Lions keep cool to come back aganist Taranaki

New Plymouth
Cool, calm and clinical.
That's the image the Lions rugby coaches walked away trumpeting after their comeback 36-14 win over Taranaki at Yarrow Stadium last night.
In a equally bruising forward encounter with a willing Taranaki eight to what they experienced in Rotorua, the second-string Lions overcame a stuttering first half then rattled in four second half tries to seal the match.
It sets up a mouth-watering test series entree against a full strength New Zealand Maori in Hamilton on Saturday, when the tourists' mettle will be tested even further.
"It's ideal that we've been challenged from the word go, we haven't had an easy game," midweek coach Ian McGeechan said.
"Players start to work very well together, and that's the biggest challenge for the Lions is to come together as a group.
"We've had to work very hard for everything that we've got, so we know what to take into the next game. Each one becomes a benchmark."
Taranaki had the better of the first half forward exchanges with a stronger scrum and turnover ball, and even led 7-6 at halftime thanks to a try from standout flanker Chris Masoe.
The tourists looked rattled and only the cool head of first five-eighth Charlie Hodgson was steadying things.
Star first-five Jonny Wilkinson remained rugged up in the No 21 jersey, yet to take the field on tour, but his England understudy relished his chance.
The Lions' structure returned after the break, the scrum improved with prop Gethin Jenkins' arrival and the tourists ran in some slick counter attack tries as the amber and black fire fizzled before a full house of 22,450.
Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy crossed for two tries in four minutes, the second from a delightful cross kick from Hodgson who ended with 16 points.
"We had 25 minutes where the ball was going exactly where we wanted it to go when we wanted it to go, but for 50 minutes that was a tough battle to get that kind of control," McGeechan said.
McGeechan proudly observed the disciplined Lions conceded no second half penalties while referee Kelvin Deaker dished out a flurry against Taranaki and sin binned hooker Andrew Hore for killing the ball in the 53rd minute.
Prop Gordon Slater was also penalised for a similar offence as Deaker tired of Taranaki trying to slow down the ball, and the Lions cashed in.
"The opposition played the game of their lives. The intensity is quite intimidating, and in that first 40 minutes of both games we've put a lot in and not got a lot out," assistant coach Gareth Jenkins said.
Taranaki captain Paul Tito put his body on the line along with Masoe, but the home backs couldn't finish several chances either side of halftime.
Second five-eighth Lifeimi Mafi was the most dangerous but the Lions midfield of Ollie Smith and Will Greenwood shut them down.
Coach Kieran Crowley lamented the step up to international rugby for his side who had just five Super 12 players this year.
"There was huge pace in the game, and a lot of our players have just come from club rugby," Crowley said.
"They suffocated us in the end."
Tito's punch-up with England lock Danny Grewcock sparked the game into life in the first 15 minutes, but the captain laughed it off.
"It was pretty light hearted I thought. He got a few punches in and I didn't get too many.
"I felt our guys gave it their all, and I was rapt we got that final try," Tito said of replacement Brendon Watt's solo effort in the 80th minute.-NZPA