‘For a lot of this game it did not feel like a Lions Test match’published at 13:42 British Summer Time
FT: Australia 19-27 Lions
Chris Jones
BBC rugby union correspondent at Suncorp Stadium
It was a flat atmosphere, a subdued Suncorp and for a lot of this game it did not feel like a Lions test match, sadly. Lions games are normally on a knife edge, the Wallabies were undercooked but it was only in the second half that Australia looked near a top side because for large periods it was a complete and utter mismatch.
The noises out of Australian rugby were not super confident, but their replacements made a big impact, they scored the last try, they have some big names to come back but you felt when the Lions got the ball they could have scored but for their profligacy.
It is surreal for the Lions to win a Test match away from home and for there not to be absolute jubilation and bedlam. This Lions team will feel they have more gears to go through, and it could have been a lot worse but there was plenty of brilliant stuff from the Lions.
In the first half, Genge, Curry, Sheehan, and Russell was absolutely sublime, but that drop off in intensity might be because they were 24-5 up and knew they could get the job done in second or third gear.
Let’s hope it explodes next weekend, that they Aussies are way better, the Lions will feel they can be a lot better in Melbourne.