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Lions vs Wallabies takes: Curry in red hot form, Suaalii suffocated
By Ben Smith at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
The Lions coasted to a 24-5 lead in Brisbane before closing out the first Test with an unconvincing second half against the Wallabies resistance.
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Perhaps the Wallabies can square the series with some personnel adjustments, the bench certainly helped lift them to win the second half 14-10.
Early mistakes by the Wallabies handed the Lions control of the Test, which they never relinquished. Here are quick takes from the first Lions Test.
Tom Curry best on ground
Tadhg Beirne was awarded man of the match but the Lions openside had a monster game in the first Test. His one-handed grab of a deliberate overthrow by the Wallabies early in the second half sparked a huge break and proved a pivotal moment. A phase later it was Curry feeding Sheehan in the corner as the Lions began piling on the points.
Perhaps he was lucky to be on the field for that moment after a deliberate dog shot on Tom Lynagh in the air to end the first half. But there was no denying his influence on the park. He put late pressure on Wallabies ball carriers frequently, and in the first half Curry scored one of his own from close range that gave the Lions a 15-5 lead.
Curry was a big difference, silencing the critics of his selection over Jac Morgan.
Suaalii suffocated
The Wallabies star man didn’t put a foot wrong, but the Australians failed to really allow their centre to get going. His carries were strong, but met with two-man tackles most of the time.
One of the worst moments came in the 22nd minute in need of some spark down 10-0, the Wallabies found some space on the left edge breaking out of their 22. Instead of feeding the million dollar man Joseph Suaalii, Len Ikitau fired a cutout pass to Harry Potter. Potter’s long kick went dead, resulting in a scrum back 65 metres upfield for the Lions.
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Not giving Suaalii the ball in that situation was a crime. The Wallabies needed something, and that was the moment to give Suaalii the stage. Space is rare and opportunities rarer, you sense that could have been a signature Suaalii moment.
That seemed to be the story for most of the night with Suaalii cleaning for Ikitau’s carries on first phase most the night. If the Wallabies are to level this series, they need to plan on their best weapon getting more ball on the outside break, not just tight support runs.
Wallabies controlled the scrums, Lions the lineouts
The old shoulders of Furlong and the Englishmen Genge failed to withstand the Wallabies at scrum time, with the Australians edging the Lions in this department. The Australians won a free kick and two penalties at the set piece to fuel themselves downfield.
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Unfortunately the Wallabies’ lineout wasn’t as efficient, with messy ball limiting the launch when it mattered. The game is skewed towards the lineout in the modern age and the Lions were simply better in this department.
Wallabies need a 10/10 from Fraser McReight
On his day the game’s premier openside, the Queenslander was rocks and diamonds for the Wallabies. He won some big turnovers, but then there were the execution errors that detracted from his performance. A poor pass on a launch detaching from the lineout, an obstruction penalty on a pick and go that blew a key attacking possession. Given that his opposite Curry had such a mark on this game, he would be dirty.
McReight is still a game changer who can turn the series and they will need the best of him in Melbourne to level the series.
British & Irish Butterfinger Brigade
The Lions were expected to be poor in the air, and they lived up to their reputation. The back three were spilling most high balls, with Freeman, Keenan and Lowe all guilty. The back three had the most turnovers lost for the Lions, Freeman with four the worst of the bunch, Keenan and Lowe credited with two each.
It was one of a few weaknesses that the Wallabies could target, and they profited with a try to Max Jorgensen after he stripped Irish fullback Keenan in a one-on-one contest.
Despite the troubles in the air, the Lions were still a far superior kicking side. They controlled the arm wrestle, with the Wallabies’ back three and halfback Jake Gordon ineffective off the boot too much.
Second half slump
From a Lions point of view, they will likely not be happy with a second half that ended with a 14-10 score to the Wallabies. After Sheehan’s try a minute into the second half they lost their standing in the game. They closed the game, which was never under threat, but it was not convincing and probably gives the Wallabies hope more than anything. At 24-5 a battering was on the table, but they didn’t take it.