Lions player ratings as Owen Farrell shines v First Nations and Pasifika XV

Irish Daily Mirror

22-07-2025

The British and Irish Lions have maintained their unbeaten streak on their Australian tour, securing a 24-19 victory over the First Nations and Pasifika XV.
Jamie Osborne's pair of tries, along with one each from Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, and four points from Fin Smith's boot, ensured the Lions' triumph. Triston Reilly, Seru Uru and Rob Leota scored for the FNP XV, with Wallabies legend Kurtley Beale contributing four points.
Despite some players underperforming, a few may have increased the pressure on Andy Farrell ahead of this weekend's second Test against Australia, Wales Online.
Here are the player ratings:.
15. Blair Kinghorn 6
The Scottish full-back shone in attack, making a couple of line breaks early in the first half, and his superb long pass set up Jamie Osborne's try just after the break.
Kinghorn also managed to catch a few high balls under pressure but made some regrettable errors, including two intercepted passes. Subscribe to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for exclusive news stories and insights from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
He'll be disappointed that his careless pass was intercepted by Triston Reilly, resulting in a try for the Lions, squandering what could have been a golden opportunity.
14. Darcy Graham 6
The Scottish winger was forced off the field with a lower limb injury after just 16 minutes, but he made a positive impression during his brief time on the pitch.
Graham posed a threat with the ball, managing to get past the FNP XV on several occasions and scoring a try.
13. Jamie Osborne 8
The 23-year-old put in an outstanding performance after being a late addition to the tour party. Osborne will be pleased with his two tries and was consistently a threat with the ball, while also successfully catching a couple of high balls under intense pressure. Jamie Osborne scores a try during against First Nations & Pasifika (Image:)
12. Owen Farrell (star man) 8
The Lions captain delivered a confident performance, his handling and distribution skills frequently outmanoeuvring the FNP XV. It was Farrell's chip over the defence that led to Jamie Osborne's first try, and he also assisted van der Merwe in scoring at the corner.
His excellent all-round performance could potentially earn him a spot on the bench for the second Test.
11. Duhan van der Merwe 6
The Scottish winger is always a threat with the ball but was well-contained by the FNP XV defence. Van der Merwe scored the Lions' fourth try but struggled a few times in the air.
It remains uncertain whether he has done enough to be considered for the Test matches.
10. Fin Smith 7
Smith performed well with the ball, his distribution skills creating opportunities for others, including a superb pass that led to Graham's try. His subtle offload at the point of contact also contributed to van der Merwe's try, and he made an impressive 15 tackles, the joint highest from a Lion.
However, he missed a few conversions, which kept the FNP XV in the game, and there were a few errors.
9. Ben White 7
The Scottish scrum-half has been outstanding on tour, delivering another first-rate performance.
White's box kicking was superb, as were his exits, providing relief from pressure multiple times.
A remarkable 50/22 kick set the Lions up for their third try.
8. Henry Pollock 6
He found it challenging against a formidable FNP XV pack but managed to ruffle their feathers several times.
Pollock put in a lot of effort but occasionally struggled to assert himself physically.
However, the 20-year-old secured a vital turnover in the game's final moments, helping to clinch the victory.
7. Josh van der Flier 7
The 32-year-old made a significant contribution in defence with 15 tackles and was highly effective in the contact area.
Van der Flier did a lot of unnoticed work and partnered well with Jac Morgan. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free.
His passing, mauling and carrying skills are top-notch, but his presence on the field for the full 80 minutes doesn't bode well for his chances of playing in the second Test.
6. Jac Morgan 7
Morgan delivered another industrious performance, making eight tackles and seven carries during his 51 minutes on the pitch. His early withdrawal might hint at Farrell's plans for the weekend.
The Welshman also earned two penalties thanks to his jackling at the breakdown.
Morgan delivered a quietly effective performance, but it's still uncertain if he has done enough to secure a spot in the 23 for this Saturday's second Test.
5. Scott Cummings 7
Cummings put in a lot of work and was spot on when dealing with kick-off receipts. The towering Scottish lock excelled at charging down and his counter rucking caused issues for the FNP XV throughout the match.
He also managed the lineout well and with Joe McCarthy battling injury, he is a strong contender for a bench spot this Saturday.
4. James Ryan 4
The tour has been disappointing for the Irish lock who struggled to make an impact in Melbourne. Ryan only made two tackles and three carries, and also received a yellow card in the first half.
His chances of making the Test squad are slim.
3. Finlay Bealham 6
Bealham was solid in the scrum, providing a platform for the Lions to build from. However, the Connacht tighthead didn't make much of an impact elsewhere, with the PNF XV pack proving more destructive in their carrying game.
He hasn't challenged the Test team.
2. Jamie George 7
The England hooker put in a strong performance. The lineout ran smoothly under George's guidance, and he made 12 tackles and five carries.
George may have done enough to edge out Ronan Kelleher for a place on the bench this weekend.
1. Pierre Schoeman 6
He was generally solid in the scrum, although he was pushed back significantly once by Wallabies tighthead Taniela Tupou. However, he performed well around the field with nine carries and eight tackles.
Replacements.
16. Ewan Ashman 5
He didn't have much time to make an impact but didn't do anything wrong.
17. Rory Sutherland 5
He didn't have much time to make a significant contribution but managed to secure the scrum.
18. Tom Clarkson 6
The Irish player performed well in the scrum and made an impression with a few powerful carries.
19. Gregor Brown 5
He put in a lot of effort but didn't make a huge impact.
20. Ben Earl 6
The Saracens back-rower made a couple of dynamic carries and brought some energy to the game.
21. Alex Mitchell N/A.
He didn't come off the bench.
22. Marcus Smith 5
He had a few nice touches.
23. Garry Ringrose 6
He tackled well and carried hard, but a knock-on cost the Lions a try.