HARRY’S TOP OF THE CLASS NOW
Comment
for the watertight defence. “Hats off to Farrell junior & senior,” Sir Clive Woodward tweeted. “Great defensive effort and Owen simply brilliant.” From the first minute, when they came within a spilled ball by Jonathan Davies of scoring, the tourists dominated the world’s highest-rated club side. Half-backs Conor Murray and Farrell were at the epicentre, setting a formidable tempo and operating with complete assurance. The Lions had EXETER prop Harry Williams never dreamed of being an international rugby player – now he is living the dream with England.
Williams was at Whitgift School in Croydon and played in the same all-conquering team as British & Irish Lion Elliot Daly and England’s Marland Yarde.
At that time, the front-rower
learned from defeat in Auckland that their best chance of success was not to play the Kiwi way, but to stick to their own strengths.
Not to look for offloads and miracle plays, but to play direct, in-your-face football.
The back-to-basics strategy earned them scoring positions, of which Farrell took full advantage.
And, while it will concern Gatland that the Lions again butchered a number of try chances, he hid it well.
Two tries in three games is a stat which will worry the tourists a whole lot more than it will the All Blacks.
But, with three games still to play before the Test series, there is time for the Lions to sharpen up their act.
“We need to stay strong in the group,” Gatland added. “And keep the faith.” was overshadowed by those stars and feared his chances of a pro career were down the pan, so he left for New Zealand to play club rugby before joining Nottingham and Championship outfit Jersey.
Canny Exeter boss Rob Baxter signed Williams in 2015 and he is now a Premiership champ – and in the same England squad as Yarde in Argentina.
“I never thought about HALFWAY to the Test series and Warren Gatland’s team is starting to come together. Conor Murray and Owen Farrell will be the half-back pairing on yesterday’s evidence. Ben Te’o has made the inside-centre slot his own. Up front, Alun Wyn Jones and George Kruis combined well enough to suggest they will form the second row, Taulupe Faletau has cemented his place at No.8 while Sean O’brien looks ready to start at openside. The Lions have a strong set-piece, great defensive line speed and a hunger at the breakdown that brought nine turnovers. Their concern is try-scoring. Two in three games is not a stat to frighten a soul. Hence why the back-three positions all remain open. It may well be that Gatland moves Liam Williams to full-back and goes with England wings Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly. He has three matches to decide. becoming an international,” said Williams. “All I ever wanted to be was a Premiership player.
“Marland plays wing and, at school, he played centre. He was a lot better than me.
“At school, I wasn’t a particularly good player, I just tried hard.
“He got straight into professional rugby, but he was very good. I had a lot more developing to do and it only after university did I get the offer from Jersey.” Williams, 25, was part of Exeter’s raucous title celebrations a fortnight ago, but his old party animal lifestyle nearly put paid to his pro career.
He added: “I was at university while I was at Nottingham and never fully gave myself to rugby because I always had my lectures.
“Also I was enjoying life. I was going out a lot.”
STUART HOGG Flaky in first start, groggy in this one after running into Conor Murray’s elbow GEORGE NORTH Not the tour de force of four years ago, though there’s still time for that JONATHAN DAVIES Spilled two try-scoring passes in first half before head knock on half hour BEN TE’O Think Jamie Roberts in 2009 and you’ll get the idea. Strong and stable LIAM WILLIAMS A lot more controlled than his yellow card cameo in Auckland OWEN FARRELL Everything the Lions hoped he would be. A true rugby titan CONOR MURRAY Mr Perpetual motion, set perfect tempo and Lions danced to his tune MAKO VUNIPOLA The envy of the front row union, blending physicality with dexterity and guile JAMIE GEORGE Line-out still has to be worked on, but another who contributed fully TADHG FURLONG A tank in the close-quarter exchanges, continuing a wonderful season ALUN WYN JONES (CAPT) Captain for the night proved to be hard and uncompromising GEORGE KRUIS A composed presence in the engine room and fiercely physical PETER O’MAHONY Stole an early line-out and brought a steely attitude throughout his game SEAN O’BRIEN A ready replacement for Sam Warburton if his ankle injury won’t mend in time TAULUPE FALETAU Not as dominant as he was in Whangarei a week ago, but quietly effective BENCH: Watson the pick of the cavalry after replacing Hogg – sharp and alert
I DAGG 7, S TAMANIVALU 6, J GOODHUE 7, D HAVILI 6, G BRIDGE 6, R MO’UNGA 6, B HALL 6, J MOODY 6, C TAYLOR 6, O FRANKS 6, L ROMANO 6, S WHITELOCK (CAPT) 7, H BEDWELL-CURTIS 6, M TODD 8, J TAUFUA 6.