2 Jun 2013

Lions win messy tour opener in Hong Kong

9:44 am on 2 June 2013

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.

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.

Kiwi-born winger Sean Maitland, like Farrell, let himself down with poor handling and botched his early chance.

Barbarians hooker Schalk Brits will face a judicial hearing after he was lucky not to be sent off for belting Saracens clubmate Farrell in the jaw behind play.

The South African was sin-binned by referee Steve Walsh for the ugly seventh-minute incident after he reacted to being held back by the young five-eighth.