After the reality check came the reaction.

Andy Farrell promised a response to The 1888 Cup defeat to Argentina and he certainly got one, as The British & Irish Lions delivered a statement performance to down Western Force 54-7.

In their first match of the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia 2025, they ran in eight tries – including two apiece for Tomos Williams and Elliot Daly – to get the Tour well and truly started.

Here are the key talking points.

POLLOCK STICKS HIS HAND UP

It was not a perfect performance from Henry Pollock, but the youngest member of the 2025 squad underlined that there are very few players who can do what he can.

He might have spent much of the first 20 minutes being warned by referee Ben O’Keefe around the ruck, as Western Force kept the Lions under intense pressure, but he undid all that with a brilliant break from midfield to help set up Tomos Williams’ first try.

After a one-two with Josh van der Flier, off Pollock went, scything through a couple of Western Force tacklers and splintering their defensive line. They were unable to recover, and Williams took advantage.

In a blot on his copybook, Pollock was sin-binned before half-time for trying to play the ball on the floor, but he then made the move of the match that led to Joe McCarthy’s try.

In possession in midfield, he spied some space and – in a move few No.8s would do – kicked ahead, chased it down and beat two defenders to the ball.

READ MORE: The Making of Henry Pollock

He ran to the five-metre line and, with Western Force defenders scattered, the ball was moved left to where McCarthy ran in. For those x-factor moments, Pollock proved he is in Test contention.

WILLIAMS WORRY

After scoring two tries, including a brilliant counter-attack with James Lowe in the second half, Tomos Williams was always going to be a storyline. But unfortunately for the scrum-half, it is not for the reasons he imagined.

Just as Lowe passed him the ball and he dived over in the corner, Williams felt his hamstring tighten. As he stood up, he immediately grimaced in a clear signal that his game was up.

Alex Mitchell played the rest of the match and Farrell later said they must wait to discover for the severity of the injury but with games coming thick and fast, it is possible the Welshman will miss some time.

READ MORE: The Making of Tomos Williams

In better scrum-half news, the Head Coach said Jamison Gibson-Park will be available for Wednesday’s game with Queensland Reds.

LOCKED AND LOADED

We might only be two matches in but the competition at second-row is already heating up. Tour captain Maro Itoje will be a strong contender for a Test jersey, while Tadhg Beirne has started both matches so far and impressed each time.

Scott Cummings, Ollie Chessum and James Ryan have also had minutes, while Joe McCarthy put his hand up with a man-of-the-match performance.

The Ireland second-row was hugely physical and unsettled Western Force with heavy carries and relentless tackling, while he also contributed two huge turnovers.

"I think I blew the cobwebs off - I should be flying through the tour now,” he said, ominously.

McCarthy also helped to shore up a lineout that struggled against Argentina and must surely be in Test contention.

DALY DELIVERS

Elliot Daly is a five-Test Lion for a reason and should not be discounted from adding to that collection this summer.

With Hugo Keenan still working his way to back to fitness and Blair Kinghorn in France at the Top 14 Final this weekend, Daly was given a chance to prove his worth at full-back and was typically excellent.

Reliable under the high ball – and Western Force kicked a lot – Daly came to the fore, while his distribution was excellent. He also added two tries, showing a surprising turn of pace.

When Keenan is fit and Kinghorn joins, they have their work cut out to dislodge him.

DISCIPLINE

The Lions conceded nine penalties on Saturday and Ben O’Keefe spent portions of the first quarter warning of several more.

Western Force were physically impressive in the first half, and the Lions were caught offside multiple times as they scrambled back, while they occasionally went in to compete at the ruck when a turnover was not on.

Add in that six kick-offs were won by Western Force and there remains plenty of room to grow. "Let's be honest, the Force took it to us, Farrell said.

“I thought they played a tough high-percentage game. They kept the ball really well and we kept them in good field position through our ill-discipline.”