"Owen Farrell masterclass" - 5 Things You Missed: Lions 24 - 19 First Nations & Pasifika XV

The Lions crossed over the whitewash after just three minutes, yet Duhan van der Merwe had his early try dissallowed in Melbourne. His Scotland teammate Darcy Graham stepped into touch in the lead up to the try, with van der Merwe's scrubbed off the score-board in the early goings.

However, the Lions would rally back with a try after just seven minutes. Fresh off his call-up to bolster the training squad, Ireland centre Jamie Osborne made good on his Lions debut with an early try. The centre was quickest to collect Owen Farrell's kick-chase in the back-field, to ground the ball for the opening score of the afternoon.

Graham remained at the forefront, as he was clattered into touch from a high shot by his opposite man Triston Riley. The First Nations & Pasifika wing was sent to the sin bin, with the Lions instantly taking advantage of the extra man. Fin Smith found Graham out on the wing, with the Scotsman wheeling away for an eleventh minute score.

However, Graham would then suffer an ankle injury in the action of collecting a pass at full-stretch. The Scot was replaced by Garry Ringrose, with Triston Riley then bagging a try upon his return from the bin. Riley would then get his name on the score-board, as he broke away at the 19th minute after intercepting a wayward pass from Blair Kinghorn.

FN&P backed this up with a second try to level the scoring, with back row battler Seru Uru making his mark from close range. The solid series of pick drives was wrapped up by Uru, who could well feature for the Wallabies in upcoming Test matches. Lions lock James Ryan was subsequently sent to the sin bin following the score, for repeated offside and breakdown offences by the Ireland and Leinster man.

The second half commenced with a hot-start from the Lions, with debutant Jamie Osborne crossing over for his second score. The Irishman was found in plenty of space out wide, with the plaudits going to Blair Kinghorn's miss-pass. The Lions would then have a second try ruled out, as Josh van der Flier's score was cancelled out after a knock-on in the build up from Garry Ringrose.

However, the Lions would then get van der Merwe over the line the second time of asking. The Scottish powerhouse was found out wide by Owen Farrell, following a nice 'show-and-go' dummy from the England and Saracens man.

First Nations & Pasifika ran the Lions close for a thrilling finale, as Rob Leota crossed over for a close-range try just eight minutes from full-time. It was a dramatic conclusion down in Melbourne, as the Lions were almost upset by a debuting side that could not be more proud of their first match.

TRIES: 4 (Osborne 7', 44', Graham 11', van der Merwe 63')

CONVERSIONS: 2 (F. Smith 7', 11')

PENALTIES: 0

DROP GOALS: 0

YELLOW CARDS: 1 (Ryan 22')

RED CARDS: 0

TRIES: 3 (Riley 19', Uru 22', Leota 72')

CONVERSIONS: 2 (Beale 19', 22')

PENALTIES: 0

DROP GOALS: 0

YELLOW CARDS: 1 (Riley 5')

RED CARDS:

Due to the intense and unrelenting schedule of the British & Irish Lions tour, Andy Farrell reinforced his ranks with the addition of several new additions to bolster the training camp out in Australia. Seven of these players were included in today's Lions match day 23, to make a rare appearance in red against the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Some tight turn-arounds were endured, to make it across to Melbourne for some of the latest additions.

Centre Jamie Osborne and prop Tom Clarkson of Ireland were added to the squad, after both impressing in Ireland's recent Summer tour wins over Georgia and Portugal. Both made their debuts for the Lions, as Ireland head coach Andy Farrell got a unique look at the prospect talents. Scotland contributed wing Darcy Graham, hooker Ewan Ashman, prop Rory Sutherland and lock Gregor Brown to the side, after the players yo-yoed between the Lions' Australia camps and Scotland's respective tour of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands this Summer.

Sutherland, Ashman and Brown entered the match just four days after Scotland's win over Samoa, at Auckland's Eden Park. Sutherland was the only Scot called-up with former Lions experience, having toured with the Lions to South Africa in 2021. The front rowers only enjoyed five minutes out in Melbourne, with Andy Farrell only utilising his well-traveled reinforcements at the very end of the match.

