The Scotsman

Hurricane warning /Gatland refuses to use replacemen­ts as Lions are held

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Tommy Seymour scored two tries in the British and Irish Lions’ 31-31 draw with Hurricanes in Wellington yesterday as head coach Warren Gatland found himself embroiled in more controvers­y over the players the head coach added to the squad in mid tour.

Despite calling up six additional players, including Scots Finn Russell and Allan Dell, Gatland has refused to use them, except as injury replacemen­ts.

He defended the policy, admitting the strategy was in response to criticism that drafting in players close to New Zealand rather than picking solely on merit had devalued the shirt.

“I think so much was made about devaluing the jersey and those bits and pieces that we made a decision that we would try to get through the game with as many of the starting XV as we could,” Gatland said.

The tourists led 23-7 at halftime and 31-17 ahead of the hour, but leaked two quick tries after Iain Henderson’s yellow card – allowing the Hurricanes to level and share the spoils.

Callum Gibbins, Ngani Laumape, Wes Goosen and Vaea Fifita all crossed for the hosts, with Tommy Seymour grabbing a brace and George North also touching down for the Lions.

The Lions entered their final midweek match desperate to shake off the New Zealand Herald mocking up head coach Warren Gatland as a clown – for the second time in six months.

But the tourists were unable to shake off the war of words between Gatland and All Blacks boss Steve Hansen, during which the New Zealand coach rang a radio station directly to object to claims his players had tried to target Lions scrum-half Conor Murray.

Courtney Lawes boosted his chances of All Blacks Test match selection with a fine showing – being withdrawn ahead of the hour in a perhaps telling substituti­on.

The Lions entered Wellington’s “Cake Tin” Westpac Stadium in bullish mood, keen to vent some frustratio­ns – but let the golden opportunit­y for victory slip away at the death.

0 Tommy Seymour scores the British & Irish Lions’ third try during yesterday’s 31-31 draw with the Hurricanes in Wellington. Aggressive defence paid dividends from the off as the Lions pounced for first blood, Greig Laidlaw racing for an intercept before popping up to the onrushing Seymour.

The Scotland wing outstrippe­d the cover and dived between the posts, with Biggar’s conversion adding to his earlier penalty for a 10-0 lead.

Ireland centre Henshaw’s night was soon over as he trudged off with that shoulder problem, forcing the Lions into a backline reshuffle with Halfpenny at 15 and North slotting in at inside centre.

A second Biggar penalty edged the Lions further ahead, before the Hurricanes finally built some phases.

Openside flanker Gibbins shunted home after considered build-up, with Black’s conversion leaving the Lions leading 13-7.

Biggar slotted his third penalty of the half after Ben May obstructed Laidlaw, and then the visitors struck again.

Wales stand-off Biggar improved his half still further by hoisting a high bomb that Halfpenny was just able to flick backwards.

The Lions stayed on the attack and, in a flash, Henderson had put North over, with Biggar’s conversion pushing the Lions ahead 23-7.

Savea finally found some footwork and space at the death of the half, only for Tipuric to slow the ball to kill the momentum.

The Lions rebuffed two penalty lineouts before the break, but the tourists could not deny the Hurricanes following the restart with Savea scything through to send Laumape home for the hosts’ second score.

Biggar took a heavy bang trying to deny Laumape, and was taken off for a Head Injury Assessment – drawing mid-tour reinforcem­ent Finn Russell into the fray.

Biggar passed his head checks, however, to return to action, and posted his fourth penalty of the night when Hurricanes scrum-half Te Toiroa Tahurioran­gi was sin-binned for a high tackle.

Seymour quickly strolled in for his second try after good work by Nowell and Halfpenny, extending the Lions’ lead to 31-17.

North thought he had scored a smart second, only for the try to be chalked off for a foot in touch. Henderson’s yellow card then gifted the Hurricanes the momentum, and the hosts quickly struck through Wes Goosen. Barrett’s conversion left the Lions leading just 31-24.

And when Fifita powered home, Barrett’s conversion ensured the home side would steal the draw. Warren Gatland’s refusal to use the Lions’ mid-tour replacemen­ts who were on the bench could have cost them victory yesterday, according to Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd.

The Super Rugby side’s second-half comeback secured a 31-31 draw with the tourists and Boyd was happy to take full advantage of the Lions not opting to unload their bench.

“Deepintoth­egameenerg­y off the bench would probably have been as good as anything else,” said Boyd, of Gatland’s replacemen­t strategy. “We thought that was interestin­g.”

Gatland opted only to use mid-tour replacemen­ts from the bench in the case of injuries, so Scotland stand-off Finn Russell only got a few minutes on the pitch. The Lions coach defended that policy but admitted it was in response to criticism that drafting in players who were close to New Zealand rather than picking solely on merit had devalued the Lions shirt. “Those players were called out as cover, that was always the case,” said Gatland, pictured. “I know there’s a lot been made about that. “We made a decision to bring players in for cover and protect as many of the Test 23 as we could. If we didn’t have those players there tonight we’d have had players on the bench who would have been exposed.

“I think so much was made about devaluing the jersey and those bits and pieces that we made a decision that we would try to get through the game with as many of the starting XV as we could.”

 ??  ?? 0 Scotland winger Tommy Seymour scores his second try during the Lions’ 31-31 draw with Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium.
0 Scotland winger Tommy Seymour scores his second try during the Lions’ 31-31 draw with Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium.
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