The British and Irish Lions faced a tough start to their Australian tour preparations as they were defeated 28-24 by Argentina in a thrilling match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. This marked the Lions' first loss to Argentina in eight meetings and their first tour opener defeat since 1971.

Key Moments

• First Half Dominance: Argentina took an early lead with tries from Ignacio Mendy and Tomas Albornoz, who also contributed with two penalties and a conversion. Bundee Aki managed to score for the Lions, but the South Americans held an 11-point advantage at halftime.
• Lions' Comeback: The Lions fought back in the second half with a penalty try and a score from Tadhg Beirne, briefly taking the lead at 24-21.
• Decisive Score: Santiago Cordero's rapid counter-attack try 22 minutes from time sealed the victory for Argentina, despite the Lions' late push for a winning try.

Standout Performances

• Tomas Albornoz: The Argentine fly-half was instrumental, scoring 18 points including a try, two penalties, and two conversions.
• Santiago Cordero: His pace and finishing ability were crucial in the decisive moment of the match.

Post-Match Analysis

Lions' head coach Andy Farrell will have much to ponder as his team struggled with cohesion in their first game together. The match highlighted the need for improved coordination and strategy as they head to Australia.

Upcoming Fixtures

The Lions will travel to Australia and face Western Force in Perth on June 28th (11:00 BST).

Teams

British and Irish Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (capt), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl.

Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Mayco Vivas, Julian Montoya (capt), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo.

Match Officials

• Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
• Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and Andrea Piardi (Italy)
• TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Related Topics

• Scottish Rugby
• Welsh Rugby
• British & Irish Lions
• Irish Rugby
• Rugby Union