The biggest challenge facing any coach lucky enough to lead The British & Irish Lions is how to get a group of players who have never played together to perform as a cohesive unit in a matter of weeks.
The opening game for every squad brings excitement but also a stark reminder of just how much of a team game rugby is, requiring players to understand exactly how their teammates function.
It should probably come as little surprise then, that despite some clear positives, most notably the scrum, there was also plenty of rustiness for the class of 2025 as they were edged out by Argentina in an 1888 Cup classic at the Aviva Stadium.
There is a strong case that this is the toughest opening fixture that the Lions have faced in the modern era, certainly since their last meeting with Los Pumas in Cardiff 20 years ago, a 25-all draw.
Felipe Contepomi’s side are now fifth in the world, and even if they were missing a few players of their own, the years of collective experience were obvious as they were able to take their chances with slick precision, taking advantage of any inevitable miscommunications in the Lions defence.
The resolve in the final minutes to withstand late Lions pressure was no less than Andy Farrell will have expected.
And while no coach would want to lose a match, and certainly not the opening fixture of the tour, the Lions Head Coach will reflect on the thorough examination that his team were given and know that it will help the side in the long run.
He said after the game: “Congratulations to Argentina, it was a fantastic victory for themselves and thoroughly deserved, they capitalised on all the errors that we made.
“We need to be a lot better than that. And we will. We’ll dust ourselves off but that will concentrate the minds.”
This is the Lions’ first defeat in their opening fixture since the 1971 Tour of New Zealand. For anyone who has forgotten, that side coached by Carwyn James went onto down the All Blacks, still the only Lions squad to have won a Test series in New Zealand.
So there is certainly no reason to panic.
Some players certainly put their hands up, none more so than Ellis Genge, who enjoyed himself up against Joel Sclavi at scrum-time, while it was also one of his trademark charges that led to Tadhg Beirne’s try that put the Lions in front in the second half.
Finlay Bealham, on the other side of the scrum, was similarly dominant in the set-piece, as well as making his presence felt around the park including one valuable turnover just before half-time.
In the backline, there was a surprising level of intricacy for a team still putting their structures into place. A few offloads ended up in Argentine hands, and it is likely those errors to which Farrell was referring.
But the combination of Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu certainly showed some promise, while Tommy Freeman was everywhere for the full 80 minutes, even if he could not quite match the hat-trick he scored the last time he played at the Aviva Stadium with Northampton Saints.
Of those who came on, Mack Hansen looks to have put the injury that kept him sidelined for Connacht’s run-in behind him, while Tomos Williams added a lot of zip as the Lions searched for a winning try.
It did not come, Rodrigo Isgro making the crucial breakdown steal to spark wild Argentine celebrations.
That will sting the Lions, but also bond them as they try to find the formula that will be required against the Wallabies next month.
The Sea of Red saw their heroes in Dublin and were treated to a hugely entertaining game.
A lot of fans will already be in Perth ready to watch the Lions in their next encounter against the Western Force. With concentrated minds, expect them to hit the ground running Down Under.
