Lions set off for Australia after an error-strewn opener

The 42

6 hours ago

ANDY FARRELL HASN'T got pissed off at his Ireland team too often over the last five years. To be fair, he doesn't often have great cause to be angry with them.
But what seems to really get him worked up is performances like the one the Lions delivered last night.
There were lots of bright moments from Farrell's team and he will pick out the green shoots in the performance as he reviews it during today's long-haul flight to Perth, but he strongly dislikes when his team looks less energetic and alert than the opposition.
Argentina always play with passion and pride. Those things seemed even a little elevated last night as they pulled off an historic win. It just seemed wrong that this wasn't a capped international game as the Pumas celebrated their deserved victory.
But Farrell will question how it was that his team looked a little less passionate and proud. He would have hated a moment like the one that saw Argentina streak away for a sucker-punch of a try just before half time.
Duhan van der Merwe losing control of the ball as he was tackled around 15 metres out from the Argentina tryline was typical of a night when the Lions were too loose with possession. But then, with the ball bobbling on the ground, it was the Pumas who reacted sharply to scoop it up and surge away down the other end.
Ultimately, that was the deciding of the contest and while it took scintillating skill from Argentina to score it, Farrell will feel it was sloppy and lethargic from his side.
He hates when his team lose the 'scraps' on the ground in such instances or when the ball breaks from an aerial contest. Ireland have made it a point of pride to be the best at hoovering up the scraps and he will want his Lions team to do much better in that regard.
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Duhan van der Merwe and Ben Earl. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Those uncommon times when he has clearly been annoyed after Ireland games also usually come when his players have been wasteful with the ball. There were many instances of that from the Lions last night.
They repeatedly got into promising situations only to throw a loose pass or offload directly to an Argentinian player or slightly behind a team-mate.
This kind of stuff can happen because of overexcitement or overeagerness, which seems likely given that these Lions players know they only have a few more games in which to state their Test credentials. These errors can also happen when people are distracted by something like a flight to Australia the next day. We won't be able to put our finger on it from outside the Lions camp, but Farrell has already made it clear that this stuff is unacceptable to him.
The lineout was also a major weakness on the night, with a 78% return on their own throw limiting how often they could strike at the Pumas.
And yet, even while Farrell set out his stall with his show of annoyance and refusal to make excuses, this kind of stuff isn't entirely unexpected on opening night for the Lions.
Unconvincing performances in the Lions' first game are not a rarity. It's also worth underlining that the Lions' first game isn't usually against one of the best teams in the world, which is what Argentina are.
Ranked fifth in the official World Rugby list, Felipe Contepomi's men had a fine 2024 season and picked up where they left off. They're a creative, gritty team and they made the Lions' lives difficult. The Australian Super Rugby teams may be inspired to produce next-level performances, but the Argentina game could be the Lions' toughest pre-Test challenge.
It certainly wasn't all doom and gloom for the Lions. Their scrum was excellent, with Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham impressing as they won several important penalties from a proud Pumas pack.
Henry Pollock in Dublin. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
There were more than a few glimpses of quality from the Lions attack, including two clever plays from goal line drop-outs, which have been a calling card for Ireland under Farrell.
Some of their phase-play shapes were smooth as they stretched the Pumas. The Bundee Aki and Tadhg Beirne tries were excellent, while a maul penalty try is always a happy moment for the forwards.
The slick skills from Luke Cowan-Dickie, Marcus Smith, Sione Tuipulotu, and Fin Smith before Aki finished powerfully shows what the Lions can do when their handling is accurate.
The power from Ben Earl and particularly Genge before Beirne's try was a reminder of the athleticism in this squad, their carries paving the way for scrum-half Tomos Williams to deftly pick out Beirne running a clever line to finish.
Most Lions players had good moments and made a couple of errors. Some of them know they now have ground to make up, and the players who watched from the stands last night must sense an opportunity to make a statement against the Western Force next Saturday in Perth.
Happily, the Lions didn't appear to pick up any big injuries last night and they will still set off for Australia this morning in optimistic form. The show is on the road and Farrell has laid down a marker for what he wants to see from these Lions.