Unconvincing Lions labour to patchy victory over ACT Brumbies

The British and Irish Lions failed to deliver the statement performance expected from their Test team in waiting as they laboured to a patchy 36-24 victory over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.

The Lions slowly pulled clear with second-half tries from Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier, but the strongest line-up fielded by Andy Farrell so far on tour were unconvincing with the series opener against Australia just 10 days away.

It was a side that looked less than the sum of their parts, firing only sporadically but with the individual class to ensure an upset against opponents who were missing eight Wallabies was never on the cards.

Hooker Dan Sheehan, centre Garry Ringrose and flanker Ollie Chessum caught the eye on a cold night at GIO Stadium, but others in the starting XV face an anxious wait to see if they have played their way out of Test contention.

Adding to the Lions’ problems was Blair Kinghorn’s departure in the 25th minute with a knee injury, placing pressure on their options at full-back given Elliot Daly has returned home with a fractured forearm to leave Hugo Keenan as the only other recognised 15 in the squad.

The Brumbies are Australia’s strongest Super Rugby franchise and had history on their side after humbling Warren Gatland’s tourists in 2013.

Pre-match footage of their changing room showed a team determined to make their mark and they started like a freight train by winning a series of forward collisions that ended with Tuaina Taii-Tualima diving over.

The Lions had been outmuscled as part of a poor opening, but they settled with Finn Russell sending Chessum over and the Scotland fly-half was beginning to penetrate the home defence with the variety of his passing.

Kinghorn was replaced by Marcus Smith