The British and Irish Lions have struggled to cope with Hong Kong’s heat and humidity in a mistake-riddled and unconvincing start to their rugby tour.
But the Lions still managed to rack up a 59-8 win over a disappointing Barbarians outfit who conceded six second-half tries on Saturday night.
The pre-match criticism of scheduling the 125th anniversary tour-opener in the height of the Asian summer was vindicated as both sides failed to handle the sweltering plus-30C conditions in front of 28,643 fans.
If Brisbane can turn on a warm winter’s day on June 22 then Australia should start favourites in the first Test.
Warren Gatland’s men did cross for eight five-pointers but they bombed many more through poor passing, fumbles and wrong option-taking.
The Barbarians produced the try of the match after former All Black winger Joe Rokocoko punished a terrible pass by English five-eighth Owen Farrell and put halfback Kahn Fotuali’i over in an electric 60m counter-attack.
On the basis of his sloppy Lions debut, Farrell has given Irishman Jonny Sexton a leg-up in the race for the pivotal No.10 jersey for the three-Test series.
The English golden boy, belted by Saracens clubmate Schalk Brits at the back of an early ruck, slotted six from seven shots at goal but produced far too many errors in attack.
Sexton produced an enterprising 21-minute cameo off the bench and set up Welsh winger Alex Cuthbert for his second try as well as Alun Wyn Jones’ score at the death.
It was three other Welshman – two-try halfback Mike Phillips, centre Jamie Roberts and No.8 Tony Faletau – who were the most impressive
Kiwi-born winger Sean Maitland, like Farrell, let himself down with poor handling and botched his early chance.
Welsh flanker Dan Lydiate and Scottish lock Richie Gray were both whole-hearted 80-minute performers to show they are over their injury problems.
Brits was sin-binned for his inexcusable seventh-minute elbow on Farrell but referee Steve Walsh told the South African hooker he would have been red-carded in a more serious match.
The players could be excused for some mistakes as the mercury reached 37C during the day and was still near 30C by kickoff while the high 90 per cent humidity meant two drinks breaks were taken in each half.
Coach Gatland was unfazed by the errors and denied he was unhappy with anyone’s performance.
“Talking to the players, they said the ball was like a bar of soap with the heat and humidity,” he said.
Stand-in captain Paul O’Connell, who stopped the early rot by crossing for the first try in the 28th minute, said it was incredibly difficult.
“It was close to the most difficult conditions I’ve played in anywhere,” ,” the Irish lock said.
“The humidity and the heat, it was just hard to recover (from one play to the next).”
France-based Rokocoko was the Barbarians’ best and showed his attacking class remains, not having any trouble with the slippery ball and also saving two tries with last-ditch tackles.
Barbarians skipper Sergio Parisse described it as the most energy-sapping conditions he’d experienced.
“It was not a nice experience to play in this weather,” the Italian No.8 said.
“It was hard to hold onto the ball … the jerseys and everything was wet.
“It was difficult to catch the ball and it was difficult to make spin passes.”
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Spot on WCR. Personally I love seeing the Barbarians in action, although even I have to admit that their last two hit-outs have not been of the calibre of past occasions.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
"I don’t get why rugby as a professional sport still needs Barbarian teams." It's something called "tradition". No need to abolish a team that forms part of the games history.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
You didn't watch the game, you don't know many of the players involved and yet you're making such a confident assertion...
Ben.S
Roar Guru
The comparison between Hartley and Farrell is nonsensical. To call Farrell troublemaking is nonsensical. That's it basically.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
I've been in HK for the past month, and I must admit it was awesome to see some sun.
Colin N
Guest
Point one is that there is nothing in the laws to ban him for holding onto someone's shirt. It's one of the most annoying things in rugby for a player, but if Brits was being clever about it, he would have alerted Walsh to the fact that Farrell was holding his shirt and got a penalty. Point two is that Brits didn't warn him, he just thumped him. It was a stupid reaction. Pretty simple stuff really.
