Lions score five tries in Test warm-up

The British and Irish Lions warmed up for the second Test against the Wallabies with a 35-0 win over the Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Park on Tuesday night.

It may not have been their most clear-cut victory of the tour thus far, but it was enough to get past the Super Rugby strugglers that took the field without their national stars.

There was no Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Nick Phipps or Scott Higginbotham in the Rebels’ line-up and the Lions were made to work hard for their seventh victory of the tour ahead of Saturday’s second Test at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

The Lions led 14-0 at half-time courtesy of tries to Conor Murray and Sean Maitland and only really put the dogged Rebels away early in the second half when Sean O’Brien crossed over from close range.

There was no lack of effort from the Rebels throughout the 80 minutes, but they were unable to put any points on the board and a penalty try and a Ben Youngs five-pointer completed the scoring for the visitors.

In front of a sold-out crowd of 28,658 it was the hosts that settled first, with former Wallaby Luke Burgess looking dangerous for the Rebels in his starting debut and the visitors struggling badly with their line-out.

Their scrum was more successful though, with the powerful Lions forwards pushing the Rebels back at every opportunity and playing their part in the opening try of the night.

A five-metre scrum almost pushed over, but Murray picked up the loose ball and crossed over to give the Lions the ascendancy and Owen Farrell’s pin-point conversion made it 7-0 to the tourists.

Jason Woodward missed the chance to put some points on the board for the Rebels when his penalty attempt floated wide and the Lions made him pay by getting their second of the night on the ensuing play.

Manu Tuilagi and Maitland combined well in the backline to advance the ball over 70 metres and the Scottish winger was on hand to score out wide on the next phase.

Farrell made it 14-0 with yet another lovely strike, before Ged Robinson and Hugh Pyle gave the Rebels hope with a pair of driving runs that eventually amounted to nothing.

Still, there was just two converted tries in it at the break and the Rebels would have thought they were still in the contest.

But any thoughts of an upset victory were quickly evaporated when O’Brien crossed over in the 50th minute to give the Lions their third try of the match.

The five-pointer would have pleased Lions coach Warren Gatland, with O’Brien scoring directly following a line-out with a training ground manoeuvre that looked simpler than it actually was.

While the Rebels were trying hard, the gulf in class was evident and in the 63rd minute the Lions were awarded a penalty try when Jordy Reid took out the ball carrier just metres from the line when they were almost certain to score.

Stuart Hogg, on for the impressive Farrell, converted to make it 28-0 and the Lions were not done with there.

Youngs threw a simple dummy and ran 25 metres to touch down for the fifth try of the evening as the Lions headed into the second Test full of confidence after another impressive victory.

Melbourne Rebels: 0

British Irish Lions: 35
Tries: Murray, Maitland, O’Brien, Penalty try, Youngs
Conversions: Farrell 3, Hogg, Youngs

Crowd: 28,658

Article source: http://www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk/Sport/Northampton-Saints-RUFC/Rugby-Union-Northampton-Saints-pair-help-England-to-glory-20130624095810.htm

Lions score five tries in Test warm-up