Lions tour Aussie takes: Gamble top tier No.7, Fin Smith rattled

The British and Irish Lions have notched their third win on the trot, making every post a winner during their tour to Australia, but you’d have thought they lost if you had only heard their post-match interviews. 

The Waratahs showed once again they are a different beast at home at Allianz Stadium, proving their home form during the season was no mere fluke or that they should be taken lightly heading into 2026. 

The full-time whistle blew with the scores just 11 points apart, 21-10 to the Lions, the lowest points scored by the visitors by 31 points, having scored 52 and 54 points against the Queensland Reds and Western Force, respectively. 

Rassie Erasmus explains his thought process going into Italy 2

Rassie Erasmus explains his thought process going into Italy 2

The Waratahs had the fewest internationals of any Super Rugby side to date, but they turned up with, as the people’s man of the match, Charlie Gamble put it, ‘Test-match intensity’. 

The Tahs have one of the hardest task masters in coach Dan McKellar, and the fire he brings to the changing sheds lit a scorching fire under this New South Wales side, with their defence being a key component to disrupting the Lions’ flow. 

Make no mistake, the Lions were sloppy with some poor ball handling, but it is far from alarm bells for a side which is playing a very hectic schedule. 

Charlie Gamble was a sure bet at no.7 

Gamble is the first top-tier openside flanker the Lions have faced on their tour, and it showed.  

He caused all sorts of headaches in and around the ruck for them, ending the game with four turnovers secured, slowing a lot of ball down, being the fourth busiest carrier for the Tahs (6), and making 12 tackles, missing none. 

There was a clear distinction between the Waratahs and Lions players’ understanding of the ref’s interpretation around the breakdown, something which has plagued the Lions on their tour. 

Player Turnovers Won

1

Charlie Gamble

4

2

Joey Walton

1

3

Darby Lancaster

1

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt would’ve liked what he saw, and he could do a lot worse than invite Gamble into the Wallabies camp post the Lions’ tour should injury strike his flanking stocks. 

For Lions coach Andy Farrell has selected an on-ball dominant backrow stock, and unless they can figure the referees out, it could destabilise a key part of their strategy heading into the Tests. 

The Lions players who took a step forward 

Props Pierre Schoeman, Ellis Genge, and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie all made a good account of themselves after being dominant in their respective scrummaging efforts. 

Schoeman and Genge both went toe-to-toe with Taniela ‘Tongan Thor’ Tupou and came out on top, while Cowan-Dickie showed his typical physical and abrasive ball running. 

It was the first time this tour that the Lions scrum felt dominant across the 80 minutes, and that would’ve given coach Farrell as well as the players some confidence heading into the game against the Brumbies on Wednesday, July 9. 

The Scottish centre combination of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones worked a treat, as Tuipulotu put his countryman in for a classic flat-at-the-line pass in the first half. 

Elsewhere, halfback Alex Mitchell sewed up the bench spot for halfbacks heading into the Test matches with a strong performance, showing off his darting game as well. 

Scottish second rower Scott Cummings had a redemption game after a slow start to the tour, while Ben Earl was busy and impactful with his carries. 

The Lions players who took a step backwards 

It was a night to forget for some of the Lions players, and with only three games to go until the first Test, some players will be hoping coach Farrell does indeed forget the game at Allianz. 

Young fly-half Fin Smith lacked decisive decision-making skills on a few occasions, and it cost the Lions. 

While it wasn’t a terrible performance, the Lions needed their playmaker to take that game by the scruff of the neck as things started to get unstuck. 

Smith wasn’t helped by his Irish no.15 Hugo Keenan having a middling performance by his own incredibly high standards, shelling balls and failing to penetrate the line as he tried to get involved. 

He also missed a basic yet crucial tackle on 1-cap Wallaby Darby Lancaster, which let him in for his try. 

Likewise, recently integrated Scottish utility back Blair Kinghorn had a less than impressive start to his Lions campaign, conceding six turnovers and failing to add a spark on the wing outside a centre pairing of his countrymen. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise of them all was the poor performance of matchday captain and Irish veteran Tadhg Beirne. 

He was regularly dominated in contact on either side of the ball and failed to have any impact on the breakdown. 

It makes for an interesting watch as coach Farrell must now consider what to do with his Irish stalwart, who is failing to perform while others are firing. 

The Waratahs had the good, the bad and the ugly 

The good was Charlie Gamble, but young lock Miles Amatosero showed why he has been dubbed ‘mini-Skelton’. He was in a mood to dish out hurt, and that he did with all his 203cm and 125kgs. 

In attack there wasn’t much to write about, but in defence, he was a monster, regularly whacking Lions players back behind the gainline, causing havoc at the ruck and dismantling the Lions’ maul. 

Both his height and power over the shorter Lions’ locks were evident, and that will give Schmidt an insight into how his locking stocks will fare. 

Flyhalves Jack Bowen and Tane Edmed both couldn’t get their strategic kicking games going, nor direct the play accurately. 

This inability to find space in the backfield and relieve pressure is a red thread throughout this entire series, with every Aussie side so far struggling to win the territory battle when the boot goes to the ball. 

Poor exit options, or lack thereof at times, saw the Waratahs concede penalties as they ran too many phases in their own half before exiting. 

The ugly came at scrum time. Although Tom Lambert was one of the Tahs’ busiest players around the park, he, along with Ethan Dobbins and Wallaby Tupou, were folded at scrum-time. 

Likewise, the reserve forwards of Daniel Botha, Mahe Vailanu and youngster Jack Barrett were put to the sword by Genge, Tadhg Furlong, and hooker Dan Sheehan. 

This being said, it’s not a slight on Barrett and Botha, the pair are inexperienced and not ready for this sort of match-up, but what a privilege and honour for them to have faced the Lions. 

Lambert would’ve been disappointed with his efforts, and Tupou would’ve been frustrated not to have won at least one penalty from popping Schoeman and Cowan-Dickie in a couple of scrums. 

His Achilles heel has always been angling in, and referee James Doleman was having none of it on Saturday night. 

Schmidt and his scrum Guru, Mike Cron, will have watched on and seen promise in his strength and his work rate around the park, and feel that if they correct his shape, he will have the power to really impose himself in a Wallabies scrum against the Lions. 

A worthy farewell to a Waratahs stalwart 

Hugh Sinclair, the Waratahs’ no.8, has been an integral part of the Waratahs for many years, a workhorse who never slows down or lets standards slip, played his last game of professional rugby in front of his beloved home ground. 

The North Sydney Rugby Club product toiled hard all evening, setting the standards around the rush defence, which disrupted the Lions’ momentum and led his side into the teeth of the Lions in attack. 

He has so often played second row when there have been no others, and he went out playing in his preferred backrow, but you’ll never hear him complain about where he’s played, that’s just one of the amazing qualities Sinclair has, which has kept him in such high esteem from several coaches. 

Although it’s a shame for New South Wales to say goodbye to such a big part of the heart of the Waratahs, he has left many supporters with a feeling that what is to come will be better than when he joined the club, a true captain’s knock and a gentleman right the way throughout.