British & Irish Lions

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British and Irish Lions captain Tadhg Beirne said the side were again limited by "too many errors and turnovers" in their stuttering 21-10 win over the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney.

The tourists claimed their third-successive win on Australian soil but, two weeks out from the first Test against the Wallabies, the performance contained a host of errors in promising attacking positions.

"It was quite frustrating out there that we couldn't get a hold of things in the game the way we would have liked to," said Beirne, who led the side in the absence of tour skipper Maro Itoje.

"I'd a few dropped balls myself and individual errors cost us a bit of continuity in terms of our attack.

"That's something we're definitely going to have to look at and figure out how to improve so it doesn't happen again."

Beirne noted that Andy Farrell's side "kept at it" and, with a more clinical streak, could have racked up the type of 50-point tally they had against the Reds and Western Force.

While those victories also contained similar passages lacking in rhythm, Beirne thought their latest win displayed the strides being made elsewhere.

"We've had a lot of improvements," added the 33-year-old Munster forward.

"Our scrum improved a lot, our line-out was really good. We'll take some really good positives as well."

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Scrum-half Alex Mitchell says building combinations "takes time" on British and Irish Lions tours and believes he is starting to find his feet with the players around him.

England's Mitchell scored a well-taken try and was a standout performer in the Lions' 21-10 win over New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday in Sydney.

With Tomos Williams' tour ending through injury, Mitchell is now in a strong position to likely back up Jamison Gibson-Park in the first Test against Australia on the 19 July in Brisbane.

"Different people see the game differently," Mitchell, who is known for his running game, told BBC Sport.

"It has been a fantastic couple of weeks now we're really starting to gel.

"There is times you need to stick with the shape and go through moves, but they [the coaching staff] give me a full licence to bring my running game alive.

"I thought times today the lads were fantastic at getting off me.

"It takes time with these combinations. The players we have got on the tour are going to be exciting."

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New South Wales Waratahs skipper Hugh Sinclair says the British and Irish Lions are just "15 blokes on a field" and are "beatable" after his side were defeated 21-10 in Sydney.

Sinclair's side avoided a heavy defeat which was predicted after Australian sides Western Force and Queensland Reds both shipped over 50 points against the Lions.

Despite not having all of their Wallabies, NSW Waratahs caused Andy Farrell's side numerous problems.

"Super proud, the Aussie media had a crack at us thinking we're going to get beat by 90, or 50, or 60, and we showed them," said Sinclair, who was playing his last game of professional rugby.

"Obviously the game was scrappy. The Lions would be disappointed by that, but we showed they're beatable.

"They're 15 blokes on a field, put some pressure on and things can happen."

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In what was a stop-start game for both sides, the British and Irish Lions' 14 handling errors prevented them making the most of the possession they enjoyed.

They also hit double figures with penalties conceded.

FT: NSW Waratahs 10-21 British and Irish Lions

Tries: 2-3

Metres made: 213-505

Possession: 39%-61%

Territory: 25%-75%

Clean breaks: 4-10

Defenders beaten: 13-36

Turnovers conceded: 4-10

Tackles made/attempted: 121/88 - 157-101

Penalties conceded: 11-13

Getty Images and PA Media present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions' 21-10 victory over NSW Waratahs at Allianz Stadium, Sydney.

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Former Australia lock Justin Harrison says Owen Farrell's experience of being in winning environments will be "gold dust" to the British and Irish Lions.

The 33-year-old earned a call-up to his fourth Lions tour on Thursday after Elliot Daly's tour ended through injury.

The former England captain, who is short of match minutes after struggling with injuries last season, was part of the victorious 2013 Lions tour to Australia.

"When you introduce someone like Owen Farrell, you don't need to wait to see what he does on the training field, he's already arrived in this squad before he's got here," Harrison told BBC Sport.

"Yes he may have sent a ripple of energy and shock and surprise but he'll also bring a calmness and reassurance that the right person has come in.

"Owen Farrell has shared experiences with some of the senior members of this group in winning Lions environments and winning national campaigns. That's gold dust."

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Australia wing Marika Koroibete, who was last capped in 2024 and has played 59 times for the Wallabies, and New Zealand back row Hoskins Sotutu have been added to the combined Australia and New Zealand squad to face the Lions.

Koroibete, 32, started all Australia's games at the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and has been playing his rugby in Japan for Wild Knights.

Sotutu has been linked with an England call-up. The 26-year-old won the last of his All Black caps in November 2022 and is seemingly out of favour with coach Scott Robertson despite being named as Super Rugby's most valuable player in 2024.

