A heartening win for the Lions amid a deluge in Rotarua: the Maori All Blacks beaten 32-10 in conditions which suited the Lions' plan to suffocate them. The Lions' set pieces were pretty flawless, as the identity of Warren Gatland's Test side comes into sharper focus.
Problems remain: the Lions still don't look like scoring tries from broken-field: outstanding individual breaks are rarely supported adequately. Increasingly, the Lions are showing an allergy to white lines usually reserved for DEA agents.
But this was Warrenball writ large: bruising and effective set-pieces complimented by Leigh Halfpenny's goal-kicking.
Here are the Lions player ratings as the serious business hovers into view.
Lions Player Ratings
Leigh Halfpenny - 7
Flawless from the kicking tee, and garlanded the first-half with a magnificent kick, chase, and catch. Lacks an explosive counter-attacking game like Hogg, or Watson, but almost certain to start at full-back next weekend: he guarantees points.
Anthony Watson - 5.5
Electric from full-back against the Crusaders, Watson struggled to make an impact here as the Lions constricted the Maori amid the second-half deluge. Was not troubled defensively, but was equally quiet offensively.
Jonathan Davies - 7
We saw much more in attack from Davies today, with one scorching break off Sexton's shoulder in the first-half foiled by a lack of support off his shoulder as he was felled metres from the try line.
Ben Te'o - 7.5
Te'o has got the vote over Robbie Henshaw as Warrenball's bosher-in-chief, and he sealed the jersey tonight: eleven carries, two of which showed notable disregard for the gain line. One clean break was foiled in familiar fashion: a lack of support runners.
George North - 5
Horrible mistake led to the concession of the first try to Liam Messam, as North joined the ranks of Lions wingers ti fail to impress on this tour. As galling as that defensive error was, he offered little in attack, and was absent when Jonathan Davies needed support off his shoulder after a virtuoso break five minutes after his error for the try. The paucity of options means that North will start next weekend, but this must be the bluntest back three the Lions have had on tour in decades.
Johnny Sexton - 8
Johnny took his chance. He has watched Farrell and, to a lesser degree, Biggar impress so far, and here he fused the best aspects of both of their performances: Farrell's quality kicking from hand along with Biggar's attacking of the gain line. Relieved of goal-kicking duties by Halfpenny. Amid the second-half deluge, Sexton rained Garryowens on top of his future Leinster teammate James Lowe, exploiting the conditions well.
Conor Murray - 8
As we've come to expect: kicking out of hand spot on, and marshalled the base of the scrum well on the second try without ever getting his hands on the ball. One monster tackle in the second-half aided an impressive O'Brien turnover.
Mako Vunipola - 7.5
Solid if unspectacular: lorded it in the scrum; perfectly adequate around the field.
Jamie George - 7.5
His darts were immaculate, his acting was not: trying to fool Peyper by celebrating a try a couple of yards before the white line. But impressive from George, and is the undoubted Test starter.
Tadhg Furlong - 8
Once again outstanding in the scrum, with Furlong a kind of hulking torpedo when hunched: Furlong has been outstanding in the scrum throughout the tour, and this had its most tangible pay-off with the penalty try in the second-half. Handling around a saturated field once again impressive.
Maro Itoje - 8
Impressive performance by Itoje, burrowing over O'Driscoll-style for the second try. Along with that, seven tackles, one turnover and a penalty conceded that had less to do with his indiscipline than the idiosyncrasies of our old friend Jaco Peyper. The pressure is on Alun-Wyn Jones to earn his starting spot.
George Kruis - 7
A solid hour from Kruis: plucked every line-out ball from the air with ease, making five tackles. A Test starter, and was the first to be wrapped up in cotton wool by Gatland.
Peter O'Mahony - 7.5
A fine 63 minutes from O'Mahony: the captain tonight may displace the tour captain from the back-row next week. As per, his jurisdiction meant the line-out worked perfectly, and his work-rate was as ferocious as usual. Those are his basics, but the Lions are garlanded with his velvet hands: O'Mahony's passing is a huge bonus.
Sean O'Brien - 7
Disappointingly quiet from O'Brien: we didn't see too many of his trademark bludgeoning breaks, but one outstanding turnover and the fact that he remained at openside when Warburton arrived augurs well for his selection next weekend. Completed the full eighty.
Taulupe Faletau - 7
Generally quiet before sniping off the back of the scrum to set up the second try. His Test spot is not in doubt.
Replacements
Iain Henderson (for Kruis 59') - 7
He was the Lions' outstanding player on Tuesday against the Highlanders, and Henderson made a big impact off the bench here tonight: he constantly gobbled up a bit of ground with every break. He is pushing for a spot on the bench in the first Test, but may find himself a slot behind Wyn-Jones, Itoje, and Kruis.
Jack McGrath (for Vunipola, 59') - 6.5
No Highlanders-style scrum implosions this time from McGrath, as he turned in a very solid 20 minutes or so.
Elliot Daly (for North 63') - 5.5
Daly is one of two men to play both for and against the Lions (the other is Riki Flutey), but he made little impact here. He might just make the bench next weekend, mind, given the range he adds off the kicking tee.
Sam Warburton for O'Mahony (63') - 6
Warburton replaced O'Mahony but played at blindside, given another chance to make his case for Test inclusion. Didn't have much time to do so. We may see him against the Chiefs, but time is running out for the captain.
Ken Owens (for George, 64') - 7
Came on, set-pieces functioned as before.
Kyle Sinckler (for Furlong (64') - 7
See above.
Greg Laidlaw (for Murray, 66') - 6
Laidlaw will soon have a couple more Scots for company in the midweek team, and that's where Laidlaw's position will be: he is well behind Murray and Webb.
Dan Biggar (for Sexton, 66') - 7
If Farrell is indeed injured, Biggar could become an important player on this tour. Has done nothing to suggest he can't be trusted to perform if that situation arises.
Those are your Lions player ratings: next up is the Chiefs on Tuesday. And then, the serious business starts.
See Also: Joe Schmidt Says What We're All Thinking About Gatland's Latest Lions Call-Ups
