Winners and Losers: British & Irish Lions 36-24 Brumbies

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It was a definitive mixed bag from the Lions, as despite putting on a solid attacking clinic with five tries, the men in red capitulated with unforced defensive errors. The overarching tale of the game was that the Lions kept letting the Brumbies back into the match, as the ACT side were given lifelines time and again.

The question marks are being raised, given the expectation on how this was near enough Andy Farrell's Test side. There will certainly be an interesting classroom review in store for the Lions, given their limited training time ahead of the upcoming clash against the Australia-New Zealand Invitational XV on Saturday in Adelaide.

With just 10 days to go until the first Test against the Wallabies, here are the winners and losers from the Lions following today's win over the Brumbies.

The star man out in Canberra, Jamison Gibson-Park was at the heart of the action throughout the Lions win over the Brumbies. The halfback was distributing the attacking tempo at a ferocious pace, however even the Player of the Match made some defensive errors that opened up the door for a Brumbies score.

Hudson Creighton's try in the 50th minute was a result of Gibson-Park's 'bite' in on the opposition nine, which left his outside backs exposed. This opitimised the Lions day in Canberra, as even the Man of the Match was susceptible to a handful of errors.

Ollie Chessum made a strong case for continued selection ahead of the Test series, with a tireless performance in the back row. Given a chance on the blindside following previous Lions run outs at lock, he wasted no time making an impact. Chessum latched onto a slightly behind pass from Finn Russell to score a well-taken first half try out wide.

Chessum's physicality and awareness were constant throughout, with a key moment coming in the second half when Tom Curry was withdrawn instead of Chessum, as Josh van der Flier entered the match. That decision spoke volumes about the trust in his performance from Andy Farrell and his coaching staff. The Leicester Tigers man then moved back to lock upon Joe McCarthy's exit, and proved his ability to dig in for the full 80 minutes in a red jersey.

Chessum continued to get through a mountain of work, including a clever pick-up and carry over the gain-line after Bundee Aki’s loose offload around the 66-minute mark. His engine didn’t fade, and he nearly capped the day with a second try in the 80th minute, only for it to be ruled held up.

Marcus Smith was called into action earlier than expected, replacing the injured Blair Kinghorn after just 25 minutes. Smith quickly settled into the No.15 role with trademark flair, he slotted into the backfield and looked comfortable and confident, bringing his usual attacking spark to the Lions’ backline.

Smith got himself on the scoresheet with a well-taken try, finishing off a sweeping move with his instinctive support lines. Smith wasn’t shy in expressing his creativity either, he stabbed through a clever grubber kick into space, allowing Garry Ringrose to pounce and score in the in-goal area.

With the Lions playing under penalty advantage later in the half, Smith tried his luck with a chip over the top, a classic move from his attacking playbook although on this occasion it ran dead. Overall, it was a sharp and confident performance from Smith in a position he continues to get to grips with, and could well take a lead in with Kinghorn's tour future up in the air.

Garry Ringrose continued his impressive form on tour, crossing the whitewash once again to notch his third try, to draw level with Huw Jones at the top of the Lions’ try-scoring charts. With Jones absent from the matchday squad, Ringrose took full advantage to underline his growing importance in the Lions midfield.

The Irish centre looked composed and threatening throughout, once again forming a fluid partnership with his Ireland teammate Bundee Aki. The duo combined well against the Brumbies, offering a strong balance of physicality and creativity in the centre channel. Ringrose’s consistency and eye for the line have made him a standout figure across the warm-up matches, and he now looks all but nailed on for a starting role in the upcoming Tests.

While the Aki-Ringrose pairing impressed, the prospect of an Irish-Scottish combination with Huw Jones remains an intriguing alternative, with both players tied as the Lions’ leading try scorers so far. Either way, Ringrose has firmly placed himself at the heart of the Lions’ midfield conversation heading into the business end of the tour.

Josh van der Flier marked his 50th-minute introduction with an immediate and commanding impact, helping to shift the momentum firmly in the Lions' favour during a physical second half against the Brumbies.

The Leinster flanker brought real intensity to proceedings, leading the charge with a series of dominant defensive hits and breakdown pressure. His presence injected fresh energy into the faltering Lions pack, and he was central to their second-half offensive push.

Van der Flier was unlucky not to get on the scoreboard just minutes after coming on, as he powered over the try line at the back of a rolling maul, only for the ball to be ruled held up. But he didn’t have to wait long to etch his name on the score-board. Shortly after, he muscled over in the corner from another well-drilled maul, a move that clearly came straight from the training ground.

It was a typically industrious and powerful outing from the Irish flanker, who continues to show why he’s one of the most reliable and impactful forwards in the Lions setup.

Dan Sheehan was at his dynamic best against the Brumbies, producing a tireless and physical performance that underlined exactly why he’s a nailed-on starter heading into the Test series. The Irish hooker was everywhere, racking up nine carries over the gainline., 11 tackles, and an impressive 40 metres made.

