Error-strewn Lions stutter in Sydney but Scots rise above mediocrity

This was not a vintage British and Irish Lions performance by any stretch as they overcame New South Wales Waratahs 21-10 in Sydney, but it was an important outing for a number of Scots in the squad.

Centre Huw Jones, paired alongside his Scotland teammate Sione Tuipulotu, scored two good tries, while Blair Kinghorn started his first match in a Lions shirt on the wing. Prop Pierre Schoeman got another 50 minutes in the tank, while scrum-half Ben White made his debut with ten minutes remaining.

There were bonus Scottish appearances in the shape of Scott Cummings and Duhan van der Merwe, who benefitted from back-rower Henry Pollock being withdrawn less than an hour before kick-off due to a calf issue. Cummings moved up from the bench and was one of the more impressive performers at lock, while winger Van der Merwe played half-an-hour after being brought into the matchday squad.

Huw Jones breaks free after good work from fellow Scot Sione Tuipulotu to score Lions' opening try. | Getty Images

This was a chance for the Scottish contingent to put their hand up for selection when the Tests begin against Australia on July 19. Two further warm-up matches remain, against Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday and then an invitational XV next weekend.

As a collective, this Lions team failed to hit the standards expected of them at the Sydney Football Stadium. Head coach Andy Farrell and captain Tadhg Beirne admitted as much afterwards. They were error-strewn on a damp night and lacked physical dominance. The Waratahs were in the match for the majority of it. The only tangible positive, according to Farrell, was keeping the unbeaten run going down under.

This was an opportunity for Scotland’s decorated centre pairing of Tuipulotu and Jones to stake their claim for the Wallabies in two weeks' time. They were decent in the first half, with Tuipulotu setting up Jones with a neat pass to land the Lions’ opening try of the night. Jones scored again in the opening 40 minutes, a cute feint allowing him to slip over the line, but the tourists never really kicked on from that moment. Nevertheless, the Scottish duo could be more satisfied with their work than others.

Cummings plays well

Cummings ran his Glasgow Warriors teammates close for the Scot that shone the most, putting in a ton of work at the breakdown and in defence. He did his cause no harm with his no-frills yet diligent display.

On the pitch for the full 80 minutes, Kinghorn had a quiet night on the wing, starved of any meaningful service, while Schoeman showed up fine as his fellow forwards were given a bit of battle by their Waratahs counterparts. White will be delighted to land his first appearance but it is hard to see him jumping ahead of Jamison Gibson-Park and Alex Mitchell at No 9, while Van der Merwe still has work to do.

An interested spectator was Owen Farrell, who watched from the stands as the Lions laboured against a side that finished eighth in the Super Rugby table and had lost five of their last six matches. He may be involved next Wednesday after arriving earlier in the week to replace Elliott Daly. The former England captain smiled as he was booed and cheered when shown on the big screen, with team-mate Will Stuart comically joining the jeering coming from home fans.

Scott Cummings and Pierre Schoeman also played for Lions. | Getty Images

The Waratahs fought their hearts out even though they were missing several key players such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Angus Bell to Australia duty against Fiji on Sunday.

Taniela Tupou, dubbed the ‘Tongan Thor’, had at least been released back to the franchise in the hope he would find some form ahead of the Tests but instead he struggled as the Lions mined three scrum penalties in the opening quarter.

The tourists were dominating the set-piece, but it was the understanding of centres Tuipulotu and Jones that led to an opening try that was forged in Scotland. Jones crossed after being sent through a gap with a short pass from his Scotland centre colleague and then powered over for a second having also made the initial carry that drove the hosts backwards.

Blair Kinghorn made his first Lions appearance. | Getty Images

Waratahs openside Charlie Gamble had seen a try chalked off for offside at the line-out but his team eventually succeeded in the 35th minute when Darby Lancaster capitalised on hesitant defending on the Lions’ right wing.

Hugo Keenan was enduring a nightmare debut after making error after error but he was far from alone as the familiar theme of dropped passes and poor handling continued to haunt Farrell’s men.

They led just 14-5 at the interval and when Ethan Dobbin finished a maul try one minute into the second half they suddenly found themselves in a tight spot, playing poorly against a side that was scrapping for everything.

Mitchell settled the nerves when he took advantage of an overlap to dummy his way over and the Lions were unable to break through again in a desperately scrappy final quarter.