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| Brumbies full back Jesse Mogg deserving of his Man of the Match Award |
The match started with early pressure coming from the Lions. A well worked line out move in the first minute saw Ben Youngs and Richie Gray combining to launch debutant Christian Wade into the 22 before Shane Williams was pushed into touch just metres from the try line, denying the returning Lion from a dream start.
The lineout attack really represented the best move of the half for the Lions, having cleared their lines the Brumbies were able to disrupt the Lions line out and regain the ball on the half way line. From the resulting attack Number 8 and Brumbies captain Peter Kimlin grubbered the ball down into the Lions 22. A poor clearance kick from Ben Youngs straight to danger man Jesse Moggg enabled the full back to launch a counter attack, slinging a pass off his right hand to Tom Smith who exchanged a pass with outside centre Kurindrani enabling the former Fiji junior international player to bust two tackles and score in the corner. A missed conversion enabled the Brumbies to lead by five points to nil.
The half then descended into somewhat of a kicking battle littered with mistakes from the Lions at the lineout, Rory Best throwing was having an off day losing 3 line outs in the first half. Mogg and Toomua looked to gain territory against Kearney and Hogg in a dull first half with little running attack from either side. After a missed penalty from Hogg and two missed penalties from the Brumbies, Mogg smashed over a long range kick on the stroke of a half time and looked to have put the Brumbies 8 points to nil up going into the break. But a good take from the restart from wing Christian Wade allowed the Lions to launch a gallant attack earning a penalty that Stuart Hogg dutifully put over the posts making the score 8 points to 3 in the favour of the Brumbies at half time.
The second half started in the same vain as the first with Rory Best throwing not straight at another lineout, to the obvious disgust of team mate Ben Youngs. A counter attack from the Lions saw them earning another penalty with try scorer Kurindrani stopping Christian Wade's gliding run down the right flank, but yet again the line out faltered with Kimlin stealing another ball of Best.
A series of penalties then allowed Jesse Mogg to stretch the Brumbies lead putting another penalty over early in the second half. From that point on the Brumbies organisation and mental edge became clear. Mogg pinned the Lions back in their own half and the lack of genuine gain line breakers left the Lions marauding around the half way line in attack, moving from side to side with no real gains. The continually impressive Mogg again knocked a long range penalty over after 53 minutes putting the score at 14-3 leaving the Lions vulnerable to one more score.
A Stuart Hogg penalty brought the Lions back in the game and the Lions put 7 subs onto the field to leaving Simon Zebo on the bench to regain some kind of structure in their game in the 57th minute. The changes allowed the Lions to regain some possession and territory with Owen Farrell, replacing Stuart Hogg at fly half, knocking over another penalty.
But penalties at the breakdown compounded the Lions game with any attacking metres gained instantly lost with the Brumbies able to ease pressure by booting the ball back into the Lions half.
A massive kick down field from Kearney from his own 22 after 70 minutes and a Richie Gray steal led to another Owen Farrell penalty who closed the gap to only two points. A Conor Murray break from the restart and kick down field gave the Lions good field position in the Brumbies half with a lineout on the 22. But once again poor work at the breakdown led to the Brumbies turning over the ball leaving the Lions with only five minutes to gain the lead.
But the scoreline became a bridge too far, the ever excellent Mogg again pinned the Lions back into their own 22 and a moment of madness led to a quick lineout not going five metres. Battling defence saw a final last minute scrum in the Lions 22 with replacement lock Etienne Oosthuizen booting the ball out to gain a famous win.
After the game Warren Gatland expressed severe disappointment, his Lions team were out foxed at the breakdown with a weakened Brumbies side taking the tourists to the cleaners. Despite this performance Gatland will be happy to have come out of the game with no injury concerns and has been able to protect his starting team for Saturday. Granted today was a disappointment, the perfect 10 wins is now an impossibility, but Saturday in Brisbane will be different. The Lions will be stronger and more prepared and if anything more determined following this loss today.
Man of The Match
Brumbies captain Peter Kimlin had a stunning game, stealing ball at the breakdown and helping to ruin Rory Best's line out. Credit as well must go to Matt Toomua and Tevita Kuridrani who put in massive hits in the midfield all day giving Billy Twelvetrees in particular a game to forget. But in truth the star performer really was full back Jesse Mogg who shone in a very average game. Mogg exposed weaknesses in the Lions and simply never allowed the tourists the field position to attack.
Jesse Mogg 8.5/10
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