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Key occasions
TRY! Lions 24-21 Argentina (Tadhg Beirne)
The 2 sides commerce place earlier than the Lions win a lineout, initiating an assault which ends with Ellis Genge exploding by means of the center of the pitch. He’s introduced down near the road, however the Lions hold on to the ball. They play it by means of the arms, finally discovering Beirne in house. He spots the opening and crashes over, Fin Smith changing.
48 min The Lions win one more penalty on the scrum after turning the Argentinian forwards. The forwards are completely bossing it. Farrell makes three modifications, Tomos Williams, Rónan Kelleher and Henry Pollock approaching. The latter will get a very huge cheer.
PENALTY TRY! Lions 17-21 Argentina
The Lions win the lineout and provoke a driving maul, however it collapses on the road. Doleman adjudges Vivas to have introduced it down intentionally, awarding a penalty attempt to sending the Pumas prop to the sin bin.
44 min Tuipulotu goes on a marauding run up the appropriate wing, placing Argentina on the again foot. The Lions play it by means of the arms all the way in which to Ben Earl on the far facet, however he can’t discover a gap. Argentina give away a penalty and Fin Smith kicks to the nook. Can the Lions get a strive right here?
42 min The opening exchanges of the second half are a bit scrappy. Fin Smith will get away a kick beneath stress, however it goes lengthy.
Second half kicks off!
We’re again beneath approach on the Aviva. The Lions ship up the kick and cost forwards with renewed vigour.
Proper, effectively, we’ve all nearly caught our breath from that first half, however it’s nearly time for the second. John Fogarty, the Lions assistant coach, speaks to Sky on the sidelines, admitting “the blokes are a little bit bit pissed off inside” and there have been “too many errors within the first half”. He requires extra power and focus after the break. Will the Lions reply the decision?
Half-time, Lions 10-21 Argentina
Albornoz converts his personal attempt to cap a wonderful finish to the primary half for Argentina. It was performed at a rattling tempo and each side showcased some glorious attacking rugby, however the Pumas had been extra ruthless in taking their possibilities.
The Lions are getting a stern take a look at of their credentials, as anticipated. Nonetheless, it’s all to play for.
TRY! Lions 10-19 Argentina (Tomás Albornoz)
Oof, that’s a intestine punch. The Lions bomb ahead searching for a rating earlier than half-time, however Argentina win the ball in their very own 22 and counter-attack ruthlessly. Carreras roars down the road, isolates Marcus Smith and throws a beautiful cross to Albornoz, who scorches downfield to attain earlier than celebrating with the Pumas substitutes.
PENALTY! Lions 10-14 Argentina (Tomás Albornoz)
There’s no approach Albornoz goes to overlook from proper beneath the posts. He strokes the ball over nonchalantly.
38 min Argentina win the scrum, nearly, and undergo the phases, assembly a wall of purple shirts. The Lions give away benefit for offside. Mayco Vivas knocks on after a bone-crunching sort out from Tuipulotu. Doleman brings it again for the penalty.
35 min Argentina get the ball again and put Marcus Smith beneath stress at full-back with a intelligent little kick by means of the strains. He manages to floor the ball for a five-metre scrum.
32 min The relentless tempo eases off a bit as the 2 sides commerce kicks. The Lions lose their very own lineout, Argentina burst ahead and Oviedo nearly goes by means of. Morgan will get over the ball and forces a penalty, Oviedo failing to launch. There’s a TMO evaluate, checking a ruck the place Joel Sclavi failed to interact correctly, however Doleman sticks with a penalty.
30 min The Lions win the lineout and explode out of the blocks. It’s a bit rushed, nevertheless, Freeman throwing an offload which is knocked on as Aki and Tuipulotu each go for it.
28 min The Lions win one other penalty on the scrum, the place they’ve dominated to date. The kick goes to the nook.