His work rate was relentless, combining brute strength in contact with sharp support play and quick recycling. Whether crashing through defenders or linking play around the fringes, Sheehan consistently gave the Lions front-foot momentum and is arguably the second name (after Maro Itoje) upon the Lions team-sheet for the Test series.

Defensively, he was equally dependable. His 11 tackles were well-timed and effective, helping to shut down Brumbies attacks and assert dominance at the breakdown. It was the kind of complete, high-energy performance that Sheehan has made a hallmark in the Irish green jersey, and now, in red, he’s all but locked in as the first-choice hooker. With form like this, he continues to cement his reputation as one of the premier No. 2s in the game.

Blair Kinghorn’s British & Irish Lions tour has taken a significant hit after he was forced off injured just 25 minutes into the match against the Brumbies. Having arrived late in camp after finishing up his Top 14 title pursuits with Stade Toulousain, this was a gut-punch for the Scotsman to take down in Canberra.

Kinghorn had battled back from a troublesome knee injury to make the tour squad and was expected to challenge for a Test spot at fullback. However, he was clearly struggling with discomfort on the field and was withdrawn early, raising serious doubts about his availability for the upcoming Test series against Australia.

Marcus Smith was rushed into the backfield to replace him and made a strong impact, but the focus quickly shifted to Kinghorn’s injury status. With little time left before the crucial Tests, questions now swirl around whether Kinghorn can recover in time to feature.

The Scotsman’s hopes of lining up against the Wallabies appear uncertain, pending further medical assessments. This injury represents a cruel blow for Kinghorn, who had worked hard to regain fitness and form for the Lions tour.

Ronan Kelleher’s outing for the Lions against the Brumbies was underwhelming, specifically when compared to his fierce positional rival Dan Sheehan. Coming on at the hour mark, Kelleher found it difficult to influence the game in the way many expected.

While Sheehan dominated throughout with his relentless carries, strong defence, and work at the breakdown, Kelleher’s impact flew under the rader in these regards. His presence lacked the intensity and physicality that Sheehan brought, leaving him overshadowed and struggling to stake a claim for a Test starting spot.

As the Test series approaches, Sheehan’s performance has put him firmly in front, while Kelleher will need to significantly up his game in the coming weeks to remain a genuine contender for the No.2 jersey.

Andrew Porter’s introduction into the match brought some renewed physicality to the Lions’ pack, but his performance was a mixed bag. Coming on for Ellis Genge, Porter’s first scrum alongside the newly introduced Will Stuart helped reinforce the forward platform, though it coincided with the Brumbies scoring at the 50th minute, showing the contest remained fiercely competitive.

However, Porter’s ball handling left something to be desired. He was guilty of a few missed passes, most notably a crucial wayward pass in the 80th minute that failed to find Tommy Freeman and disrupted a potential attacking opportunity.

Despite these errors, Porter’s presence added much-needed grunt in the tight exchanges and scrums, highlighting his role as a key component of the Lions’ forward engine. As the Test series looms, Porter will be looking to tighten up his execution while maintaining his physical intensity to help the Lions dominate in the set-piece and breakdown phases.

Tommy Freeman had a difficult game against the Brumbies, particularly in defence, where he was often isolated and out of position. Freeman was caught out for Corey Toole’s try in the 37th minute, as the Brumbies flyer broke away with plenty of space along the right touchline, and Freeman was nowhere to be seen in the chase to the whitewash.

Freeman was then notably absent when Hudson Creighton scored at the 50-minute mark, exposing a defensive gap upon his inside. Admittedly, Freeman would have benefitted from a better defensive shape with both Gibson-Park and Ringrose at fault in the lead up to that score.

The Lions’ move toward a Test match approach saw them rely heavily on the high ball. However, Freeman had an uncharacteristic outing in the air, as he missed several key kick chases and allowed the Brumbies to gain valuable territory and momentum. While Freeman’s attacking potential remains evident, his defensive lapses and positioning issues must be addressed if he is to secure a role in the Test squad. The Lions will be expecting sharper defensive work and better decision-making as the series intensifies.

Despite the buzz surrounding Henry Pollock as the youngest member of the Lions squad, his outing against the Brumbies was limited and far from a star-making display. At just 20 years old, Pollock carries plenty of hope and expectation, but the young Saints man wasn’t given enough time on the pitch to truly showcase his talents.

Coming on as a substitute for Joe McCarthy, Pollock had a brief window to impress. Meanwhile, Ollie Chessum demonstrated his versatility by shifting from the back row to lock, and overshadowed Pollock's chances of a Test squad inclusion. It's hard to find a space for Pollock ahead of the first Test, as the youngster will need more consistent minutes if he’s to prove himself as a genuine contender for the series against the Wallabies.

Here's hoping that Pollock gets the nod for the Australian-New Zealand Invitational side, so that he can showcase his unique brilliance that earned him the call-up to begin with. With the Lions pack stacked with experienced options, Pollock’s challenge will be to seize any chance he gets and show why he deserves a role on the biggest stage.