adding to his initial penalty goal.

Max Jorgensen’s opportunist unconverted score lifted Australia, 28 minutes in, but the Lions wore down the green and gold defence as a well-finished try from Curry made it 17-5 at half-time.

Sheehan crossed after just 77 seconds of the second half to extend the advantage, and despite converted efforts from replacements Carlo Tizzano and Tate McDermott, Marcus Smith’s 73rd-minute penalty had the Lions out of reach.

Eight Ireland players started for Farrell’s side, a modern day record, and Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, the excellent Jamison Gibson-Park, Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, Andrew Porter, and Rónan Kelleher all made their Lions Test debuts.

There was a first start for the outstanding Beirne at blindside flanker, while Tadhg Furlong – stepping up superbly well for a seventh Test start across three tours – and Jack Conan continued where they left off in South Africa four years ago.

Russell fired the Maro Itoje-led Lions in front inside 90 seconds, rewarding a trademark turnover penalty won by Beirne. Australia’s backs got their first bit of ball in hand soon after, but were met by a red defensive wall.

Furlong, a busy figure in the loose in terms of his ball carrying and distribution, battered through inside the Australian 22 a few minutes later, although Fraser McReight got in a good position to earn a relieving penalty.

The Wallabies defence came under further pressure with Sheehan’s incisive run leading to Curry going close. Possession was retained, and Russell’s brilliant arcing pass sent Tuiupulotu over in the eighth minute. Russell’s conversion made it 10-0.

Lowe, working hard on the contestable kicks, and Keenan maintained a confident start, the Ireland full-back winning a high ball and then threading a kick through to touch to put Australia on the retreat.

With young out-half Tom Lynagh recovering from a tough opening to his first international start, the Wallabies’ share of possession increased nearing the midpoint of the first half, only for Beirne to seize turnover ball.

Good work out wide from Lowe, including a big hand-off, had a stretching Huw Jones over the try-line, but a TMO decision ruled that Jorgensen had completed his tackle.

The hosts lost an advanced lineout position due to a Beirne steal, yet their scrum won a penalty approaching the half hour mark. Before that, Ellis Genge had impressed with a bulldozing carry after Furlong had used a penalty advantage to fling the ball wide.

It took some individual skill to penetrate the Lions defence, Jorgensen wrestling a high ball out of Keenan’s grasp and darting down the left touchline – and away from Russell – to close the gap to 10-5.

Russell’s cross-field kick just had too much on it for the lurking McCarthy, and as the Lions threatened again, Lowe was swallowed up when an overlap was on. The forward pressure told from two close-in penalties, with Curry piling over to score from a ruck.

Russell’s well-struck conversion from the left left a dozen points in it at the break, and the Lions, with Gibson-Park and Russell showing her class and control from half-back, pushed further ahead on the restart.

Curry was all over the attack after gobbling up an overthrown Australian lineout near halfway, the space opening up for Jones to storm forward before Sheehan squeezed over in the right corner.

Russell’s crisp conversion was followed by the sight of McCarthy unfortunately hobbling off, the tourists making a couple of changes as they continued to control the territory. Conan drew them back into the Australian 22 with a big carry.

Even when the Wallabies got within maul range following a scrum penalty, Beirne led a choke tackle that produced a turnover. Nonetheless, the Lions’ defensive workload was increasing, and coupled with more penalties, Australian skipper Harry Wilson was held up.

A long TMO review went the Lions’ way when Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i was denied a 60th-minute try. Replacement Ben Earl attempted a wrap in his tackle, ruling out foul play, and Bundee Aki crucially got his hands over the ball before Sua’ali’i was dragged over the try-line.

Joe Schmidt’s charges went close again when Wilson’s well-weighted kick through just evaded Harry Potter with a bad final bounce. Their persistence paid off when Tizzano, a regular try scorer in Super Rugby Pacific this year, burrowed over for Ben Donaldson to convert.

That left 12 points in it with as many minutes remaining, the Lions’ response ensuring that they made some telling inroads. Gibson-Park wriggled free, replacement Will Stuart did well, and Aki also got over the gainline. The net result was a central three-pointer from Smith.

Australia took some momentum into next week, though, with Potter cutting in from the left wing at pace. The home pack responded, and a clever snipe from McDermott saw him twist his way over the whitewash. Donaldson’s conversion was the final scoring act.

TIME LINE: 1 minute – British & Irish Lions penalty: Finn Russell – 0-3; 8 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Sione Tuipulotu – 0-8; conversion: Finn Russell – 0-10; 28 mins – Australia try: Max Jorgensen – 5-10; conversion: missed by Tom Lynagh – 5-10; 35 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Tom Curry – 5-15; conversion: Finn Russell – 5-17; Half-time – Australia 5 British & Irish Lions 17; 41 mins – British & Irish Lions try: Dan Sheehan – 5-22; conversion: Finn Russell – 5-24; 67 mins – Australia try: Carlo Tizzano – 10-24; conversion: Ben Donaldson – 12-24; 73 mins – British & Irish Lions penalty: Marcus Smith – 12-27; 78 mins – Australia try: Tate McDermott – 17-27; conversion: Ben Donaldson – 19-27; Full-time – Australia 19 British & Irish Lions 27

AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies); Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs), Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i (NSW Waratahs), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Harry Potter (Western Force); Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds), Jake Gordon (NSW Waratahs); James Slipper (ACT Brumbies), Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds), Allan Ala’alatoa (ACT Brumbies), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Western Force), Nick Champion de Crespigny (Western Force), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Harry Wilson (Queensland Reds) (capt).

Replacements used: Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs) for Slipper, Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies) for Faessler (both 49 mins), Tom Robertson (Western Force) for Ala’alatoa (57), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds) for Gordon, Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies) for Williams (both 58), Ben Donaldson (Western Force) for Lynagh (60), Carlo Tizzano (Western Force) for Champion de Crespigny (66), Andrew Kellaway (NSW Waratahs) for Ikitau (68).

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). 

Replacements used: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) for McCarthy (43 mins), Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Genge (48), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) for Tuipulotu, Ben Earl (Saracens/England) for Curry, Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) for Furlong (all 57), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) for Sheehan (60), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England) for Russell (66), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) for Gibson-Park (73).

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)