PENALTY! Lions 10-11 Argentina (Tomás Albornoz)
Tom Curry offers away a penalty on the ruck for failing to launch and Albornoz fancies his possibilities from a good outdated distance. He nails the kick, cool as you want.
22 min There’s a evaluate after Joaquín Oviedo by chance clashes heads with Fin Smith at shut quarters. Doleman makes a superb, commonsense choice and opts to provide a penalty with out reaching for the yellow card.
TRY! Lions 10-8 Argentina (Bundee Aki)
The Lions get a scrum beneath the posts for an preliminary knock-on from Argentina. They play it by means of the arms, placing their opponents beneath extreme stress. Marcus Smith and Tuipulotu tee up Aki, who prices to the road and blasts previous three defenders. Fin Smith converts. The Lions are off the mark.
18 min No strive! The Lions win the lineout and work a beautiful transfer, Tuipulotu crossing beneath the posts. Doleman offers it initially, however there’s a transparent knock-on from Mitchell amid a bout of pinball between the 2 sides. The TMO, once more, intervenes to a smattering of pantomime boos.
16 min The Lions win a scrum in a promising place. The Argentinians collapse and hand over benefit. The lads in purple undergo the phases, Freeman nearly bursting by means of. Doleman brings it again for the penalty, which Fin Smith kicks to the nook.
TRY! Lions 3-8 Argentina (Ignacio Mendy)
Oh that’s excellent. A flowing passing transfer from the Argentinians ends with Santiago Carreras discovering Mendy out huge. He jinks inside, reducing a swathe by means of the Lions’ defence, and crosses to attain in fashion. Albornoz misses the conversion.
11 min Alex Mitchell is put beneath stress on the Lions’ tryline, however throws a beautiful trick cross to get out of bother.
PENALTY! Lions 3-3 Argentina (Fin Smith)
The Pumas cough up a penalty and Fin Smith steps up for a protracted kick to posts. It’s fantastically weighted and the Lions have their first factors on the board.
9 min An inch-perfect kick from Fin Smith nearly finds Morgan within the nook, however Mendy intercepts. That was so, so shut.
7 min The Lions roar again instantly, Van der Merwe nearly bulldozing by means of solely to be introduced down on the final. They find yourself with a lineout, which they win. A driving maul ends with Cowan-Dickie going over and, seemingly, scoring the primary strive of the 2025 tour. Replays present that he misplaced management of the ball as he rolled away to attain, nevertheless, and the TMO overturns the on-pitch choice.
PENALTY! Lions 0-3 Argentina (Tomás Albornoz)
The kick sails serenely by means of the posts. It’s first blood to Argentina, who’ve began aggressively.
3 min Argentina push and probe early on, however Beirne intercepts a cross to kill their momentum. The 2 sides commerce kicks earlier than the Pumas get their first huge opening, Ignacio Mendy getting inside 10 metres of the strive line. The Lions give away a penalty for offside. Tomás Albornoz steps up …
Kick-off!
James Doleman, the referee, blows the whistle, Argentina ship up an enormous kick, and we’re off.
The edges stroll out to the customary blast of pyro. We get a vigorous rendition of the Argentinian nationwide anthem. The stadium is wreathed in a form of ethereal smoke. Laborious to not be excited, isn’t it?
The groups are within the tunnel. Itoje seems to be laser targeted. The Lions are about to stroll out in Dublin for the primary time. Pretty stuff.
The Lions have rattled off their pre-match huddle. The stadium is beginning to fill out. A bit of beneath 10 minutes to go. Whoosh.
It seems to be like there are glorious vibes in and across the Aviva proper now. A very good few pints of Guinness put away, little doubt. (Different stouts can be found.)
The 2 sides are out on the pitch, the backs working just a few passing drills and the forwards warming up on the sort out pads. Slightly below half an hour to go till kick-off.
That is Andy Farrell’s first match as Lions head coach, so it’s an enormous night time for him personally. Requested what he desires to see from the staff, he says: “To be the very best model of themselves. There’s no excuses, the shirt calls for that.
