AUNZ XV 0-48 British and Irish Lions: Duhan van der Merwe scores hat-trick as vacationers run riot in Adelaide | Rugby Union Information

The British and Irish Lions issued an announcement of intent to Australia forward of the Take a look at sequence with a 48-0 mauling of an AUNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide.

Of their last task earlier than subsequent Saturday’s first Take a look at in Brisbane, the Lions delivered probably the most full efficiency on tour up to now, nullifying a group that featured eight All Blacks and 6 Wallabies with eight unanswered tries.

Duhan van der Merwe scored a hat-trick and was joined on the scoresheet by Scotland team-mates Ben White, Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings.

Eire hooker Ronan Kelleher scored the vacationers’ seventh and, after Owen Farrell got here off the bench for his first look on his fourth Lions tour, England flanker Henry Pollock accomplished the rout because the Lions lastly reached Take a look at match depth as they claimed their fifth win on Australian soil.

Lions click on into gear forward of Take a look at sequence

The Lions made a lightning begin on the Adelaide Oval, full-back Hugo Keenan’s fast line-out catching the AUNZ XV group napping as Van der Merwe was launched for the opening attempt inside seven minutes.

One turned two three minutes later, scrum-half White sniping beautifully on the breakdown as he darted beneath the posts for the Lions’ second attempt.

Van der Merwe added his second halfway by means of the primary half, making use of the final touch to a well-worked transfer by means of the fingers to underscore the Lions’ dominance, with solely Fin Smith’s wayward kicking type the tee stopping the vacationers from ticking over at some extent a minute.

An encouraging first-half efficiency from the Lions was offset by the lack of Luke Cowan-Dickie to a serious-looking head/neck damage, although the England hooker would emerge on the sidelines within the second half after being taken from the sphere on a motorised stretcher.

It took simply 4 minutes for the Lions to select up the place they left off within the second half, centre Tuipulotu stepping by means of the AUNZ backline earlier than dotting down beneath the posts.

In a nod to his potential involvement within the first Take a look at, the spectacular Huw Jones was changed by England and Saracens fly-half Farrell, with Marcus Smith given a uncommon stint at fly-half for the ultimate 29 minutes.

The Harlequins 10 slotted his first conversion after lock Cummings compelled his method over to turn out to be the fourth Scottish try-scorer with the Lions’ fifth simply after the hour.

Van der Merwe accomplished his hat-trick with one other easy end within the nook two minutes later, earlier than Kelleher broke the Scottish stranglehold on the try-scoring as he compelled himself over after one other fast line-out.

And in true vogue, Pollock had the ultimate phrase as he was rewarded for chasing a Farrell grubber kick into the in-goal space the place he touched down on the stretch to place the seal on an announcement Lions victory.

Farrell welcomes choice dilemmas

Lions head coach Andy Farrell talking to Sky Sports activities: “I assumed it was a great {and professional} efficiency. If you play these kind of video games and the sorts of personnel you possibly can face, something can occur, however I assumed we performed good, managed rugby and we did not allow them to within the recreation. We’re happy with our recreation management.

“We stayed at it, it was by no means going to be good, and saved going as a group, that is the principle factor. There have been some nice particular person performances, however we gelled nicely as a group.

“We have to get pleasure from a little bit of down time because it has been full on for 14 days, it has been a troublesome previous block. We would like folks to place their fingers up and this group will roll on collectively and go after the Take a look at sequence collectively.”

Sky Sports activities will solely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Exams towards the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven solely reside.

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