Summary

  • British & Irish Lions beat Sigma Lions 56-14 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg

  • Wales' Josh Adams scores four tries and Gareth Davies one in second half

  • Scotland's Hamish Watson and Ali Price tries gave Lions 21-7 half-time lead

  • Wales' Louis Rees-Zammit scored debut Lions try in fourth minute

  • First game of tour to South Africa played without fans and at altitude

  1. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 14-42 British and Irish Lionspublished at 66 mins

    Gareth Davies (Con Farrell)

    Replacements unite!

    Elliot Daly - who has come on in the centre by the way - dodges round defenders and manages to get the offload away as he's being brought down.

    Gareth Davies is all over it and under the posts. Two more points for Owen Farrell - who presumably is playing fly-half now - too.

  2. Postpublished at 65 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    Van den Berg is still looking sprightly and takes a quick ball from the base of the ruck to jump through Lions defenders.

    The Sigma Lions knock the ball on, though, and the visitors will get another chance to attack.

  3. Postpublished at 64 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    Everyone relax, it's just a penalty.

  4. Postpublished at 64 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    Sam Simmonds' debut may be short-lived.

    The TMO is taking a look at a clean-out where he's picked up scrum-half Morne van den Berg and rolled him over onto his back.

  5. Replacementpublished at 64 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    Plenty of changes for the Lions for these last 20 minutes. Here's what's what:

    Sam Simmonds on for Taulupe Faletau in the back row.

    Mako Vunipola on for Wyn Jones and Zander Fagerson replaces Kyle Sinckler in the front row.

    Elliot Daly is on in place of fly-half Finn Russell and scrum-half Gareth Davies replaces Ali Price.

    Mako VunipolaImage source, Getty Images
  6. Postpublished at 62 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    More specifically, it was Maro Itoje who stole that line-out. Shame fans can't chant his name in the stands, but here's hoping you are in pubs across the nation.

    The British and Irish Lions are soon penalised and give the opposition a scrum.

  7. Postpublished at 60 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lions

    A few more tries would be lovely as we enter the final quarter. Sure Josh Adams wouldn't mind one more.

    The Sigma Lions poke a kick away after a scrum and Finn Russell goes for a kick back over the top but it's gone out on the full. Sometimes they go his way, sometimes not so much.

    The British and Irish Lions have nicked the line-out though. Here we go again...

  8. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 14-35 British and Irish Lionspublished at 54 mins

    Josh Adams (Con Farrell)

    Hat-trick coming up for Josh Adams?

    Finn Russell lives up to his 'maverick' name with a lovely cross-field chip to the Welsh wing, who has endless time to tap the ball down for a try.

    Owen Farrell nails another kick to extend his side's lead.

  9. Postpublished at 54 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    Quick offloads - including a lovely one out the back by Josh Adams - get the Lions to 5m out.

  10. Postpublished at 53 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    The Sigma Lions win the ball back and are testing their opponents' defence once more. If nothing else, this is an examination of the British and Irish Lions' fitness after arriving in South Africa less than a week ago.

    Warren Gatland's side win a penalty in front of the posts but decide to kick to the corner. This is a warm-up game after all, it's all about the tries surely.

  11. Postpublished at 51 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    Flanker Sbusiso Sangweni intercepts another long line-out throw and he's away, but Stuart Hogg was all over it.

    The Lions win a penalty, clear to touch and have a line-out on the halfway line. We're all back on track.

  12. Postpublished at 49 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    George is pacey for a hooker but not pacey enough. The ball doesn't jump up for him and he fumbles it backwards.

    The Lions can't do anything with it and suddenly their opponents are down the other end.

    Can't keep up with this, it's wild out there!

  13. Postpublished at 48 mins

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    Josh Adams is off down the left wing again! He chips forward... Jamie George is sprinting after it.

  14. Safety firstpublished at 18:10 British Summer Time 3 July 2021

    Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lions

    A reminder of the problems Covid is causing in South Africa came at half-time when a member of the ground staff, wearing full PPE, sanitised the posts and benches as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus.

    Half-timeImage source, Getty Images
    Half-time cleaningImage source, Getty Images
  15. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 14-28 British and Irish Lionspublished at 44 mins

    Rabz Maxwane (Con Hendrikse)

    It's all about the attack.

    Captain Francke Horn runs round the tackle from Finn Russell, who looks frustrated that he might have been obstructed.

    The referee is happy with it though and Horn offloads to wing Rabz Maxwane, who is well away.

    Jordan Hendrikse sorts the conversion. There are definitely some holes to be found in the British and Irish Lions' defence.

  16. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 7-28 British and Irish Lionspublished at 41 mins

    Josh Adams (Con Farrell)

    All we had to do was ask.

    That moves been run once or twice before I'd say. Hamish Watson finds Ali Price after the line-out.

    Josh Adams runs a pin-perfect line and he's through. Over under the posts.

    Two more points for Owen Farrell as well. Great start.

    Josh AdamsImage source, Getty Images
  17. Kick-offpublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 3 July 2021

    Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    We're off again. Finn Russell does the honours.

    More tries please.

  18. Postpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 3 July 2021

    HT: Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    Stuart Hogg is one of the players standing out in the stats so far.

    He's covered 62m in seven carries and beaten three defenders.

    Fellow Scot Hamish Watson is leading the table for tackles made, with 13.

    Putting good bids in for that Test side early on...

  19. Match statspublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 3 July 2021

    HT: Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    Sigma Lions - British and Irish Lions

    Possession 52-48

    Carries 52-48

    Metres carried 120-255

    Defenders beaten 4-16

  20. South Africa claim warm-up winpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 3 July 2021

    Sigma Lions v British and Irish Lions (17:00 BST)

    South Africa played their first match since becoming world champions in November 2019.

    They hosted Georgia in Pretoria and, understandably, looked a bit rusty to begin with.

    Georgia led 9-5 in the first half as the Springboks paid for ill discipline, but the world champions soon sparked into life.

    They scored six tries in the end for a 40-9 win. Debutant wing Aphelele Fassi will be one to watch come the Tests. The 23-year-old was scarily quick down the left touchline and scored with his first touch in a Springbok jersey.

    Who do you think is looking stronger right now? Thumbs up for the Lions.

    Aphelele Fassi scores a tryImage source, Getty Images