1888 Cup: Five talking points

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21-06-2025

Dublin , Ireland - 20 June 2025; British & Irish Lions forwards, from left to right, Henry Pollock, Ben Earl, Maro Itoje, Tadhg Beirne, Tadhg Furlong and Rónan Kelleher during the Lions 1888 Cup match between the British & Irish Lions and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
By Charlie Bennett at the Aviva Stadium
After years of build-up and anticipation, the opening act of a summer to remember certainly lived up to the hype.
Argentina took home The 1888 Cup with a 28-24 win against The British & Irish Lions in a match that ebbed and flowed and kept a sold-out Aviva Stadium on the edge of their seats.
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Andy Farrell was perhaps the one man in Dublin who was left dissatisfied and warned afterwards that he will not sugarcoat the performance of his players.
READ MORE: Room to grow for Class of 2025
There may be plenty of room for improvement but there are plenty of positives for the Lions to take too, as they head for the plane and a flight to Perth.
FRONT-ROW DOMINANCE
The nuts and bolts of any successful side, the scrum is a key area for the Lions to get right this summer and they made an imposing start.
Props Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham were excellent at the Aviva, winning three scrum penalties as they made early claims for a Test place.
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Genge, renowned for being so dangerous in the loose, also went on a 40-metre rampage in the second half, knocking Argentina defenders flying as he burst upfield in a break that led to Tadhg Beirne's try.
With renowned scrummagers Andrew Porter and Will Stuart still to come into contention after they finished their domestic seasons slightly later, it bodes very well for the Tour Down Under.
'The scrum was aggressive,' Farrell said. 'The lads who started were especially, Argentina were under the pump a few times, so yes I am very pleased with that.'
STAR PERFORMERS
Alongside Genge and Bealham, there were a few other notable performances. Bundee Aki's name was met with arguably the biggest roar from the Irish contingent, and he delivered an excellent all-around display.
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READ MORE: The Making of Bundee Aki
A tough metre-maker, he mixed his highly-regarded combative running – the highlight being an excellent finish for the Lions' first try – with some cute passes along the line, though he and midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu were not always on the same page.
Tommy Freeman, who could well come into the equation at outside centre, was typically busy and drifted across the field from the right wing to get involved, while full-back Marcus Smith showed signs that he and fly-half Fin Smith could gel together nicely as a one-two attacking pivot.
LINEOUT TWEAKING
While one set-piece thrived, another struggled. A lineout is perhaps the toughest thing to master in a short space of time and there is no cause for alarm, despite the Lions' early struggles.
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They lost four lineouts in total, as hookers Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ronan Kelleher both missed their marks at times, while Maro Itoje later described their issues as a 'communication breakdown.'
With second-row jumpers James Ryan, Ollie Chessum and Joe McCarthy yet to be thrown into the mix, and back-row option Jack Conan also chomping at the bit, there are plenty of ingredients still to be added.
AWESOME ARGENTINA
Both Andy Farrell and Maro Itoje were quick to congratulate Argentina for their performance, and there is no denying they were excellent – despite missing four or five key players.
Their three tries brought thousands to their feet, not least the decisive third try when Santiago Cordero sprinted down the left wing to beat Marcus Smith to a Matias Moroni kick-through and dot down.
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Fly-half Tomas Albornoz was excellent all day and scored a breakaway try of his own on the stroke of half-time to add to three penalties and two conversions.
Clinical all afternoon, they relished the opportunity for another crack at the Lions – 20 years on from the famous draw in Cardiff – and played with an intensity that has been their hallmark.
'This was a great day for Argentina rugby,' said talismanic captain Julian Montoya. 'It's one nobody will forget.'
THE SEA OF RED
The Aviva Stadium is normally the home of the Men in Green but there was barely an Ireland jersey in the house on Friday.
Lions red dominated the stadium – and indeed the city – as the famous Sea of Red took over Dublin. Fans came from all corners of the British Isles, some in retro jerseys, others in the 2025 shirt, but all united in their camaraderie and support.
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Many thousands are heading to Australia and, while the rugby will be unpredictable, one thing is guaranteed – the Sea of Red will be something special.
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