Highlanders 23 - 22 British & Irish Lions: How the Lions rated

How the Lions rated out of ten in the second defeat of their tour.
British and Irish Lions' Elliot Daly is tackled by Otago Highlanders' James Lentjes (L) and captain Luke Whitelock (2nd R). Picture: MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty ImagesBritish and Irish Lions' Elliot Daly is tackled by Otago Highlanders' James Lentjes (L) and captain Luke Whitelock (2nd R). Picture: MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images
British and Irish Lions' Elliot Daly is tackled by Otago Highlanders' James Lentjes (L) and captain Luke Whitelock (2nd R). Picture: MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images
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Highlanders 23 - 22 British & Irish Lions: Seymour scores in defeat

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15 JARED PAYNE - 5

Tommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesTommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Tommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Improved throughout but still a messy showing.

14 JACK NOWELL - 5

Nowhere near busy enough to be troubling Test selection.

13 JONATHAN JOSEPH - 7

Tommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesTommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Tommy Seymour walks off after losing the match between the Highlanders and the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Finished his try in fine fashion but several defensive lapses too.

12 ROBBIE HENSHAW - 6

Still struggling to hit top form on this tour.

11 TOMMY SEYMOUR - 6

Good finish for the try but that was undone by three cheap errors elsewhere.

10 DAN BIGGAR - 6

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Ran the attack well enough but still trails Farrell and Sexton for the fly-half role.

9 RHYS WEBB - 5

Always drives the pace but his kicking from hand was poor.

1 JOE MARLER - 6

Solid shift from England’s gritty front-rower.

2 RORY BEST - 6

Another grafter’s performance from Best, better from the Ireland skipper but Jamie George still the top hooker on tour.

3 KYLE SINCKLER - 6

Fast and furious in hitting the line and carried very well, but still work to do at the scrum. 6

4 COURTNEY LAWES - 6

Night cut short by a nasty-looking head injury.

5 IAIN HENDERSON - 6

Carried well early on but faded as the night went on.

6 JAMES HASKELL - 5

Unable to inspire the Lions on his return to former club the Highlanders. 5

7 SAM WARBURTON (captain) - 6

Still needs more time on the pitch to be a genuine contender to start the first Test.

8 CJ STANDER - 6

Always bullish but a few more errors here than usual.

REPLACEMENTS:

16 KEN OWENS (for Best, blood 24-28; for Best, 48) - 5

Bested at the scrum for the key penalty.

17 JACK MCGRATH (for Marler, 48) - 5

Unable to hold off the Highlanders for the match-losing penalty.

18 DAN COLE (for Sinckler, 48) - 4

Singled out by the referee for scrummaging issues, a bad sign whether he is at fault or not.

19 ALUN WYN JONES (for Lawes, 25) - 6

Put himself about again, but still needs to ratchet up the leadership.

20 JUSTIN TIPURIC (for Warburton, 67) - 5

Scrapped for everything, but to little effect.

21 GREIG LAIDLAW (for Webb, 47) - 5

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Struggling behind Conor Murray and Webb at nine on this tour.

22 OWEN FARRELL (for Biggar, 67) - 5

Unusual for Farrell to miss a straightforward shot at goal, but looked sharp with ball in hand again.

23 ELLIOT DALY (for Payne, 62) - 5

Put himself about but decision to shoot for goal from long range was misguided.