The British & Irish Lions have kept rolling with a 36-24 win over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
In what will be the last hit-out for the majority of players before the first Test against the Wallabies, the Lions struck either side of the break to pull away with a commanding lead.
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The Brumbies put up a commendable fight with a host of Wallabies in the stands watching.
But it was the class of Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell and co that delivered enough for the victory.
The Brumbies were intent on replicating their 2013 heroics and a fourth minute try to Tuaina Taii Tualima, the same minute they opened the scoring on that night 12 years ago, was a perfect start.
The visitors settled into the game and Ollie Cheesum hit back instantly after a Brumbies mistake gave them perfect field position to spread the ball for the flanker to score.
Winger James Lowe looked to have scored seven minutes later, only to be stopped by a brilliant try-saver by Andy Muirhead.
They couldn’t stop him shortly afterwards as the Lions stretched their lead out to 12-5.
The Brumbies hit back as a lovely ball from the departing Ben O’Donnell hit flyer Corey Toole on the chest for a nice five-pointer.
However, the turning point came right before the half-time siren as flyhalf Finn Russell’s grubber hit the corner post and stayed in for a goal-line dropout.
From this, the Brumbies’ short option provided the chance for Marcus Smith to dive over for a nine point lead at half-time.
The Lions extended the lead shortly after the break after some lovely interchange from Smith and Garry Ringrose.
The Irish centre put Smith through a hole as the English playmaker raced away and put it on the foot for Ringrose to dive over.
Hudson Creighton’s try reduced the margin and made the Brumbies the first non-Wallabies Australian side to score three or more tries against the Lions since the Brumbies in 2001.
Ultimately, it was all the Lions as Josh van der Flier’s rolling maul try secured the win with 13 minutes to go.
Liam Bowron crashed over for a consolation try but it was the visitors night.
The only concern for the Lions will be the fitness of Blair Kinghorn after the fullback went off with a leg injury.
Kinghorn picked the knock up in the opening ten minutes and played on for several minutes before succumbing in the 25th minute.
British & Irish Lions 36 (Lowe, Smith, Ringrose 2, Chessum, van der Flier tries; Russell 4 cons; Russell pen) def ACT Brumbies 24 (Toole, Creighton, Tualima, Bowron tries; R. Lonergan, Debreczeni con)