colvin
Guest
Actually Ben, I like to think I'm one of the deeper thinkers who comment on this site. Luckily I've been on this planet many years more than most which has given me many opportunities to think and then rethink things. I've been around so long, I can even recall Winston McCarthy's iconic call "Listen, Listen, it's a Goal" .When I had dinner with Fred Alan in Hong Kong many years ago he told me why NZ has been able to stay ahead of the rest of the rugby world for over 100 years. He said it's because " we have been able to stay ahead of them". Fred knew and passed on that wisdom to me.. When I was coached by Eric Watson and our front row comprised some pretty big lunks coach Eric reckoned our front row couldn't pass school certificate with all their marks combined. But I managed it, maybe because I was a 7 and all 7's are deep thinkers. And when I was playing Town V Country way back when, our half back Chris Laidlaw said at a lineout I needed to do more work. Me, do more work? The nerve of him. I was too busy deeply thinking to do more work. What was he expecting? And our first five Earle Kirton didn't pass to me twice near the line which prevented me from getting a brace. He got caught with the ball both times. I was deeply thinking that if Earnie passed to me I would have scored twice. I was coached in one session by D.B.(Don) Clarke. Can you believe this? DB knew more about forward play than our coach we all thought. Kevin Skinner used to drink in the same pub as us. We used to sit there having a few beers sneak peeking at Kevin in awe, thinking deeply the stories of Kevin and the Boks. So you can see I'm a long term deep thinker. So that brings me to your post. Do I want to rethink it. Well no, but if you like I will add to it. Farrell is pretty well known for having a short fuse and in Europe often gets targeted to put him off his game. In HK he was hanging around offside at a ruck, jersey pulling Brits. Brits warned him twice and when he wouldn't let go thumped him. Farrell then retaliated. Interesting that Brits got a yellow and then three weeks. Farrell, the instigator celebrated like he had just kicked the winning goal of a Lions series. Also Farrell got nothing for being either the instigator or for retaliating. He could have got three weeks, like Brits. How would his Lions tour have looked then? Seems like a tactic Robbie should employ.
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
Jez, sorry I missed you. How's all the sooking about the weather! Jesus, just about everyone I bumped into was talking about it being the best patch of HK weather in years. I guess if the boys thought that was hot we wont get em out to Dempsey at 1pm on a cloudless saturday.
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
Really crash ball. I was there and it was clear skies and low-mid 30's...night game with a touch of breeze. Quite nice actually. Lot or rubbish being made about the weather...its all rubbish excuses.
SkinnyKid
Roar Rookie
The boys were out in force around LKF and Wan Chai all week. Their D around the fringes proved it.
Warren
Guest
Agree, I was at the game and the way he reacted to the penalty being turned around was childish in the extreme. Makes you wish Britz, slotted him harder! He'll be to Aus crowds what QC was to NZ's in the last RWC.
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Quite right Nick, It's also worth bearing in mind that the rest of the 6 Nations teams, including those that have donated their best players to the Lions, all start tours of their own next weekend. The Baa-baas have not only had to take the best of the rest, but also still attempt to select players that fulfill their criteria of being of a decent standard and able to behave themselves on and off the field.
Top Secret
Roar Pro
I am in Hong Kong. It was 35 degrees on June 1. It was bloody hot. These blokes will need a month to recover given most of them are overweight.
Colin N
Guest
Come on, as Bakkies has alluded to, in that backline you have Evans, Yachvili who I would say are amongst the best in the world in their position. Payne played Super Rugby for years before moving to Ulster and you surely remember Ngwenya for skinning Habana in the 2007 World Cup? He has his flaws but he's performed very well for Biarritz and is a threat in space. Daly's had an outstanding season for Wasps and would have gone with England to Argentina had England not had such depth at full-back (he played centre against the Lions, his age-grade position, but has played most at full-back) As for the flankers, Manoa's had an outstanding season for Northampton and Jones is another up and coming player at Wasps. Apparently he made 23 tackles on Saturday, which considering the conditons, is astonishing. "However, my key point remains, unless the authorities are willing to pick a Babas side of comparable strength to the lions, then don’t bother. Otherwise it’s an insult to both teams." That's the thing, it was a strong team and it should have challenged the Lions, but they didn't perform.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
'It seems like Farrell has similar uncontrollable troublemaking characteristics to Hartley.' On the basis of holding onto a player's shirt? Might want to rethink that comment.
Bakkies
Guest
How would that be arranged this weekend with Super Rugby on? The Force have a match on Wednesday. The provinces will be shot of their players due to Deans minding camps after this week's round.
Bakkies
Guest
Casey Laulala
Jason Cave
Guest
I would rather The British & Irish Lions played against maybe not the Barbarians but a Australian Invitational XV, featuring players who are on the fringes of Wallaby selection a chance to show coach Robbie Deans that they should be in the Australian team to play in the first Test against The Lions in Brisbane.
Carl Pieters
Guest
No, we didn't. Mike Tindall is not the best of the rest. He is a player on the verge of retirement.
Katipo
Guest
The Barbarians team was full of great talent. Rokococo a stand out. The score line flattered the Lions. Lions dominated possession and territory and the points followed. Mike Philips was man of the match due to the platform his forward pack provided. 33 degrees and humid. The ball was like wet soap. Lots of mistakes. The Lions looked fatigued and I wondered if the Wallabies will have an edge fitness wise. Deans is pretty strong on the conditioning of his teams. I was at the game. It was a dreadful boring spectacle. It wasn't worth the ticket price. I think rugby union in Australia has a lot on the line with this tour. If the Wallabies win the series, regardless, if it's a snore festival it'll be bad for rugby. Chances are it'll be a lacklustre spectacle based on the current state of the game I'm sorry to say.