Former England captain Jamie George made his way across from the Summer tour of Argentina and the USA, and started at hooker out in Melbourne. Having made his way across the world for his third Lions tour, George put in an enduring iron-man effort for a arduous 75 minute run-out. The England and Saracens hooker looked impressive in the hard-fought win, and could well bolster the Test match squad should any unforeseen injuries bring him further into the fray.

It was a whirlwind Lions debut for wing Darcy Graham, who was at the heart of plenty of drama in his 16-minute run out. The Scotsman was introduced to life as a Lion following an early high shoulder hit from his opposite man Triston Riley, with Graham sent tumbling into touch. This sparked a mass brawl out in Melbourne, as Owen Farrell was leading the support of his targeted Lions teammate, with the tone set as tempers flared in the Marvel Stadium.

Graham would then make his way into the annals of Lions history, as he bagged himself a try shortly after the clattering collision. The Scotsman called for the ball out-wide, with ample space in front of him, thanks to the extra man advantage. Fin Smith found Graham with an inch-perfect miss-pass, to send the Glasgow Warriors man over for the score. However, Graham's night ended in heart-break, as he suffered an injured ankle just moments later for his eventual withdrawal.

Another recent Lions reinforcement who impressed upon his Lions opportunity, Ireland's Jamie Osborne had a day to remember out in Melbourne. In what could well be his sole involvement of the tour, given the hot form of Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose and now Owen Farrell in the centres. Osborne bagged two tries against the First Nation and Pasifika XV, as a sign of things to come for the 2029 Lions tour to New Zealand.

Osborne opened the scoring for the Lions, with a sharp reading of his midfield partner Farrell's subtle chip over the back-field. The ball bounced invitingly in-goal, with Osborne the fastest to react for the opening score of the match. The 23-year-old followed this up with his well taken try early on in the second half, as he latched on to Blair Kinghorn's looping miss-pass for a breezy finish down in the corner. Whilst the latest Lions additions received some comparisons to the controversial 'Georgraphy Six' of the 2017 tour of New Zealand, Osborne proved his worth in the red shirt with a commanding performance on debut.

Owen Farrell put in a stunning performance as Lions captain, with the former England skipper taking up the armband for the clash with the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Farrell led with a fierce passion that engulfed his side, as emotions ran high as the early shot on Darcy Graham ignited the opening skermish.

Farrell was masterful from the boot, with neat nudges into the back field asking continuous questions of the FN&P players. Farrell slotted in at inside centre for the match, with a nice partnership arrising in the axis alongside his fellow countryman Fin Smith - could this be a possible a sign of things to come for England? Farrell produced a trademark try assist for Duhan van der Merwe in the second half, as he sold the dummy to the defenders, and played in the flying Scotsman for a 63rd minute score.

A brilliant contribution from Farrell, whom England fans are excited to see back in the Premiership for the new season. The 33-year-old proved that he still has plenty left to give, with a 'Test match animal' performance, despite having last played in an international match back in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Bronze Final with England. Plenty to back his inclusion in the squad for the 2nd Test against Australia.

Marcus Smith had an incredibly brief cameo out in Melbourne, with just five minutes on the pitch for the Lions against the First Nations & Pasifika XV. The halfback entered the fray in wake of his fellow countryman and namesake Fin Smith, to close out the match alongside his former England positional rival Owen Farrell in the 10-12 channel.

However, Smith would be withdrawn for a Head Injury Assessment at the 72nd minute, and would not emerge from the tunnel as the action concluded in the Marvel Stadium. It was confirmed by Lions head coach Andy Farrell after the game that Marcus Smith was 'fine', and that "he passed everything", as per the regulation checks for head injuries. It's a sigh of relief for Smith, who will now turn his attention back towards his involvement in the 2nd Test of the series with the Wallabies.