British and Irish Lions fend off the Brumbies 36-24 in a key test series tuneup

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) – The British and Irish Lions avoided an upset loss to the Brumbies this time, holding on for a 36-24 win over the Canberra-based Super Rugby team on Wednesday in a key tuneup for the three-test series against Australia.

The Lions are now 4-0 since a 28-24 loss to Argentina in a warmup in Dublin before the traveling Down Under for a nine-game tour that has kicked off with wins over all of Australia’s Super Rugby franchises.

The Brumbies edged the Lions on their last tour to Australia in 2013 and were a handful again, but lacked the size and depth this time to repeat that upset.

Big blindside flanker Ollie Chessum scored the first try for the Lions and had one disallowed after full time. Flyhalf Finn Russell had a successful night with the boot and combined solidly with Jamison Gibson-Park in what will be a likely Lions halves combination in the test series starting July 19.

Again, it was a grafting first half. The Lions had more than two-thirds of field position and 60% of the ball but struggled to get away from the Brumbies until a try to Marcus Smith after the halftime siren gave them a 19-10 lead at the break.

The Lions scored three tries and conceded two in the first half, and had one held up over the line, and looked good spreading the ball to the edges, but lacked some cohesion at crucial times.

Center Garry Ringrose played a vital role in the first try of the second half, running into a gap in the midfield and then chasing through to pounce on Marcus Smith’s downfield kick as it went into the in-goal to extend the Lions’ lead.

The Brumbies hit back again in the 51st with Hudson Creighton charging onto a pass on the shortside after a five-yard scrum to close the gape to 26-17.

Replacement backrower Josh van der Flier had a try disallowed by the television match official before the Lions took a penalty goal – their first of the tour – to extend the margin to 12 points.

Six minutes later, Van der Flier drove over from a maul in similar circumstances and it was awarded this time, giving the Lions a match-sealing 36-17 lead.

The Brumbies tested the Lions’ defense, the home team scoring both times they got into the attacking quarter in the first 40 minutes.

No. 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima scored the opening try in the fourth minute for the Brumbies, picking up from the base of the ruck and slamming the ball down on the tryline after a series of rucks on the Lions line.

The Lions made early breaks but couldn’t convert, with Bundee Aki throwing a pass over the sideline in an attacking miscue. He made amends by playing a key role in the buildup for flanker Chessum’s equalizer in the 15th.

In the 23rd, winger James Lowe crossed in the left corner but was somehow held up over the line by Brumbies fullback Andy Muirhead.

Lowe made up for it six minutes later when he slid over out wide after the Lions utilized an overlap with hooker Dan Sheehan roving in the backline.

Russell converted for 12-5 but the Brumbies hit back quickly, moving the ball from a lineout and exploiting a penalty advantage when Ben O’Donnell threw a long, floating pass wide for speedster Corey Toole to score untouched.

The Brumbies again missed the conversion and there was only two points difference until seconds from halftime, when Smith finished off a counter-attacking try from the Brumbies short, goalline drop out.

After wins over Western Force in Perth, Queensland Reds in Brisbane and New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney and now the Brumbies, the Lions will play the combined AUNZ invitational squad on Saturday in their final preparation for the test series.