‘Explosive’ – How England’s stars rated as Lions cruise to statement win

With a heavily rotated squad and plenty of Test places up for grabs, several English players seized the opportunity to impress.

Here’s how each of the England contingent performed:

One of the standout performers on the night. Daly offered class and composure from the back, using his long-range kicking to relieve pressure and help dictate territory. In attack, he showed sharp instincts to be in the right place at the right time — finishing off a Finn Russell break for his first try, then linking smartly with Marcus Smith for his second. A complete, confident performance that puts him firmly in Test contention.

The 20-year-old No.8 showed why he’s one of the most exciting young players in the game. His explosive break and offload set up Williams' first try, and his relentless energy was a constant threat. Though his game had blemishes — a knock-on, a yellow card, and a loose pass — his dynamism, line-breaking ability, and work-rate make him a compelling prospect for a Test start.

The Bath tighthead brought real impact off the bench. He gave the Lions' scrum a noticeable edge when he came on, even enjoying one dominant surge that saw him almost gallop into the Force backline. While it didn’t draw a penalty, it showed his growing power and presence. A strong cameo in his push for more minutes.

Made a positive impact in the second row after coming on. Chessum brought his trademark engine-room energy with some punishing carries and strong defensive work. An offside penalty was a small blot, but he showed hunger and physicality in his Lions debut.

Mitchell replaced the injured Tomos Williams early in the second half and maintained the Lions' tempo well. Crisp passing and good control from the base of the ruck, combined with an opportunistic support line to score a late try, made for a tidy, confident showing.

Shifted back to fly-half after an uncertain outing at full-back last week, and looked far more assured. Worked well with Mitchell to unlock a fatigued Force defence, including a slick assist for Daly’s second try. Calm and composed, he did his chances no harm.

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

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."

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?

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