He qualifies for England though his mother and Fiji through his father and could switch allegiance to either after completing a three-year period out of the Test game later this year. He has admitted that his agent has explored the possibility of moving to England and into contention for Steve Borthwick's side.

Bordeaux-Begles number eight Pete Samu will also be part of the invitational side's back row.

Samu, a possible addition to the Test team against the Lions, was a standout performer in the Investec Champions Cup final win over Northampton Saints in May.

The 33-year-old's switch from the Brumbies to France paused his international career, but his move to NSW Waratahs has now made him eligible to add to his 33 caps.

Hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who has been capped 16 times by the Wallabies, will also join the combined Australia and New Zealand squad.

This news comes after New Zealand centre Ngani Laumape was confirmed on Tuesday for the game.

The fixture will be staged at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, 12 July.

Current Wallabies Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway have been included in the NSW Waratahs starting team to face the Lions on Saturday.

Tom English
BBC Sport in Australia

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If there was a competition for the most quotable Lion then Pierre Schoeman with his chat about Vikings, gladiators, bison and the secret world of the prop forward would be a landslide winner.

But in terms of single best quote of the tour so far, his fellow loosehead Andrew Porter is running him close. What is it about all these charismatic props?

In the aftermath of the Lions' win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane, Porter spoke about his cauliflower ears - "nothing I can do about them now, they're too far gone" he said about possible surgery later in life - while also speaking about whether his newborn son might one day become a prop.

"He's already getting huge, but I'm not sure my wife would want him being a prop," said Porter, before adding: "Looking at my ears, he's lucky he didn't come out with them."

Quite an image, that.

Chris Jones
Rugby union Correspondent

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The latest Rugby Union Weekly is now out as we react to the big news from Australia with Andy Farrell calling up his son Owen to replace Elliot Daly.

Farrell's long-time half-back partner Danny Care explains what the former England captain will bring – despite his lack of form – while BBC reporter Tom English joins us from Sydney to give us his take on the matter.

You can listen to the debate here.

Chris Jones
Rugby union Correspondent

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The latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast is now live, with former Scotland captain John Barclay joining us to dissect the 52-12 dispatching of Queensland Reds.

After Andy Farrell rotated his selection for a third time, we debate who furthered their Test case, which places are nailed down, and which positions remain up in the air.

Lauren Jenkins drops in from the bustle of Brisbane to update us on Elliot Daly's injury, and what has been said post match by Farrell and skipper Maro Itoje, who produced a captain's performance in Queensland.

You can listen to the debate here.

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Jack Conan says the British and Irish Lions are "pretty happy" with how they have performed in their first two games in Australia.

Andy Farrell's side followed Saturday's comfortable win against the Western Force with a comprehensive 52-12 triumph over Queensland Reds on Wednesday.

Conan made his first start of the series at number eight against the Reds in Brisbane and was pleased with his display and the Lions' collective performance.

"It was class, I absolutely loved it. Normally I get a bit nervous before a game, but I was just excited," he told BBC Sport.

"I'm happy enough with how it went, a few mistakes but that is always going to happen, you have to roll with the punches a little bit, make the most of it and I felt like I did that.

"Like everyone else, I'm trying to put my best foot forward and make the most of the occasion personally and collectively."

After a slow start at Suncorp Stadium, the Lions dominated the second half as they claimed a deserved win.

Conan believes their focus now is to put in a complete performance from the start as they look forward to their next game against Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

"We just want to play from minute one to minute 84, I think at one stage a few lads were screaming to kick it out because we were over it and pretty tired, but you want to play and show what you're about and show your skillset, I think we did that in spades today," he added.

"There is always room to improve and get better but we're pretty happy with how they have gone, and we have the opportunity to go again Saturday."

'Lions tour a really exciting challenge'

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Conan's fellow Irish forward, Ronan Kelleher, was also thrilled to get the win against the Queensland side on his first start of the tour.

The Leinster front row's tap penalty put Andrew Porter over to level at 12-12 before Finn Russell's conversion put the Lions ahead and there was no looking back from there.

Kelleher, a veteran of the 2021 tour of South Africa, is excited to be involved for a second time and feels their victory on Wednesday is a "a step in the right direction".

"It's great to get the win against an unbelievably good Reds side," said the 27-year-old hooker.

"They were unbelievably physical, particularly in that first half, so we're happy with how we went and are really excited about the next four weeks.

"It's a really exciting challenge and everyone is really looking forward to it. The competition for places is really important as well with lads showing up in training and ready to get better each day."

Getty Images and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions' 52-12 victory over Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

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