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

Live Reporting

Becky Grey

  1. HT: Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    Half-time provides a good opportunity to compare this opening Lions performance with what the Springboks have been up to.

    They were in action last night.

  2. Half-time

    HT: Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    That's your lot for the first half.

    Not flawless from the British and Irish Lions, but what can you expect from a tour opener?

    Lovely tries from Louis Rees-Zammit, Hamish Watson and Ali Price are a promising sign of what's to come.

    Stuart Hogg attempts to break throughGetty Images

  3. No try

    Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    The referee cancels the try and instead awards the Sigma Lions a penalty after Courtney Lawes' dangerous clearout.

  4. The TMO is looking at whether Courtney Lawes grabbed his opposite number's neck to clear him out of a ruck.

    From the video replay, it doesn't look good.

  5. Try review - Sigma Lions 7-26 British and Irish Lions

    Wyn Jones

    Wyn Jones is over!

    The prop athletically leaps over the ruck and bangs the ball down. Lovely.

    Wait a minute, the referee wants to take a second look to check it was all legal.

  6. Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    The Lions are off again.

    They go left to Hogg and he steps through a couple of tackles to put his side to within 2m.

  7. Replacement

    Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    Sigma Lions scrum-half Dillon Smit appears to have a split eyebrow. He leaves the field and is replaced by Morne van den Berg.

  8. Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    This game is very much alive and kicking now.

    The British and Irish Lions are attacking inside the opposition 22 now.

    Maro Itoje wriggles through defenders and find Jamie George, but the referee decides they have not had enough of an advantage after an earlier infringement and brings both teams back for a penalty.

  9. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 7-21 British and Irish Lions

    Vincent Tshituka (Con Hendrikse)

    It will!

    Owen Farrell is skinned on the left wing but won't give up and eventually manages to get Burger Odendaal to the ground.

    The Sigma Lions recycle quickly though and a long ball to Vincent Tshituka leaves the flanker with plenty of space to score.

    Jordan Hendrikse brings the hosts' score up to seven.

    Sigma Lions scoreGetty Images

  10. Sigma Lions 0-21 British and Irish Lions

    But wait, will it be one for the Sigma Lions?

  11. Sigma Lions 0-21 British and Irish Lions

    Hopefully that brings this game back to life.

    It had gone a bit stale since the early flurry of tries.

    Five minutes to half-time, space for one more score surely.

  12. try

    Try - Sigma Lions 0-21 British and Irish Lions

    Ali Price (Con Farrell)

    The long line-out throw comes good!

    Jamie George had tried a long throw once before and it came to nothing, but not this time.

    Owen Farrell takes the pass and offloads to Ali Price, who dashes left, switches direction and goes over under the post.

    Farrell makes it three kicks from three.

    Chris Harris congratulates Ali PriceGetty Images

  13. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    Stuart Hogg has dropped one! He makes up for it though by regathering the loose ball and sprinting into a wall of defenders.

    Another loose Lions pass gives their opponents possession back, but luckily they fumble the ball too.

    More scrum practice incoming...

  14. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    The British and Irish Lions catch and drive at the line-out but don't make much progress.

    The Springbok pack will put up a much better fight than that as well. One loose pass later and the Sigma Lions have another scrum.

  15. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    Captain Stuart Hogg decides he's just going to make something happen himself.

    He slices through defenders to get his side up towards the 22. The visitors win a penalty and Owen Farrell kicks to the corner.

  16. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    An attack builds until a forward pass to Louis Rees-Zammit brings it to an end.

    The Lions are getting very creative, but they're still working on the execution.

  17. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    The British and Irish Lions scored two tries in the first six minutes for a very promising start but it's all gone a bit quiet for the last 20.

    Sigma Lions scrum-half Dillon Smit kicks to touch just inside his own half. Hopefully the tourists can build something from here.

    Jamie George sends the line-out long to Chris Harris...

  18. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    Taulupe Faletau will not be brought down. He staggers his way to the halfway line, but the Sigma Lions quickly win a turnover on the floor and boot the ball downfield.

  19. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    Kyle Sinckler and Hamish Watson are, quite frankly, a terrifying defensive duo.

    They line up their man and practically pick him up to push him backwards.

    The British and Irish Lions' work is eventually rewarded as they win a penalty and captain Stuart Hogg gives his forwards the praise they deserve.

  20. Sigma Lions 0-14 British and Irish Lions

    Kyle Sinckler is in trouble for a dangerous tackle among all that desperate defending. He won't go to the sin-bin this time, but I think the referee will be handing out yellow cards before long.

    The Sigma Lions go again...