Winger George North scored two first half tries for the Lions.

by Brendan Bradford in Newcastle –

It was a long night for the Combined New South Wales-Queensland Country side as a merciless British & Irish Lions outfit ran rampant in a 10-try, 64-0 victory at Hunter Stadium in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Any disappointment Country fullback Nathan Trist was feeling after the heavy loss though, was overshadowed by an immense pride in the fact that he’d just participated in a once in a lifetime event – and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“It’s an absolute honour to represent where I come from in Kiama in any game, but to do it in this game is just unbelievable,” he said.

“I can look back at a few highlights in my career but that’s a game I’ll treasure forever.”

Made up primarily of part-timers and a few professionals, the Country side was always going to struggle against the might of the Lions, but Trist says the chance to test himself against the best players in the world and showcase country rugby while doing it, made the unforgettable experience worthwhile. For him, it wasn’t about the scoreline, it was about the occasion.

Brian O’Driscoll puts a grubber in for Jonathan Davies to score.

“It was lightning fast, especially early on, blink and they’d pass you. I tried to jam in on George North and before I knew it he was ten metres past me and that sort of set the standard,” he explains.

“Credit to our guys, they ripped in and didn’t give up for the entire game which really typifies the country spirit.

“There’s a really diverse mix of blokes – there’s guys who have played Super Rugby and there’s guys who have just played for Cairns – and that mix of experience is really great because those guys who haven’t been in a situation like that bring a really good energy into camp, and country guys are just so relaxed to be around.”

In perfect conditions, the Lions opened the scoring after just seven minutes by forcing a lineout turnover before a simple case of catch-and-pass allowed winger Alex Cuthbert to dive over in the corner. Flyhalf Stuart Hogg added the extras from the sideline and the diminutive Scottish playmaker notched his second conversion just two minutes later when halfback Conor Murray took advantage of a Cuthbert offload close to the line to score under the posts.

Hogg scored the third try after 12 minutes when a gaping hole opened in front of him 40-metres out from the line. His conversion attempt hit the uprights – the first miss of the tour for the Lions – and the boys in Red had a convincing 19-0 lead.

Sean Maitland was a constant danger at fullback for the Lions.

Eastern Suburbs back-rower Richard Stanford charged down a Sean Maitland clearance kick to the delight of the 20,071 crowd and the Country forwards drove toward the line but when Justin Tipuric forced a turnover, Maitland showed why he was a high school sprint champ on a blazing run down the left flank. A timely offload to winger George North saw the Welsh giant score his first of the night.

Hooker Richard Hibbard broke away from a rolling maul in the 26th minute to add another five-pointer and some deft backline play from a midfield scrum let North stroll in for his second and the visitors’ sixth. The halftime score was 38-0.

Brian O’Driscoll and substitute Leigh Halfpenny both scythed through huge gaps in the defensive line for second half tries as the Lions maintained their relentless onslaught, but the Country side refused to give up. Replacement Dale Ah Wang was denied by the TMO and Trist narrowly lost a footrace to a loose ball in goal as the tourist’s defence proved every bit as lethal as their attack.

Flanker Sean O’Brien added his name to the try-scoring list in the 65th minute and a skilful grubber by captain O’Driscoll after the fulltime siren set-up replacement Jonathan Davies for a score in the corner in the last play of the match.

The Lions travel south to Sydney over the next few days to prepare for this weekend’s match against the New South Wales Waratahs. Nathan Trist – in his last year of studying medicine – will be back at work at RPA Hospital tomorrow.

British & Irish Lions 64 (George North 2, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Leigh Halfpenny, Richard Hibbard, Stuart Hogg, Conor Murray, Sean O’Brien, Brian O’Driscoll tries; Stuart Hogg 4 cons, Leigh Halfpenny 3 cons) d NSW/QLD Combined Country 0