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Historymaker Fin Smith was diligent and unstinting in trying to prime misfiring Lions against Argentina
Tom Elliot died four years before Fin Smith was born in 1998, Lion number 380 and Lion number 862, a Scotland prop and an England outhalf. At the Aviva Stadium on Friday the pair claimed a unique milestone as the first grandfather and grandson to represent the touring team.
Elliot did so in the 1955 tour to South Africa under the captaincy of Ireland's Robin Thompson, a squad that drew the series 2-2 with the Springboks, and included one of rugby's great outhalves, Cliff Morgan.
Smith used to run around in his grandfather's old
Lions
gear, dreaming big. On a sultry Dublin night it was realised, bridging a 70-year gap, a poignant moment for his family who attended the game, especially his mother, Judith, as Tom Elliot was her father.
The Lions' jersey is precious in rugby circles, the number 10 shirt represents the pantheon. Barry John in New Zealand (1971), Phil Bennett in South Africa (1974), and a little closer to home, Jack Kyle, Tony Ward, Ollie Campbell, Ronan O'Gara and Johnny Sexton have all donned that shirt in a Test series.
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Smith wore it lightly despite a troublesome opening to the game, targeted successfully in the air on a couple of occasions when defending on the wing, and also conceding a penalty that allowed the Pumas to record the first points of the game. A switch to fullback on Argentina ball negated that gambit.
Despite the misadventures, the 22-year-old demonstrated a capacity to shrug off the missteps, remaining composed in his distribution, while hustling superbly on a couple of occasions to shore up defensive lapses, none more laudable that the way he chopped down Joaquin Oviedo that stopped the Argentinian number eight from escaping into the Lions backfield.
Smith offered a ubiquitous presence in the opening 40-minutes, plenty to admire in his kicking, from tee and hand, even if it didn't always come off; a case in point his cross-kick for Jac Morgan brilliantly defended by Ignacio Mendy.
The outhalf's passing was crisp and accurate, at odds with his team-mates as the Lions had two early tries chalked off for knocks-on. It's difficult to put shape on sloppiness, the Lions' handling at times was unsympathetic and fraught, symptomatic of a scratch side lacking composure and, as a result, cohesion.
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Lions left to rue missed chances as Argentina win in Dublin
]
Smith's influence grew evermore positive, manifest in a basketball-style flick over the top over the top of the onrushing Mendy to get the ball to
Bundee Aki
for the Lions first try. It was no bagatelle to finish for the Irish centre, but without the sharpness of the two Smiths, Marcus and Fin, the chance would not have materialised.
Fin Smith is seen in action as the Lions take on Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty
The Lions outhalf is a doughty competitor and tough to boot, shrugging off a heavy blow to the face that earned his side a penalty, and then a rib-tickling clatter from Argentina wing Rodrigo Isgró as Fin Smith plucked a high ball from the sky.
His relationship with scrumhalf Alex Mitchell, superb in his time on the pitch, provided the Lions with good tempo, but more often than not a predilection for 30/70 offloads cost
Andy Farrell's
side several promising situations in attack.
Yet throughout the travails the outhalf was diligent and unstinting in trying to prime his misfiring team. Trailing 21-10 – Argentina deserved that lead based on their ability to convert on turnover ball – Fin Smith was at the heart of the Lions post interval revival that saw them surge into a 24-21 lead only to be stuck down again an injudicious decision and a turnover upon which the Pumas capitalised superbly.
The Lions couldn't get out of their own way when it came to the mistakes, increasingly ragged, weary and in truth desperate to a point where the outhalf was too often shorn of options in an attacking capacity and as a result resorted to kicking the ball long.
Bruised and afflicted by cramp as the game entered its death rattle, he tried to cajole and marshal his team as they looked to rescue a victory, but that was beyond him and the team. The result, 24-28, will hurt the team and outhalf, but 70-years on Fin Smith may take a little solace from following in the boot prints of his grandfather with the promise of better days ahead.
