Henson stars in muddling display

Gavin Henson stretches out to score the first of his two tries in Invercargill last night. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Lions 26 Southland 16

For a few minutes after halftime, the shortest day was shaping as the longest night for the Lions.

When flanker Hale T-Pole scored Southland's try four minutes into the second spell last night to tie up the match at 10-10, the Lions worst fears were too close for comfort: defeat for the non-test players five days out from the opening international.

Talk about bad omens. But it worked out for the tourists, thanks to Gavin Henson, the pick of the Lions side, grabbing his second try, plus three Ronan O'Gara penalties in the final quarter.

But fair dues to Southland, who stuck at the job and, like a toothache, just wouldn't go away. They pushed the Lions hard in the second half and had their chances.

It was a strange match. The Lions should have had it wrapped up by halftime against a Southland side full of spirit but not overly endowed in the quality department.

Yet for half an hour it seemed the Lions were setting themselves up for their best win of the tour.

In a game played at a good pace and with plenty of enterprise if lacking a high degree of class, they had the measure of Southland up front, mauled efficiently and created opportunities out wide.

The lineout was fine throughout, where Simon Shaw, Donncha O'Callaghan and Lewis Moody were impressive.

But for a mix of reasons, they were only 10-3 up at the break.

Southland had defended diligently, if a little shakily at times, but an international side with good quality players should have had them on the rack.

The Lions management have bemoaned what might be called "last-pass syndrome" often on tour - that is the failure to finish off a period of good lead-up work.

The first half contained more of that and there's no doubt they should have had at least three more tries.

The Lions were on top, but couldn't turn dominance on the park into points.

"We gave Southland a lot of easy possession which encouraged them," Lions assistant coach Ian McGeechan said.

"They quite rightly felt in the game till the end. If we had done things tidily, that shouldn't have been the case."

The Lions' first-half points came in the opening 12 minutes. O'Gara kicked a handy penalty, then Henson twisted his way over after Dennis Hickie, Ollie Smith and Mark Cueto had made ground and set up a ruck on the Southland line.

Southland's first real chance came three minutes from the break when wing Watisoni Lotawa toed ahead to the line, but the ball rolled dead.

T-Pole's try came after he won a lineout near the Lions' line and after the pack charged forward, he dived over.

The introduction of Tom Shanklin at centre added impetus to the Lions' backline and fellow Welshman Henson, who looked sharp most of the night, got across again after strong forward work in the 53rd minute.

In the end, the Lions were good enough, but if the idea was to show they were up for second test consideration, few caught the eye.

Henson, who showed nice handling skills and the ability to work a gap with clever running, and perhaps Shanklin topped the list, while Simon Shaw was a forceful figure up front.

Southland captain, prop Clarke Dermody, reckoned the difference between the teams was the Lions' ability to play with composure at important times.

But the Lions were disappointed in their failure to put real heat on the first test squad.

"We didn't perform to the best of our ability," first five-eighths Ronan O'Gara said. "But Southland made it difficult for us."

Even so, only two tries against one of the poorest NPC first division teams of last season was far from what the Lions management would have wanted.