“Absolute Disaster” – Four Lions players who flopped against Western Force

RUCK’s Lions content is powered by ISUZU. 

The tourists ran riot in the second half after a slightly scrappy first 40 — but the scoreboard masked a few individual underperformances.

Some Lions looked a level above; others looked off the pace — or out of contention entirely. With the Test matches looming, Andy Farrell will already be making notes.

Here are four Lions who failed to fire, with scores and quotes from the top rugby outlets.

RUCK 5 | RugbyPass 6 | Express 5

RUCK: “He really struggled up against the Forces’ pace to the game and gave away some silly penalties in and around the breakdown.”

RugbyPass: “Busy in the tight but appeared to be on the wrong side of Ben O’Keeffe’s whistle early on, giving away two breakdown penalties.”

Express: “Needless penalties in first half before being replaced in second.”

Beirne’s move to the back row didn’t pay off. He looked off-rhythm early and conceded costly penalties that gave the Force momentum. Not the kind of calm leadership expected from such an experienced Lion. Discipline will be non-negotiable in the Tests — and Beirne knows it.

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4

RUCK: “Really struggled under the pressure at the scrum... a passenger struggling with the Forces’ physicality.”

Planet Rugby: “Struggled in the scrums but was busy around the park.”

Telegraph: "The Force put the Lions scrum under serious pressure which leaves his position vulnerable after Ellis Genge’s strong performance last week."

Schoeman found the going tough up front, especially in the first half. He offered his usual work rate in loose play, but the Force repeatedly got the better of him at the scrum — and that pressure filtered through the Lions' entire pack. Didn't show the presence he had against Argentina.

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4

RUCK: “Struggled in the physicality department… lost the battle at set piece and was on the back foot for the majority of the game.”

Planet Rugby: “Not nearly as dominant in the scrums as he was a week ago… managed to get through a decent amount of defence work.”

Telegraph: "Would have hoped for a more dominant performance against a converted loosehead in Tom Robertson. Got through a lot of tackles and some soft hands in phase play."

Another surprise dip. Furlong, usually a reliable anchor at the set piece, had an unusually shaky night. While his hands and defence were solid, the Lions needed dominance — not damage control — from the veteran tighthead. He’ll be under pressure to bounce back quickly.

RUCK 4 | RugbyPass 5.5 | Express 5 | Balls.ie 5 | Telegraph 3 | Mail Online 4

RUCK: “At the forefront of the Lions’ biggest Achilles heel, which was kick-off restarts… maybe played himself out of test contention.”

RugbyPass: “Failed to reclaim the restart… and the second-half kick-off too.”

Balls.ie: “Targeted for restarts and struggled there.”

Express: “Line-out worked but didn’t see much carrying.”

Telegraph: "An absolute disaster at the restarts where he was mercilessly targeted by the Force."

Mail Online: "His glaring series of lapses at re-starts created openings for the Force and the Scot was unable to take his chance."

A frustrating night for the Scottish lock. Missed two restarts — one of which directly led to the Force’s only try — and gave away a soft penalty near his own line. Made plenty of tackles, but his aerial work and general impact left a lot to be desired. A golden opportunity missed.

12 years have passed since Warren Gatland’s men roared to a famous series win over Australia, but how well do you really remember the iconic 2013 British & Irish Lions squad?

From legendary leaders to surprise selections, we’ve lined up every player from that unforgettable tour. All you have to do is name them. No pressure, right?

Take the quiz below and prove your rugby brain still bites.

? Scroll down and get cracking – how many can you get without cheating?