Live Commentary: British and Irish Lions 59-8 Barbarians - as it happened

By | , Last updated:

Lions 59-8 Barbarians - as it happened
© PA Photos

The British and Irish Lions got their summer tour underway in Hong Kong this afternoon when they took on the Barbarians.

Warren Gatland made a number of notable selections since taking over as the team's head coach and he was hoping that his players could stake their claim for a place in the side when they face Australia in the Test matches.

The Lions put in a great performance to earn a six-try win over their opponents.

Read how it all unfolded in the live commentary below.

2.35pmThat's it from me, I hope you enjoyed the game. See you soon.
2.33pmThe Welsh players were certainly class in this outing, and Lions take some real momentum going into their clash with Western Force on Wednesday.
2.32pmA big big win for the Lions and Warren Gatland will be delighted with that. They had great shape, pattern and structure and there is certainly a lot of competition for places.
2.31pmFULL TIME: Lions 59-8 Barbarians
80+2 minCONVERSION MISSED! Lions 59-8 Barbarians (Johnny Sexton)
80+1 minThey get it! Lions play the line well and wing it out to Jones, who jogs over the line to add the final try of the match.
80 minTRY! Lions 59-8 Barbarians (Alun-Wyn Jones)
80 minTime is up, but the Lions have a penalty and are keen on another try.
79 minNick Evans has a run for the Baa-Baas, but he is stopped in his tracks by Heaslip as this game comes to a close.
77 minSexton gets it the third time around, and the Lions lead by 46 points.
77 minCONVERSION SCORED! Lions 54-8 Barbarians (Johnny Sexton)
76 minWhat was I saying? The Lions score again. They win the lineout just a few yards from the try line, before bringing the ball down and driving over. Lydiate is the carrier, and he gets the honours.
75 minTRY! Lions 52-8 Barbarians (Dan Lydiate)
75 minThe game starting to drag in the closing stages here. But there is a lot for Warren Gatland and his coaching staff to be happy about.
72 minWith eight minutes to go, we have another water break.
70 minSexton misses an identical chance to the one he had earlier. No extras added.
70 minCONVERSION MISSED! Lions 47-8 Barbarians (Johnny Sexton)
70 minIt's another try for the Lions and a brace for Cuthbert. He combined well with North and O'Gara, before darting over in the bottom corner. Lovely score.
69 minTRY! Lions 47-8 Barbarians (Alex Cuthbert)
66 minThe Barbarians kick the ball into touch and have a lineout deep in the Lions half. They are coming into the game a bit more now. Rokocoko is always dangerous.
64 minThe Welsh players are really linking up well at the moment. Cuthbert, Jones, Faletau, Roberts and others are all running riot in Hong Kong.
63 minSexton misses his second kick from the touchline. It was a tricky ask and one that he couldn't pull off.
62 minCONVERSION MISSED! Lions 42-8 Barbarians (Johnny Sexton)
61 minThe lions are running riot. Cuthbert makes a big hit on Parisse to turn the ball over. Faletau picks up the pieces and pass right to Jamie Roberts who waits for the moment before popping in Cuthbert, who races towards the corner and goes over for the points.
61 minTRY! Lions 42-8 Barbarians (Alex Cuthbert)
59 minSexton is off the mark with the boot, and the Lions have a big lead now.
59 minCONVERSION SCORED! Lions 37-8 Barbarians (Johnny Sexton)
59 minThey try is given and Davies, who has been superb today, gets awarded the score.
58 minTRY! Lions 35-8 Barbarians (Jonathan Davies)
58 minLions think they have scored another try when Jonathan Davies goes over, but Walsh sends it to the TMO after a suspicion of several knock-ons. I think the try will be given though.
58 minThe Baa-Baas fail to add the extras and the two sides go off for a water break. Owen Farrell has gone off, and Johnny Sexton is on.
58 minCONVERSION MISSED! Lions 30-8 Barbarians (Nick Evans)
57 minIt's a lovely try for the Baa-Baas, they managed to turn the ball over and hoist the ball out to Rokocoko. It's a majestic run from him as he leaves Faletau for dead before passing inside to Fortuali'i who runs over.
57 minTRY! Lions 30-8 Barbarians (Kahn Fortuali'i)
53 minTom Youngs on for the Lions, replacing Richard Hibbard at hooker.
52 minWow! That was close yet again from the Lions, but Yachvili makes another try-saving stop. Tipuric kicks the ball through to Maitland who quickly offloads it to Farrell. The latter closes in on the try line and opts for a looped pass, but Yachvili is there to palm it away at the death.
