Brisbane, the capital of Queensland on the southern slopes of the Taylor Mountain range, is Australia’s third-largest city.

If you like bridges, then Brisbane is most definitely the place for you. There are eighteen of them spanning the Brisbane River, with the majority of them situated in the inner city area.

However, yesterday proved to be a bridge too far for the Wallabies as the British & Irish Lions emerged victorious in the first match of their three test series against Australia.

With Finn Russell in sparkling form the Lions bossed the first half building up a 17-5 lead, the only blemish being Australia’s 28th minute try that gave them a lifeline to cling onto at the interval.

The first score of the second half was likely to be pivotal in deciding the outcome of this match, and it was the men in red who in the first minute scored a try through Dan Sheehan. Russell’s conversion made it 24-5 to the tourists.

With all the momentum and a healthy lead, you felt the Lions would pull away and the prospect of a big victory was a very realistic possibility, but they took their foot off the gas.

In fact, they not only took their foot off the gas they parked the car, and turned the engine off.

Tries from Tizzano and McDermott, both converted by Donaldson brought the Wallabies right back in contention as they dominated possession and territory.

Only a Marcus Smith penalty between those two scores kept it beyond a one score game.

The Lions will be delighted with a 27-19 win but the manner in which a clunky and disjointed Australian side came back will cause them a few restless nights, particularly as Nick Skelton and Rob Valetini will be back in the gold Cadbury’s emblazoned shirts next weekend.

Australia will be much improved in the second test, but if the Lions can replicate that first half performance for a full eighty minutes next weekend in Melbourne, they will be hard to live with.

But for now it’s time to savour the sweet taste of victory, and like the Brisbane River, the Lions will cross that bridge when they come to it.