Former Wales and British and Irish Lions winger Dafydd James gives Sport360° his first Test verdict as Warren Gatland’s men come away from Brisbane with the victory thanks to that missed kick from Kurtley Beale…
Winning the first Test against Australia was a massive step for the British and Irish Lions but they have plenty to think about over the next five days.
First and foremost they have to ensure there are no injuries. Tuesday’s match should be a good game but I don’t think many of the guys who play against the Rebels will feature from the start at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
That will be a little disheartening for some of the guys but in order to ensure they do not lose another game they need to keep their heads up and stick to the task at hand.
Last Saturday, the Lions became a little too predictable and the way they were attacking was easily snuffed out by the Aussies who were a little bit more creative.
The Wallabies had a sharpness about them – the way they presented the ball was a lot quicker and they looked a lot more dynamic in the ruck area.
Whether that was due to fatigue or a lack of technique on the tourists’ part only time will tell but it will be interesting to see how Warren Gatland’s side recover following a very fast and physical encounter.
The Lions had been lulled into a false sense of security by their warm-up wins. Some of the teams they played were pretty poor and the Aussies proved they aren’t invincible.
The tourists can still win the series but I don’t think it will be as easy as they thought. They did not deserve to win the game on Saturday but came away with the victory and that will make it a little bit more interesting next week.
The Lions will have to play a bit smarter in Melbourne but as a spectacle the game in Brisbane was great, there were some big hits but it was played fairly.
I cannot really comment on the incident involving James Horwill and Alun Wyn Jones because I have not watched it closely again but what I can say is the Wallabies captain is not a dirty player.
Twelve years ago we were in a similar position having won the first Test in Brisbane. The media frenzy and support we had was incredible and it looks as though that is very much the same this time around.
For the players, it’s a matter of keeping cool and keeping your sharpness and I think Gatland is going to have to take his foot off the peddle in terms of intensity over the next week because you don’t want to get any more bumps and expend needless energy.
The guys will be confident and they will be looking to come away with the win next weekend that sews up the series. They are going to have to be in top condition because they will face an onslaught from the Aussies there is no doubt about that.
The Wallabies are not going to want to lose the series and it all hinges on Saturday’s game. The Lions have won the first Test and have set their stall out but now they will want the guys to perform, starting tomorrow.
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