51 minGood defending from the Barbarians. The ball drops loose to Yachvili from the scrum, who bats the ball through his legs to a teammate for it to be cleared. The pressure is on the Baa-Baas at the moment though.
50 minFive-metre scrum for the Lions and they have a prime chance to add to the score.
49 minSo close! Justin Tipuric takes the ball from the ruck and heads for the posts. Rokocoko manages to make a last-ditch tackle and holds up the try.
46 minThat try was far too easy for Phillips, and he knew that as soon as he got the ball that he was going to go over with it. Poor defending from the Baa-Baas.
44 minFarrell hits another good kick, and the Lions are off to a flyer here.
44 minCONVERSION SCORED! Lions 30-3 Barbarians (Owen Farrell)
43 minWhat a start to the half for the Lions and Phillips gets his second try of the match and it is a comfortable one. The Lions win the lineout and play it to Phillips, he dummies his marker before diving over in the corner.
42 minTRY! Lions 28-3 Barbarians (Mike Phillips)
40 minNo changes, and we are back underway.
1.40pmThe teams are back out here, ahead of the second half.
1.29pmSo far so good for the Lions. Despite the conditions they have largely dominated the half, and take a big lead into the break against a good Barbarians lineup.
1.29pmThat brings the half to the close as Farrell looks determined to try to impress on his Lions debut.
1.28pmHALF TIME Lions 23-3 Barbarians
40+1 minPENALTY SCORED! Lions 23-3 Barbarians (Owen Farrell)
40 minLions have a penalty, Farrell snatche the ball and looks to convert from 50m on the right.
40 minThe conditions are causing havoc out there as we approach half time. The ball is pretty much acting the same as a bar of soap.
38 minThe Barbarians are penalised for the sixth time at a scrum! Lions have a penalty. Paul James the guilty person.
37 minThe Baa-Baas have a real chance to get their first try when Daly passes to Wentzel. The ball slips from his grasp and we have a scrum.
37 minO'Connell is back on after taking a short break in the blood bin. Alun-Wyn Jones did a sterling job for the short time he was on the field.
35 minWe're enduring another water break at the moment. The ball is really slipping away from players out there. Torrid conditions for both sides.
34 minNot mistake from Farrell on the left, the Lions now have a 17-point lead.
33 minCONVERSION SCORED! Lions 20-3 Barbarians (Owen Farrell)
32 minThe Lions break downfield, with Cuthbert offloading to Phillips who slaloms through the opposition. He is hit by Parisse but he cannot hold him, and the duo roll over the try line for Phillips to touch down.
31 minTRY! Lions 18-3 Barbarians (Mike Phillips)
29 minFarrell adds the extras to give the Lions some breathing space.
29 minCONVERSION SCORED! Lions 13-3 Barbarians (Owen Farrell)
28 minIt's been given, and the skipper O'Connell scores the first try of the 2013 Lions tour.
28 minTRY! Lions 11-3 Barbarians (Paul O'Connell)
28 minThe Lions come so close to going over. First through Phillips, which the Lions feel that they have held up. Then O'Connell dummies before darting over, and the ref sends it to the TMO.
27 minThe Lions can smell a try. Nice passage of play at the moment and they are just yards from the try line. The Barbarians are standing strong for now.
26 minVunipola is given a stern warning for slipping out of the scrum, on the restart, the Lions are awarded the decision and opt to kick early.
23 minFarrell gets the ball on the halfway line in a deep position and kicks a high ball into the sky. It finally lands back in Hong Kong and is caught heroically by the onrushing Roberts, and the Lions can continue the move. Phenomenal stuff from the duo.
22 minNo mistake this time, easier as you like from Farrell from wide out on the right wing.
21 minPENALTY SCORED! Lions 6-3 Barbarians (Owen Farrell)
20 minThe Lions have another penalty, this time on the right. Can Owen Farrell make amends for his earlier miss?
18 minGood hands by Davies puts Maitland free on the left, but Payne comes up and the Scot winger knocks the ball on in the tackle.
17 minO'Connell's shirt is already drenched in sweat and sticking to his body. That's how hot it is in Hong Kong.
16 minDue to the humidity, we are currently undergoing one of four scheduled water breaks. Ironically, the song of "Ole Ole Ole Ole, feeling hot hot hot," sounds around the stadium.
16 minWhat a massive kick that was! From 49m out, Elliot Daly manages to get enough hang time on the ball for it to loop over the posts and level the game up.
16 minPENALTY SCORED! Lions 3-3 Barbarians (Elliot Daly)
15 minThe BaaBaas have so much more bite about them today compared to when they turned out at Twickenham last week. They now have a penalty which Elliot Daly is eyeing up.
