No need to panic, but make every day count

ANDY Farrell questioned whether the pitch had been watered ahead of the kickoff after a performance that dampened his mood.

- PAUL REES

The camera switched to the Lions head coach five minutes from the end, sitting back on his chair wearing an expression that suggested he was about to undergo root canal surgery.

Two weeks out from the first Test against Australia, the Lions won comfortably enough: they were never in danger of losing but, after another match they did not start forcefully, the expected second half surge did not materialise even though Farrell changed his entire front five after 50 minutes.

They found their way over the line four times, but only Alex Mitchell’s solo, sniping try was awarded. Josh van der Flier lost control of the ball in the act of grounding, as did Ellis Genge before the England prop was denied a second time after Ben Earl was pulled up on review for offside at the lineout which led to the score.

The blemishes summed up a slipshod 80 minutes from a side that did not contain many likely Test starters. A question is whether Farrell will use Wednesday’s match against the Brumbies in Canberra as a Test dress rehearsal or Saturday’s clash with an Invitation XV in Adelaide.

The Brumbies were the only Australian side to make this year’s Super Rugby Pacific semifinal and will probably provide the stiffest test, after Argentina, ahead of the Test series. Tommy Freeman, Bundee Aki, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum and Jack Conan, who were not involved yesterday, are likely to return, which would be an indicator of Farrell’s thinking.