Talking points: Five things we learnt from British & Irish Lions win over Maori All Blacks

Leigh Halfpenny of the Lions kicks a penalty during the match between the New Zealand Maori and the British & Irish Lions at Rotorua International Stadium on June 17, 2017. Getty Images

The British & Irish Lions woke up to more questions yesterday, but ended the day with another boost to their morale ahead of the Test series with a 32-10 win over the Maori All Blacks.

It represented the biggest winning margin in the history of the fixture, and the Lions could scarcely have been more dominant, in what is often described as the tour’s fourth Test match.

Which was handy, as it meant the heat briefly cooled on their coach, who had found himself at the centre of another storm.

Warring Gatland

Warren Gatland never shirks a big decision. Four years ago, he dropped Brian O’Driscoll for the decisive Test in Australia. All hell broke loose - but his team still won.

A lesser controversy back then arrived when he recruited Shane Williams, the great Welsh winger but by now retired, for the final midweek match, mainly because he was nearby and ready to go at short notice.

Gatland has used a selection policy based on proximity rather than merit again, after calling for six replacement players from Wales and Scotland, each of whom are on tour in Australasia.

There are none from England, who are nine hours ahead of New Zealand in Argentina. Critics say that picking who is closest rather than who is best qualified damages the integrity of the Lions concept.

“My only comment would be, I would like to see it picked on merit rather than geographical proximity,” England coach Eddie Jones was quoted as saying by BBC.

Top dollar Halfpenny

Gatland might have plenty of doubters, but he has a decent record of proving them wrong.

The O’Driscoll decision? They won the Test, and so the series. Williams? It has been more or less forgotten about. And, again, they won the series.

He is often accused of Welsh bias, seeing as he is on a second sabbatical from coaching Wales to take charge of the Lions.

Among those Welsh players who were said to be lucky to have made the flight to New Zealand was Leigh Halfpenny.

The fullback was the player of the series last time in Australia, but was a long way off being a Test starter at the start of this tour.

Granted his chance against the Maori because of a tour-ending injury for Stuart Hogg, he reminded everyone of his reliability, landing seven from seven kicks at goal.

Lively kicking

Halfpenny’s kicking from the tee was not the only excellent footwork in the win over the Maori. Halfback pairing Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton were majestic kicking from hand.

Murray has been earning rave reviews so far on tour, even from a doubting home public. He showed his class early in the piece against the Maori, landing a box kick on more or less the exact blade of grass required, which led to a Lions penalty.

Sexton, who was either empowered by the absence of injured Owen Farrell, his rival for the No 10 shirt, or just benefitting from a run of games free of injury himself, was outstanding.

One tactical first-half kick he made could not have been more perfect, kissing the corner flag on its way into touch. The Irish flyhallf must have known his luck was in.

Saracens spine

Much has been made of the fact the likely All Blacks’ tight five will mostly be picked from the same club team, the in-form Crusaders.

Judged by the crushing display of the Lions forward pack against the Maori, they are going to benefit from just such familiarity, too.

Four of the front five in the win - Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, George Kruis and Maro Itoje - are teammates for the European champion side Saracens.

Imperious Itoje scored a try. George was only denied one of his own on TV referral. And they all combined for a penalty try for the Lions, which was just reward for owning the Maori at scrum time.

Case for defence

Gatland’s preference for a tough decision rather than an easy one borders on masochistic. Evidence the fact he has twice plumped for Andy Farrell as defence coach for the Lions, rather than Shaun Edwards, his long-time friend and colleague with Wales and Wasps.

Again, results suggest he knows what he is doing. Farrell has recent knowledge of beating New Zealand to draw on having done so with Ireland last autumn.

He is clearly warming to the task of doing so with the Lions, too. The tourists have conceded just one try in 160 minutes of rugby over the course of the past two Saturdays. Just the sort of form to buoy them ahead of the first Test next weekend.

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