Lions player ratings as Tadhg Beirne and Dan Sheehan star on tour

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

The British and Irish Lions headed down under this Summer as massive favourites for the series with Australia.
While the games never turned out to be quite as one-sided as feared, Andy Farrell's charges still managed to get the job done and win the series 2-1.
For Irish fans, it was a tour that saw Tadhg's Furlong and Beirne become Lions legends, while Hugo Keenan wrote himself into the history books with his series winning try in test two.
Here, we take a look at how every test player performed across the series.
Hugo Keenan – Secured Lions immortality with the last-gasp try that clinched the series with a game to spare and generally served his team well. 7.5 (out of 10)
Tommy Freeman – A stellar season was not reflected in his form against the Wallabies and overall the Lions needed more from their wings. 6
Blair Kinghorn – Destined to start the first Test until he was struck by a knee injury and he then struggled to make an impact in the rest of the series. 6
James Lowe – Picked on reputation for the first two Tests but performed below his usual standard and was dropped for the final match in Sydney. 5
Sione Tuipulotu – Showed his class at Suncorp Stadium but was going to be dropped anyway until a hamstring injury settled any selection debate. 7
Huw Jones – Produced some big moments, including a powerful try in Melbourne, but was not the same force without Tuipulotu beside him. 6.5
Bundee Aki – Dropped pass enabled Australia to strike at Stadium Australia, but that was just one of several errors across the three Tests. 5
Owen Farrell – His call-up created a huge talking point but in the end it was a sensible decision given the issues at inside centre. Solid when he came on. 6.5
Marcus Smith – A limited contribution lasting just 14 minutes in the Brisbane opener and then made way for Farrell. It was a difficult tour for the England star. 6
Finn Russell – Peaked in the first half of the first Test when he unlocked the Wallabies with his sublime handling, but was also at the heart of other key moments. 7.5
Jamison Gibson-Park – A general of a half-back who ran the show at times but he was outplayed by opposite number Nic White in Sydney. 7.5
Alex Mitchell – Man of steel who played in every match on tour apart from the second Test when he stayed on the bench. Thrived as a Lion. 6.5
Ellis Genge – Magnificent in the first Test but was used as a super-sub in the matches thereafter, meaning a key player spent less time on the field. 7.5
Andrew Porter – Overshadowed by rival loosehead Genge and endured a difficult night when scrummaging against Taniela Tupou in Sydney. 6
Dan Sheehan: A player of the series contender who is redefining the role of hooker. Only the last Test dipped below excellent for the stand-in skipper. 8
Ronan Kelleher – There was a drop off at hooker when Sheehan left the field and perhaps Jamie George was a better option than Kelleher. 5.5
Tadhg Furlong – Heads back to Ireland as a Lions great having made nine successive Test starts. Disappointing final outing in the red jersey, otherwise a giant. 7.5
Will Stuart – Supporting role for Furlong had its moments and the England prop will be pleased with a season that has propelled him into the top echelon of tightheads. 7
Maro Itoje – Outstanding series from another bona fide Lions great and was immense in the decisive second Test. A worthy captain who led the squad in his own way. 8.5
Joe McCarthy – Rose to the occasion magnificently with a brutish performance in the first Test only for a foot injury to cut his series short. 8
Ollie Chessum – Made a difference off the bench in Brisbane but was unable to scale those heights again. Returns home with three Lions caps and a shot at 2029. 6.5
James Ryan – His selection over Scott Cummings for Melbourne raised eyebrows but he justified the decision and was muscular in the last Test until he was knocked out. 7
Tadhg Beirne – Like Curry, saved his best for the series. The tireless blindside flanker produced a string of big game moments and was a worthy player of the tour winner. 9
Tom Curry – Middling form in the tour games gave way to vintage Curry for the Tests. A hard as nails openside who plays through the pain barrier time and again. 8.5
Jac Morgan – Australian anguish over his clearout of Carlos Tizzano failed to detract from his vital intervention in the second Test. A force off the bench. 7.5
Jack Conan – While his influence waned as the series went on, he was never less than solid. Possibly Sydney was a game too far for the number eight. 7
Ben Earl – Made a difference off the bench in Sydney and there is an argument that he should have started the final match to freshen up a tiring side. 7
Andy Farrell, head coach – Joins an elite and small band of successful Lions coaches after masterminding the first series triumph since 2013. His passion for the Lions makes him their ultimate champion and will surely return for the 2029 expedition to New Zealand. 9