Reds 12-22 Lions

The Lions ground out a tough 22-12 win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane in what was quite an assignment for the tourists. The Reds played with such a high tempo and apparent freedom, typified by the excellent Quade Cooper. Still, in the east coast rain, Warren Gatland will be generally content with the shift his team put in.

Players’ verdict:

15: Stuart Hogg – lively, generally assured, although he’s not in contention to start against the Wallabies…7/10
14: Alex Cuthbert – looked laboured and slow in the first half when he was trumped in attack and defence by opposite number Luke Morahan. Blow to his prospects of starting the first test…5

Lions squad verdict: the forwards

See also Lions squad verdict: the backs

Dan Cole

What a unit – one of the best scrummagers in world rugby, even if the English pack did get schooled in the Six Nations against Wales

Cian Healy

Another prop whose name had been pencilled into the Lions squad list for some time, although he blotted his copybook somewhat with a stupid stamp on Cole in the Six Nations

Gethin Jenkins

A wonderfully mobile front rower (and I’ll take any excuse to repost a video of him humiliating Ronan O’Gara) whose Six Nations performances demonstrated his relative weakness, the scrum, was not really anything of the sort

Adam Jones