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Young Lion Robinson scores five tries on debut
TOWNSVILLE, Australia (Reuters) -- Former rugby league international Jason Robinson scored five tries on debut as the British and Irish Lions thrashed the Queensland President's XV 83-6 on Tuesday. The Lions ran out comfortable winners in the end, scoring 12 unanswered tries, and 13 in total, after a tight first half to follow up last Friday's 116-10 thumping of Western Australia. They led 10-6 at halftime but scored 73 points without reply after the break to run away with the match with Robinson leading the way with five touchdowns, a record for a Lions debutant. However Robinson, who scored all of his tries in the second half, fell short of the all-time Lions record of six in one match held by JJ Williams and David Duckham. Irish center Rob Henderson scored a hat-trick while Welsh flanker Colin Charvis scored twice and captain David Young and replacement Malcolm O'Kelly once each and a penalty try was awarded. The Lions, fielding 14 different players from the team that thrashed Western Australia in the tour opener, struggled to find their combinations in the first half on a hot and humid night in Townsville. They scored their opening try in the 10th minute when Welsh prop Young, the only survivor from the Lions team that toured Australia in 1989, forced his way over. The Lions turned down an easy shot for penalty and were immediately rewarded when Irish lock Jeremy Davidson won clean lineout ball and the forward pack drove Young over the line. Unlucky The Queenslanders were unlucky not to reply with a try of their own two minutes later when wing David McCallum was held up over the line. Following the Lions' lead, they also turned down a certain three points when the tourists were caught offside but dropped the ball trying to score from the free kick. Against the run of play, the Lions added a second try in the 16th minute when England fullback Matt Perry made a bust and sent the ball wide for Charvis to wriggle his way out wide and give his team a 10-0 lead. While the Lions heavier pack dominated scrums and set play, the young Queensland team, whose side consisted of mostly up-and-coming players, fought back to trail by just four points, 10-6 at halftime, thanks to two Shane Drahm penalties. The Queenslanders also exposed some weaknesses in the Lions defense, making a handful of clean breaks and hitting the tourists with some big tackles, including one from Scott Fava that flattened Robinson. Took control But the Lions took control of the match from the start of the second half as their combinations started to click, with Charvis scoring his second try almost a minute after the re-start which world record points scorer Neil Jenkins converted, after missing his first two shots at goal. The Lions scored again six minutes later when Robinson finished off a sweeping backline move to score untouched then got a penalty try after another two minutes when Queensland collapsed a maul on its own line. That try signalled the end of Queensland's resistance and the Lions ran away with the match as the floodgates opened. Teams: Lions: 15-Matt Perry; 14-Dafydd James, 13-Will Greenwood, 12-Rob Henderson, 11-Jason Robinson; 10-Neil Jenkins, 9-Matt Dawson; 8-Martin Corry, 7-Martyn Williams, 6-Colin Charvis, 5-Scott Murray, 4-Jeremy Davidson; 3-David Young (captain), 2-Robin McBryde, 1-Tom Smith. Replacements used: 16-Austin Healey, 17-Mark Taylor, 18-Dan Luger, 19-Richard Hill, 20-Malcolm O'Kelly, 21-Jason Leonard, 22-Gordon Bulloch. Queensland President's XV: 15-Nathan Williams; 14-David McCallum, 13-Junior Pelesasa, 12-Jason Ramsamy, 11-Scott Barton; 10-Shane Drahm, 9-Ben Wakely; 8-John Roe, 7-Tom McVerry, 6-Scott Fava, 5-Rudi Vedelago, 4-Mike Mitchell; 3-Fletcher Dyson, 2-Sean Hardman, 1-Rick Tyrrell. Replacements used: 16-Sean Barry, 17-Andrew Scotney, 18-Michael Tabrett, 19-David Duley, 20-Andrew Farley, 21-Simon Kerr, 22-Tim Tavalea.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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