LIONS STUMBLE AT FIRST HURDLE

Gatland’s tourists can point to jet lag, but their hapless debut struck fear in no one

BY THE end yesterday, the locals in a capacity crowd at Toll Stadium were gleefully jeering the worldweary Lions, as they desperately clung on to victory against a hurriedly assembled collection of part-timers.

This was not in the script. This was not the mis-match that had been widely anticipated. This was not the performance and result to launch a bandwagon of British and Irish hope and leave the host nation with a sudden sense of foreboding. Quite the opposite. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will have slept soundly last night, despite the inconvenience of new injury scares.

His Lions counterpart, Warren Gatland, had urged his players to use the tour opener here as an opportunity to deliver a powerful statement of intent and shock New Zealanders with the quality of their attacking play. That did not happen. Instead, the initial Kiwi verdict was a smug dismissal of the visitors as hapless no-hopers, in keeping with their cherished stereotypes.

Here are the alarming facts. Against apparently outclassed opponents, the Lions were trailing at half-time and hanging on in the closing stages. Gatland had said that defeat in this match was unthinkable, but it was by no means out of the question from the moment the Provincial Barbarians captain, Sam Anderson-Heather, a gardener and odd-job man, blasted over for a 23rd-minute try.

For the man overseeing this epic southern crusade, it was a night which featured an uncomfortable family reunion, as his son, Bryn Gatland, inspired the home team with a shrewd and commanding demonstration of his emerging talent at No 10. His decisive efforts as a distributor and tactical kicker were in stark contrast to those of Johnny Sexton opposite him, as the Ireland fly-half’s Test audition went horribly wrong.

He was not alone in that regard. When Anthony Watson showcased his predatory finishing class by scoring the 52nd-minute try which saved the Lions from an historic upset, Bath’s England wing celebrated by forming the ‘perfect’ symbol with his index fingers and thumbs. The gesture jarred because there was nothing at all perfect about the exploits of those in red shirts.

Harsh as it may be, some of those on duty will have suffered irreparable damage to their Test prospects, before the tour has even really begun in earnest. Sexton’s shortage of confidence was laid bare, while Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg was all at sea for much of the first half in particular and Greig Laidlaw was ponderous at scrum-half. Frankly, very few players enhanced their standing.

But here is the context. The Lions are world-weary in a very literal sense, as in they are exhausted from travelling halfway round the world and arriving in Auckland just three days before this fixture. Several coaches and players continue to take sleeping pills in an attempt to combat jet lag. Those chosen to start yesterday may have cause to rue what was a dubious honour, in the difficult circumstances. They often played as if in a fog. Minds were not as sharp as they should be.

Yet, there were notable exceptions. Taulupe Faletau was simply magnificent. He denied the hosts an early try with a stunning exhibition of defensive awareness, strength and dexterity, to haul down Inga Finau and wrap him up so that the ball remained off the ground. Later, there were moments when it felt as if he was carrying the whole team on his back. The Lions are lucky to have such a pedigree alternative to the injured and absent Billy Vunipola.

While Faletau is a familiar force at Test level, others who stood out were among the less heralded members of the tour party. Kyle Sinckler was a revelation in this exalted company, with his carrying, slick handling and scrum resilience. Another English rookie, Ben Te’o, was a marauding asset at inside centre, and will come into the mix for a place in the first-choice XV. And Ross Moriarty, operating at blindside, grew more and more influential as the game went on.

In hindsight, the first sequence of the tour turned out to be a sign of trouble ahead, as Gatland’s kick-off was missed by Ireland lock Iain Henderson, allowing the Provincial Barbarians to gain immediate momentum. A Sexton penalty was soon eclipsed by Anderson-Heather’s try, converted by Gatland, and the home side stayed ahead until half-time, due to an utter lack of composure from the Lions when scoring opportunities arose.

After the break, Laidlaw’s penalty was followed by Watson’s try, from a pass by Owen Farrell, who replaced Sexton and promptly showed just the sort of authority which surely makes him a nailedon certainty to claim the Test No 10 shirt against the All Blacks. He converted, too, but missed a penalty 14 minutes from time, which meant British and Irish nerves remained frayed until time was up.

This was undoubtedly a game too soon, after an abbreviated build-up, which is an indictment of wider issues involving clubs and the home unions. The Lions’ slavish commitment to sponsors ruled out the option of sending an advance party of available players to acclimatise — while an overnight stay in Australia to suit a ‘partner’ airline was not, in truth, a performance decision, either.

Yet, even allowing for the backdrop, standards were not high enough. Stage fright was evident and cannot be put down to jet lag. This was meant to be the calm before the storm; the routine win before the potential ordeal of facing the Blues and Crusaders in the week ahead.

The outcome was too close for comfort for the Lions and instead of being shocked and daunted by what they saw here, New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams will be galvanised as they prepare to go big-game hunting.