13 minThe Lions have a penalty after the scrum collapses on their five-metre line. Farrell's kick from the left is poor though and the score stays the same.
11 minSo close! The Lions nearly get the game's opening try. Barbarians lose possession after trying to take a quick kick. The Lions turn it over and Maitland plays a grubber towards the try line and pegs after it. He is just pipped to the ball by Yachvili.
11 minGood break from Jamie Roberts, but Alex Cuthbert fails to take his offload and the ball is knocked on.
10 minThe ironic thing about the Brits-Farrell clash is that the two are in fact teammates at Saracens! You just cannot make that up.
9 minWell Barbarians head coach Dai Young said that his side would be more fired up, I think we have seen enough evidence of that.
8 minYELLOW CARD Schalk Brits is sent to the sin bin for that punch. Walsh makes it clear that because it is a warm-up match, it is just a yellow for him. Nothing has been given to Farrell.
8 minThe TMO has made his verdict, and we await the decision.
8 minAfter seeing that strike, referee Steve Walsh could give the decision the other way.
7 minHandbags! Well slightly more than that. Owen Farrell is caught trying to trade blows with the opposition from the ruck and the penalty is awarded to the BaaBaas. Farrell was holding and standing offside, but Brits absolutely chins him! David Haye would be proud of that.
5 minThe conditions aren't ideal out there. The pitch is already cutting up in the early stages of this match. Imagine the state of it come the final whistle. The heat will no doubt also be causing problems.
3 minPENALTY SCORED! Lions 3-0 Barbarians (Owen Farrell) The Lions have their first points on the board and it's Owen Farrell who drops the ball between the posts.
2 minOuch. Stuart Hogg catches a kick and goes on one of his textbook mazy runs. However, he runs straight into Laulala, who flattens him like a pancake but concedes a penalty.
2 minDecent start from the Lions, they're taking to the Barbarians in the early stages of the match but the Baa-Baas are holding their own at the moment.
1 minOwen Farrell takes the kick, and the 2013 tour of Australia is on.
0 minThe Lions tour has begun!
12.37pmWe're all done, kick off is imminent!
12.36pmAt the moment, we're currently sitting through the China national anthem.
12.35pmBoth sides are just carrying out the usual pre-match rituals and we will shortly be underway.
12.33pmThe teams are making their way out the tunnel, with Lion toy in hand, to mass amounts of pyro and applause.
12.31pmLess than five minutes to go!
12.30pmThe Barbarians go into this match off the back of a big 40-12 defeat to England, so they will be looking for some kind of revenge in this match.
12.27pmSo as you can see, the Lions lineup contains no fewer than nine Welshmen, with an all-Welsh back row in Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau.
12.20pmJust 15 minutes to go until the Lions tour gets underway.
12.19pmGatland: "There's no panic, they're professional, so they'll just get on."
12.19pmWarren Gatland has been commenting on the kickoff delay, and doesn't believe it will affect his players.
12.11pmBARBARIANS XV: Payne, Rokocoko, Daly, Laulala, Ngwenya, Evans, Yachvili; James, Brits, Castrogiovanni, Wentzel, Mumm, Manoa, S Jones, Parisse
12.10pmLIONS XV: Vunipola, Hibbard, Jones, Gray, O'Connell, Lydiate, Tipuric, Faletau, Hogg, Cuthbert, Davies, Roberts, Maitland, Farrell, Phillips
12.08pmHere is the rest of the team news.
12.07pmSome early team news for you from the Lions camp. As I'm sure you're aware, Sam Warburton misses out on this match with an injury, so former skipper Paul O'Connell will captain the side today in his absence.
12.04pmKICKOFF NEWS! The start of today's match has been delayed by five minutes, due to the Lions getting stuck in manic traffic.
12.04pmIt's finally here rugby fans! It seems as if we have been waiting forever for this first match, and I'm so excited for it. I'm sure you are as well.
12.03pmHello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from Hong Kong, where the British and Irish Lions take on the Barbarians in the opening match of their summer tour of Australia.
Author photo

Written by

Share this article:

People mentioned in this article :

Teams mentioned in this article :

British and Irish Lions related articles
Rugby Union related articles
Subscribe to our newsletter

Get FREE daily news and in-depth previews for games from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football — straight to your inbox.

Subscribe