Lions grind out 21-10 win over Waratahs after Huw Jones double

Waratahs 10-21 British and Irish Lions, Sydney

The British & Irish Lions were forced to dig deep in a bruising encounter at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, eventually overcoming the Waratahs 21-10 in what was arguably their sternest test of the tour so far.

The match, played under persistent drizzle and on slippery turf, offered a different challenge from previous fixtures, exposing areas of concern for the tourists just a fortnight before their Test series opener against Australia.

Despite controlling most of the possession and territory, the Lions struggled to translate pressure into points. Handling errors, miscommunications, and poor decision-making at key moments kept the Waratahs in the contest far longer than expected.

A first-half brace from centre Huw Jones and a second-half try from Alex Mitchell were enough to get the job done, but the performance left plenty to be addressed by the coaching staff in the days ahead.

The Lions struck early, with their first try arriving in the 11th minute. After multiple phases inside the Waratahs’ 22, slick hands from the midfield released Huw Jones, who sliced through a half-gap to score beneath the posts. Fin Smith converted, giving the visitors a 7-0 lead.

From there, the Lions dominated territory but failed to build on the advantage. Knock-ons, overthrows at lineouts, and breakdown penalties allowed the Waratahs to relieve pressure time and again.

The hosts, buoyed by an energetic home crowd, nearly responded midway through the half when Charlie Gamble drove over the line, but was held up.

The Lions eventually broke the deadlock again just before halftime. In the 36th minute, after repeated pick-and-go phases near the Waratahs’ try line, Jones again found space and dove over for his second try. Smith was once again accurate from the tee, and the Lions took a 14-0 lead into the break.

After halftime, the match took a dramatic turn. The Waratahs emerged with renewed purpose and began to ask serious questions of the Lions’ defence.

Their reward came quickly in the 41st minute, when hooker Ethan Dobbins crashed over from a rolling maul following a penalty-induced lineout deep inside Lions territory. The conversion reduced the deficit to 14-7, igniting hopes of a comeback.

The next 10 to 15 minutes were among the scrappiest of the game. Slippery conditions led to a series of knock-ons, scrum resets, and misjudged kicks from both sides. The Waratahs won key turnovers at the breakdown, frustrating the Lions and preventing any momentum.

But in the 54th minute, the pressure finally told. A short burst off a ruck by scrum-half Alex Mitchell near the Waratahs' five-metre line saw him dart past tired defenders to score a critical try. With Fin Smith converting, the score stretched to 21-7, giving the Lions a comfortable cushion for the first time in the match.

From that point, the Lions tightened up their game and shifted focus to field position and territory control. The Waratahs tried to respond with a final flurry of attacks, but handling errors returned to plague their play.

A long-range penalty attempt in the 72nd minute fell short, and despite some spirited forward carries in the dying minutes, the hosts were unable to breach the Lions’ defence again.

The Lions also had chances to add to their tally, including one promising overlap on the right flank that was cut short by a forward pass. By the final whistle, the scoreboard read 21-10, but the contest had been much closer than many had anticipated.

Team line up:

Waratahs XV: Creighton; Kellaway, Foketi, Walton, Lancaster; Bowen, Wilson; Lambert, Dobbins, Tupou, Lee-Warner, Amatosero, Leota, Gamble, Sinclair.

Reserves: Vailanu, Barrett, Botha, Philip, Adamson, Grant, Edmed, O'Donnell.

British and Irish Lions XV: Keenan; Hansen, Jones, Tuipulotu, Kinghorn; Smith, Mitchell; Schoeman, Cowan-Dickie, Bealham, Cummings, Ryan, Beirne, Van der Flier, Earl.

Reserves: Sheehan, Genge, Furlong, McCarthy, Morgan, White, M Smith, Van der Merwe.