Lions Player Ratings: Morgan Shines, Daly Impresses In Big Win Over Reds
Lions Player Ratings: Morgan Shines, Daly Impresses In Big Win Over Reds
British & Irish Lions player ratings vs. Reds: standout displays from Jac Morgan, Conan & Daly, plus key concerns ahead of test series. Full breakdown here.
Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions continued their winning ways down under against an impressive Queensland Reds outfit with a 52-12 victory.
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Despite netting the win, the Lions will depart Brisbane with plenty to work on ahead of their next match Saturday.
In a start-stop first half, the Lions had several unforced handling errors and struggles at the set-piece.
To their credit, as they have done in all three fixtures so far, the Lions improved in the second half; they will, however, need to start faster when it comes to the test series.
Here is how the Lions fared at Suncorp Stadium:
1. Andrew Porter – 6.5
Getting on the wrong side of the officials in the early scrum exchanges, Porter’s showing will have given the Lions’ coaches some concerns.
In open play, Porter was strong with some good bursts and slick handling. His offload to Itoje in the 10th minute should’ve led to a try, but a knock-on a few phases later stopped the move.
His try in the 28th minute was a nice reminder of what Porter brings with his carrying ability inside the opposition's 5-meter line.
Between himself and Ellis Genge, the Lions have a double-headed carrying monster.
2. Ronan Kelleher – 5
Rugby’s equivalent of a mix’n’pick, Kelleher’s performance was a combination of the good and bad.
Getting pressured at line-out time by the Reds’ jumpers, Kelleher’s susceptibility to overcompensating, as he has done with Ireland, only makes matters worse in this department.
In open play, Kelleher was exceptional in both the carry and around the breakdown. One caveat to add was that Kelleher appeared a touch fatigued, which is unsurprising given he has played in all three matches thus far.
3. Will Stuart – 4
Not the outing the Bath star would’ve hoped for at scrum time.
In conjunction with Porter, Stuart was pinged for a few costly penalties that relieved pressure on the Reds.
In open play, Stuart routinely looked to get involved but had a few errors, namely knock-ons, when running support lines.
Coughing up a sloppy penalty in the 47th minute with a high tackle summed up Stuart’s outing, which was his third penalty of the day.
4. Maro Itoje (c) – 8
A true leader’s performance, Itoje’s willingness to chase every ball and scrap for everything allowed those around him to shine.
On the deck, Itoje pounced on everything, while at line-out time, he was a solid bank for Ronan Kelleher.
Carrying-wise, he laid down a marker in response to Joe McCarthy’s exceptional outing against the Western Force.
Continuing to work hard on all matches, Itoje’s well-timed interception in the 64th minute put in motion a play that led to Huw Jones' intercepted try moments later.
Running a well-timed support line off Gibson-Park in the 45th minute for his try was a just reward for a tireless outing.
5. Ollie Chessum – 6
Quiet by his standards on the attack side of things, Chessum’s work rate in defense is what caught the eye today.
Getting through a significant number of tackles and breakdown clearings shows that the Leicester Tiger is comfortable with knuckling down and doing the dirty work.
6. Tom Curry – 4.5
Caught between two stools in a system that is more accustomed to a bigger six, Curry has yet to look comfortable in a role that requires constant big carries.
Losing two balls in the first half with knock-ons and generally just lacking the impact he brings in the England setup, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets a run at openside in the upcoming fixtures.
7. Jac Morgan - 9
Operating more in-field than he did against Argentina, the Welsh skipper looked far more assured and, as such, had more impact.
Grabbing the headline will be his superb individual turnover in the 14th minute, which was magnificent.
Along with several eye-catching carries close to the breakdown and off the shoulder of his centers, Morgan’s breakdown work rate was off the charts.
Hitting a perfect line for his try was a sweet reward for the performance Morgan was waiting for on this tour.
8. Jack Conan – 8
Finding his rhythm in his first real run of the tour, Conan’s subtle catch-and-pass ability is the perfect link for the Lions’ pack and back line.
Beating three defenders in the first half and coming away with a try assist was key to the Lions’ leading at the break.
What sets Conan apart from the other potential No. 8s in the Lions’ squad is his work rate. He continually has involvements, which although they may be less flashy than Pollock or Earl, they are more frequent and impactful on the whole.
9. Jamison Gibson-Park - 8
Clearly spurred on by the performances of the now departed Tomos Williams, JGP had a vintage outing.
Constantly sniping and keeping the Lions’ pack moving with the ability to whip the ball away from the breakdown, it was a great first outing for the Ireland No. 9.
Most importantly, his combination with Finn Russell immediately looked slick.
One blemish, which was not exclusively his fault, was the Reds’ near third try with a miscommunication from the restart. This error should’ve been cleaned up by either van der Merwe or Conan, who both went in motion and didn’t watch the ball.
