Wednesday 14 June 2017 08:49, UK
Five key lessons from Dunedin as the British and Irish Lions were beaten 23-22 by the Highlanders on Tuesday.
The Lions slipped up for the second time in four matches in New Zealand, with the Highlanders stealing victory in Dunedin.
Here are five key lessons from the Lions' disappointing loss...
Scrum under pressure
The Highlanders' claim that they dominated the Lions scrum throughout the game may be a slight exaggeration but they did get the better of them at key moments when the Lions needed to buckle down and do the hard graft.
The Lions scrum was supposed to be one of their main attacking weapons but the Highlanders and the Crusaders are doing a good job in shifting perception that the tourists may have the upper hand come the set-piece.
Head coach Gatland's big job now is to spin the scrum perception on its head, and fast.
The gap between the Lions' possible midweek and Test teams is growing
Gatland wants his entire squad to challenge for a Test place, but already the spine of the team to face the All Blacks is clear. Next up for the Lions are the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua on Saturday, and Gatland always said he would field
a majority Test standard XV for that clash.
Several big questions about the Test line-up could be answered by the side to take the field. Men like Ross Moriarty, who have had precious little rugby, should have a chance to impress. Anyone who has not yet flourished is now fast running out of opportunities to come good.
Captain Sam Warburton still has ground to make up in his bid for first Test selection
Warburton grew into the Highlanders clash, hitting a solid level after a patchy opening. The Wales flanker had to fend off a knee problem just to make the tour in the first place, then suffered an ankle injury in the opening match.
He has freely admitted he will pull himself out of the first Test running if he is not at full tilt. That June 24 Auckland clash is fast hurtling into view, however.
Warburton can expect to be on the bench against the Maori - and he could need a huge cameo performance to edge back ahead of Sean O'Brien for the Lions' openside shirt for the Test XV.
Waisake Naholo will be back to haunt the Lions again in the Test series
The All Blacks let flying wing Naholo loose to play against the Lions for the Highlanders to help him get back to peak match fitness. The barnstorming try-scorer will now be in pole position to start out wide for the All Blacks in the Test series. And on the evidence in Dunedin, the Lions should be worried.
Naholo stood up Tommy Seymour and left the Scotland wing for dead from a standing start. Every time Naholo got on the ball the Lions had to scramble to contain him. It will be exactly the same when he turns out for the All Blacks.
Highlanders outwit Lions defence
The Lions' much-vaunted rush defence system can shut down power-runners at source. The downside can be that it leaves space in behind the first-up defensive line. The Highlanders exploited that space with cute grubber and chip
kicks into no-man's land between the front line and back-field. That left the Lions scrambling to cover.
One issue this highlighted is that at times the Lions' back-line struggled when forced into contesting rucks, with their forwards not on the scene following tactical kicks.
The Lions' backs must tighten up their ruck play, as any loose breakdown work will be ruthlessly exploited by the All Blacks. Anything sloppy from the backs at the tackle area following a kick-pass or cross-field kick and the All Blacks will turn them over and steal a sucker-punch score.
