The Lions suffered a 28-24 defeat to Argentina in their opening match, the first tour loss since 1971. Coach Andy Farrell demands improvement, highlighting errors and lack of accuracy. Captain Maro Itoje calls for consistency as they aim to bounce back on their upcoming Australian tour.
Andy Farrell, the head coach of the British and Irish Lions, didn’t hold back after his team’s 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin. This defeat marks the Lions’ opening match on tour and the first time they’ve started a tour with a loss since 1971. The match turned when Santiago Cordero scored the decisive try in the 59th minute, ending the Lions’ comeback hopes.
As they prepare to depart for Australia, with their next match scheduled against the Western Force, Farrell is calling for immediate improvements from his squad. Reflecting on the defeat, he acknowledged Argentina’s performance: “Congratulations to Argentina, they thoroughly deserved to win the match. I’m sure that’s a big moment in Argentinean rugby history.”
Errors plagued the Lions throughout the game. Farrell pointed out that while they had opportunities, they simply failed to capitalize. He noted, “The whole story of the game is that we compounded too many errors.” Insisting that familiarity shouldn’t excuse their performance, he demanded better from his players.
Going deeper, he emphasized the need for honesty to build trust within the team: “We won’t sugar-coat this. We need to be honest because if we’re not honest, how do we gain trust with each other?” The emotional weight of the loss weighed heavily on Farrell; he mentioned, “Losing hurts, especially in this jersey.”
Farrell also reflected on the team’s disconnect during the match, suggesting they might’ve placed too much pressure on the players. “Of course we asked a lot of the players, and maybe we put too much pressure on the side…” he explained. He stressed that it’s vital to learn from the experience, indicating that both positive takeaways and fixes are needed.
Players were left feeling mixed—some pleased and others eager for a chance at redemption. Farrell noted, “We want to see a better all-around performance… It was the compounding of quite a few bits.” He pinpointed issues in their ball handling, stating, “The amount of balls that we threw blindly either on to the floor or to the opposition was a standout.”
Maro Itoje, making his captaincy debut, echoed Farrell’s sentiments, calling attention to their lack of accuracy. He expressed hope for the upcoming matches, acknowledging that the fans’ support gave a taste of what’s to come in Australia. “We gave ourselves numerous opportunities but we weren’t accurate enough at times,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for consistency and pressure against their opponents.
In the wake of a disappointing defeat against Argentina, the British and Irish Lions are now focused on learning and improving ahead of their Australian tour. Coach Andy Farrell and captain Maro Itoje both stressed the importance of honesty within the team as they aim to rectify errors that led to the loss. With lessons to be learned and pressure to perform, the Lions must regroup quickly to avoid history repeating itself as they prepare for upcoming matches.
Original Source: www.largsandmillportnews.com
