Lions floor Maoris in All Blacks dress rehearsal

THE British and Irish Lions exploited a yellow card to Tawera Kerr-Barlow to set up a game-winning margin and grind down the Maori All Blacks to record a 32-10 win at Rotorua International Stadium yesterday.

Kerr-Barlow was sinbinned for a dangerous shoulder tackle on Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny allowing the visitors to extend their advantage from 15-10 to 29-10 while the scrumhalf was on the sideline shortly after half time.

Referee Jaco Peyper gave a penalty try to the Lions, and lock Maro Itoje drove over, with Halfpenny adding six penalties and a conversion for the visitors, who face Waikato Chiefs on Tuesday in Hamilton.

Loose forward Liam Messam scored the home side’s try, and flyhalf Damian McKenzie added a conversion and penalty against a Lions side expected to run out for the first test on Saturday.

The Lions were at their clinical best in the second half and unless coach Warren Gatland drastically changes his tactics and personnel in the next seven days the All Blacks will be well aware of what they can expect to face at Eden Park.

Controlled phase possession, a fast suffocating defence, slowing the ball at the breakdown and a tactical kicking game designed to force errors in favourable field positions were the highlights of the Lions’ tactics.

The visitors, however, showed that given half a chance they could split the defence with centres Jonathan Davies and Ben Te’o proving how dangerous they could be when allowed space.

The Lions held a 12-10 lead at the break courtesy of four Halfpenny penalties as they deprived the Maori of fast ball. Their only try came when a Nehe Milner-Skudder kick skidded across the wet field and George North failed to clean up.

The man advantage after the break, however, changed the game, as the Lions forwards took control with Peyper awarding a penalty try after a series of reset scrums.

Itoje then crashed over following another sustained build-up and the visitors could have scored more tries through their forwards had the Maori not produced a valiant scrambling defence in their own 22-metre area. —