How they rated

LIAM WILLIAMS

Helped put the ‘wow’ back into the Lions game and showed that the tourists DO have a full-back who can counter-attack. Peach of a break for Payne’s try. Should feature at 15 in Tests; probably won’t.

JARED PAYNE

Another who had previously stuttered his way through the tour, but showed he could play with a try and running that tested the home defence throughout.

ROBBIE HENSHAW

He needed something special — miraculous, perhaps — to play his way into the Test side; it didn’t happen. Not many mistakes, but not many pyrotechnics, either.

ELLIOT DALY

Searing break down the left wing in build-up to Nowell’s second try. He is neat in everything he does and his versatility will probably secure him a place in the Test 23 this weekend.

DAN BIGGAR

Did not look a third-choice fly-half in the first 40. Composed in all he did, he mixed his game up nicely and wasn’t averse to rattling the ribs of Chiefs attackers. He is doing himself justice on this tour.

GREIG LAIDLAW

Busier than he has been in previous games, he linked well with Dan Biggar and actually made a clean break. A decent effort from the Scot.

JOE MARLER

No-arms tackle that resulted in a yellow card, not much hope of a Test spot. That said, he helped the Lions dominate the scrums.

RORY BEST (CAPT)

Occasional line-out gremlin, but the newlyhonoured hooker — he was awarded an OBE this week — worked tirelessly in the loose, charging forward 11 times and putting in his tackles.

DAN COLE

Another chap who achieved redemption. Last seen dumped on his backside by a dominant Highlanders scrum, he rediscovered his scrummaging mojo and also put in a shift around the field.

IAIN HENDERSON

His statistics compare to any second row on this trip and, if he was quiet with ball in hand, at times he made up for it with resolute defence. To the fore when tourists were awarded penalty try.

COURTNEY LAWES

Enjoyed something of a Penny Black moment by pinching a line-out off the 6ft 9in Dominic Bird, he continually menaced the Chiefs’ defence with ball in hand.

JAMES HASKELL

A really good effort from the England man. Like Tipuric, he made 14 tackles; like the Welshman, he didn’t stop grafting. It was easily his best effort of the tour.

CJ STANDER

A player who would charge at a reinforced brickwall with optimism that it would soon need rebuilding, he repeatedly made ground for the Lions. Also achieved a spectacular firstquarter turnover.

JUSTIN TIPURIC

The Chiefs’ players will be seeing Tipuric and his blue scrum cap in their sleep. He is now up to 29 tackles on this tour without a single miss and he also played a key part in attack. (Wales), G Laidlaw (Scotland); J Marler (England), R Best (Ireland), D Cole (England), I Henderson (Ireland), C Lawes (England), J Haskell (England), J Tipuric (Wales), C Stander (Ireland). Reps: K Dacey (Wales), A Dell (Scotland), T Francis (Wales), C Hill (Wales), AW Jones (Wales), G Davies (Wales), F Russell (Scotland), T Seymour (Scotland).

REFEREE

Jerome Garces (France)