10. Finn Russell – 8
Rock solid in every department, Russell looks more than just comfortable in the Farrell attacking system.
Constantly operating as the ‘boss back’ with his loop plays, he time and again called the perfect release from his ball carriers to get the ball wide.
Defensively, Russell, who has always been solid, has gone to another level with his ability to make impact tackles.
11. Duhan van der Merwe – 3
Firmly on the back foot for a test spot, the powerhouse Scottish winger does not look comfortable in the Lions’ system.
Unlike Scotland, where his strike running ability is a key focal point, in Andy Farrell’s system, more is expected of wingers to go looking for work.
Throw into the mix his struggles in the air, rather reckless one-handed grab of a ball behind his own line and brutally poor positioning for the Reds’ second try by Josh Flook, and it is tough to see Farrell trusting him on the big occasions.
Overall, it was a fast-and-loose showing from van der Merwe, who did score a try, albeit it was a simple run-in.
12. Bundee Aki – 6.5
Uncharacteristic handling errors are the midpoint between the Finn Russell and Huw Jones playmaking axis.
Aki was well marshalled by the Reds' defense and was just a tick or two below where he normally is with his distribution.
Putting too much on his pull-back passes led to a couple of knock-ons. This would be an indication that his support players are slightly overrunning him, given he often carries into contact before passing rather than popping before contact.
As the match progressed, Aki grew into the contest and looked far more assured outside of Fin Smith, which likely is down to having spent more time training together.
13. Huw Jones – 5
Mirroring his center partner, Jones was quite a way off his best.
Shooting out of the line to try and shut down the Reds’ attack, he was caught out along with van der Merwe for Josh Flook’s try.
Other moments where Jones sat back when perhaps Garry Ringrose would’ve shot out and shut down the opposition were an indication that he isn’t fully set into the defensive system yet.
In attack, his passing just wasn’t where it normally is, and it stopped a few promising Lions’ attacks during the first half.
His intercept try in the second half was well taken and certainly the high point of his outing.
14. Tommy Freeman – 7
Settling his nerves with a try was a positive for the dynamic Northampton Saints’ powerhouse, but aerial knock-ons and inaccurate passes, which were just behind his receivers, are both things to work on.
This being said, Freeman’s willingness to get involved no doubt will be valued by the Lions’ coaches, but the handling errors need to be cut down. This willingness to carry, combined with his power, led to both of his tries.
15. Elliot Daly - 8
Already, the story of the tour, Daly is firmly the front-runner for the fullback shirt come the first test.
Still possessing top-end pace, Daly’s timing when he enters the line is impeccable, while his handling skills are top-notch.
Defensively, he reads plays beautifully and always is in the right position.
Highlighting this positional work was an immensely impressive handling of skills, which was his take of an awkward kick on the 5-meter line in the 32nd minute.
Worryingly, his departure with what looked to be an arm injury really could stretch the Lions’ depth.
Replacements
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie – 7
Solidified the line-out, carried well and was a constant pest around the breakdown.
Cowan-Dickie looked fresh and upped the ante from Kelleher's departure.
17. Ellis Genge – 8
Immediately getting stuck into the Reds, Genge played a key role in winning a penalty at the breakdown before minutes later pummeling through the previously solid Reds’ scrum.
18. Finlay Bealham – 8
From late call-up to test starter?
Right now, Bealham would be the first choice tighthead for Lions, and the gap isn’t particularly that close.
Bealham’s work rate around the park and solidity at scrum time is a step ahead of both Furlong and Stuart. His budding combination with Ellise Genge is another layer to the debate.
19. James Ryan – 6.5
Making his long-overdue Lions’ debut, the Leinster and Ireland lock took on the role of workhorse as soon as he came onto the pitch.
20. Ben Earl - 6
Came in at inside center in what was a fascinating move that could lead one to believe that Farrell is looking toward hybrid players. Watch this space.
21. Alex Mitchell – 7
Quite possibly the most reassuring performance of the day, Mitchell’s impact from the bench was notable.
Not dropping a dot from what Gibson Park brought to proceedings, Mitchell looked assured and capitalized on a tiring Reds’ defense.
With Tomos Williams gone, this performance will have reassured the Lions coaches.
22. Fin Smith - 7
Matched the play of Finn Russell with an equally comfortable showing, the Northampton Saints’ youngster had an exquisite performance.
Slotting into Farrell’s system masterfully, Smith was visibly bossing both the Lions’ attack and defense. This command of the system brought players like Bundee Aki and Tommy Freeman more into the action.
23. Garry Ringrose - 6
Entered the match with seamless ease, the Ireland center featured on the wing and scored the try to take the Lions past the 50-point mark.
It wasn’t the most eventful showing, but Ringrose didn’t miss a beat.
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