First Nations & Pasifika XV: 19
Tries: Reilly, Uru, Leota | Cons: Beale (2)

British and Irish Lions: 24
Tries: Osborne (2), Graham, Van der Merwe | Cons: Fin Smith (2)

The British and Irish Lions held off a fierce challenge from the First Nations and Pasifika XV to claim a narrow 24-19 victory in Melbourne, but the performance did little to strengthen Test claims for most of the touring squad.

What began as a dominant 14-0 lead turned into a hard-fought, error-prone contest, with the Lions ultimately surviving thanks to tries from Jamie Osborne (2), Darcy Graham, and Duhan van der Merwe.

Despite the win, it was a bruising night for the visitors — both physically and in terms of selection prospects — as the Pasifika side delivered a performance full of passion and power.

Bright Start Fades Quickly

The Lions began brightly. Osborne latched onto an Owen Farrell chip to score, and minutes later, Fin Smith’s long pass found Darcy Graham, who dotted down to continue his impressive try-scoring form. Smith converted both tries.

But joy quickly turned to concern. Graham, brought into the squad for this match, suffered an ankle injury early and left the field visibly emotional.

From there, the momentum shifted. A loose pass from Blair Kinghorn was intercepted by Triston Reilly, who sprinted clear for a converted try. Soon after, the physical Seru Uru powered over from close range, with Kurtley Beale’s conversion levelling the score at 14-14 by halftime.

Pasifika Power and Lions Grit

Pasifika dominated the collisions, driven by standout performances — especially flanker Charlie Gamble, who was outstanding at the breakdown and in open play.

A yellow card to Lions lock James Ryan for slowing the ball down didn’t help the tourists, who looked increasingly rattled under pressure.

Still, early in the second half, Osborne finished off a well-worked move for his second try. Later, Van der Merwe added another after a slick delayed pass from Farrell, pushing the lead to 24-14.

Pasifika weren’t done. With 10 minutes remaining, Rob Leota crashed over after a period of sustained pressure. But the missed conversion left them five points adrift, and the Lions clung on.

Few Test Cases Made

Despite the win, head coach Andy Farrell will have been concerned by the performance. Most of the squad failed to make a compelling case for Test inclusion, with the exception of Osborne and lock Scott Cummings, who put in a strong shift.

Kinghorn’s inconsistency, including two intercepted passes, may count against him ahead of Saturday’s second Test.

Pasifika, meanwhile, showcased their pride, physicality, and talent. Their aggressive, committed performance exposed weaknesses in the Lions’ depth and nearly handed them a famous win.

Bottom Line: The Lions avoided an upset, but few players seized their chance to shine. As the second Test looms, questions remain about the squad’s depth and readiness under pressure.