“They’ve been collectively for 12 days. There was quite a lot of info that went into them within the first week, however this week has been a fairly regular Take a look at week. We all know the significance of the sport for everybody and we’re actually excited to get the present on the highway.”
In the meantime, Farrell Sr has additionally taken a while to share his ideas. “It’s there for everybody to see who’s been on the town as we speak,” he says, when requested in regards to the significance of the event. “It’s a sea of purple that we’re accustomed to seeing with the Lions travelling assist, they’ve come out of their 1000’s right here to Dublin and made their voices heard.
“Hopefully we will placed on a efficiency that will get them going within the stadium as effectively.”
Owen Farrell, who stays on standby for the Lions, is working as a Sky Sports activities pundit tonight. Whereas he demurs on the potential for him linking up with the squad at a later stage of the tour, he does open up on what it means to put on the jersey. “It’s unbelievably particular. I feel that phrase in all probability will get used a bit an excessive amount of, however I actually imply it after I discuss in regards to the Lions.
“Every part about it’s totally different. Coming collectively from all 4 nations, the followers, the whole lot that goes with it. It’s the very best of the very best, however you don’t actually know what that’s like till you get right here and you are feeling it.”
Requested what success seems to be like this night, Itoje provides: “We need to win. We’re not right here to only play effectively and lose.
“We need to win. Each time the Lions take to the sector, that must be the ambition.”
Maro Itoje has taken a second to talk with Sky Sports activities earlier than the match. “It’s been superb,” he says, when requested how he’s settling into his captaincy position. “To start with, the expertise is evident for everybody to see. We now have a gaggle of males who’re decided to do effectively, a gaggle of males who need to succeed, so it’s been an absolute pleasure to be part of. The coaches, the entire employees have been nice, so I’m having fun with it to date.”
Requested what he’s hoping to see from the Lions in opposition to the Pumas, he says: “What I’m hoping for tonight is cohesion. We all know Argentina are a superb facet, they’ve proved over the past couple of years what they’re about. However, from our standpoint, if we’re cohesive, if we’re a good unit, we’ll do effectively tonight.”
On the lookout for a rundown of the remainder of our dwell protection this weekend? Right here’s the whole lot that you must know.
The lineups
Right here’s a reminder of the beginning XVs, in case wanted.
Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (captain), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl.
Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgró, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo García; Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya (captain), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martín González, Joaquín Oviedo.
Preamble
And so it begins. After all of the hype, buzz and anticipation, the 2025 Lions tour is about to get beneath approach.
Earlier than the squad fly out to Australia, there’s the small matter of a troublesome warm-up match in opposition to Argentina, ranked fifth on this planet, on the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. It will likely be the primary time the Lions have performed in Eire, a historic event which the squad’s 16-strong Irish contingent might be particularly eager to mark with a win. Tadhg Beirne, who will begin at lock, has stated as a lot, telling the press: “For us Irish gamers it’s additional particular and means loads.” Beirne was a part of the Eire facet that narrowly beat Argentina 22-19 on the Aviva final November, a end result which hints at simply how powerful this recreation might be.
Whereas the Pumas’ final outing was a 37-23 defeat to France quickly afterwards, their three wins on the Rugby Championship final yr – in opposition to New Zealand in Wellington, Australia in Santa Fe and South Africa in Santiago del Estero – are a greater measure of their mettle. Anticipate brutal ahead play and threats throughout the again line.
As for the Lions, it’s early days. It is a probability to experiment, really feel out totally different mixtures and construct relationships on the pitch, albeit in opposition to steely opposition.
There’s a subplot for England followers, with Steve Borthwick’s facet set to face Argentina in two Checks on 5 July and 12 July. Little doubt Borthwick might be preserving an in depth eye on proceedings.
As for the remainder of us, it’s time to sit down again and benefit from the trip. Right here’s some pre-match studying to be occurring with.
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