Published On: Sat, Jul 12th, 2025
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Lions player ratings as Van der Merwe scores hat-trick but three stars better | Rugby | Sport

Duhan van der Merwe scored a hat-trick as the British & Irish Lions thrashed a AUNZ Invitational team 48-0 in Adelaide. Express Sport takes a look at how every player performed in the final warm-up before the Test begins…

Lions player ratings

15. Keenan – With Blair Kinghorn struggling Keenan impressed and looks certain for Brisbane berth 7

14. Hansen – Andy Farrell favourite and showed why with busy display and always looking for work 7

13. Jones – Showed gas and with doubts over Garry Ringrose’s fitness could have played his way into Tests 9

12. Tuipulotu – Involved in some good stuff in Lions attack and another Scotsman to press case for next week 8

11. Van der Merwe – Mixed bag on tour so far and stripped of ball early here but won’t score an easier hat-trick 7

10. F.Smith – Class player and showed it with passing range and linked well with Tuipulotu in midfield 7

9. White – First start of trip after late arrival as replacement but was needle sharp and impressed 8

1. Schoeman – Lions scrum has been good on this trip and Schoeman carried that on in Adelaide 7

2. Cowan-Dickie – Botched one first half try before head knock making a tackle finished his night on 35 minutes 6

3. Stuart – Birthday boy is pressing for bench place against Aussies and impressed at scrum-time here 7

4. Ryan – Not as prominent as he would have liked and looks destined to miss out in Brisbane 5

5. Beirne (capt) – Second time as skipper down under but not his type of game and off after 58 minutes 6

6. Pollock – Chased and harried the AUNZ side and was rewarded for his energy with try late on 7

7. Morgan – Only Welshman left standing on this trip, brilliant early turnover and good Test prospects 7

8. Earl – Needed a big night to force his way into Test reckoning and chase helped force first try 7

Replacements: Kelleher 6 (for Cowan-Dickie 36), Porter, Bealham 5 (for Stuart 49), Cummings 6 (for Beirne 58), Van der Flier 6 (for Earl 63), Mitchell 5 (for White 74), M.Smith 6 (for F.Smith 49), Farrell 7 (for Jones 49)

AUNZ Invitational: Stevenson 5; Lam 5, Laumape 6, Havili 6 (co-capt), Koroibete 5; Edmed 5, Fakatava 6; Ross 5, Paenga-Amosa 5, Toomaga-Allen 5, Blyth 6, Salakaia-Loto 7 (co-capt), Frizzell 6, Samu 7, Sotutu 6

Replacements: Eklund 5 (for Paenga-Amosa 40), Fusitu’a 4 (for Ross 50), Dyer 5 (for Toomaga-Allen 40), Philip 5 (for Blyth 55), Brial 4 (for Sotutu 65), Thomas 5 (for Fakatava 56), McLaughlin-Phillips 5 (for Lam 46), Campbell 5 (for Koroibete 46)

Referee: Andrea Piardi (ITA)

Attendance: 43,124