Huw Jones put his name firmly in Test frame as the Lions made it three from three in Australia – but they were made to work for it.
But this was no walk in the park for Andy Farrell’s men who were given a proper game by the Waratahs just two weeks out from the first international against the Wallabies.
Scotland centre Jones scored twice in the first half as the Lions got home with a few standout performers in a scrappy game where too many balls hit the floor.
Ireland flanker Josh van der Flier had a storming game rampaging around the park in his red scrum cap, making 17 tackles in an hour and making hard yardage with ball in hand.
England’s Ben Earl had his best game of tour, carrying well when he got the chance even though he was penalised harshly twice by ref Paul Williams who had a shocker.
But Ireland’s Hugo Keenan had a nightmare in his first game on tour after injury and illness. He dropped a ball in midfield early on that the Waratahs nearly scored of and his missed tackle gifted the hosts their first try.
He was hooked after 50 minutes and Blair Kinghorn was shifted to full-back from wing in a hint of what could come later in the tour.
Scotland’s Kinghorn only arrived on tour on Monday after Toulouse’s Top 14 win last weekend but looked all over a Lions wherever he was playing on the night.
And scrum-half Alex Mitchell kept up the pressure on Jamison Gibson-Park with a try and a 70 minutes where he was the Lions’ janitor, cleaning up some sloppy ball and linking well with Fin Smith.
But too many players were trying to force things to impress the boss with the opening Test match set for 19 July in Brisbane.
Henry Pollock was withdrawn just before kick-off with what the Lions insisted was a tight calf and nothing to worry but it can’t have done his Test chances any good.
There is a theory circulating down under that boss Andy Farrell is looking to play the guts of his Test starting team against the Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday so Pollock could have done with a decent show here.
But the only show in town this week was sitting in the stands, with Owen Farrell whistled up by his father to join the tour and landing in Sydney on Friday. The first time rugby’s Mr Marmite had his face got shown on the big screen the former England captain attracted a mixture of boos and cheers but laughed it off.
Waratahs had an insight into the Lions, in the form of ex-Leicester coach Dan McKellar but more importantly his assistant, World Cup winner Mike Catt who coached England and had five years with Ireland under Farrell.
But clearly they don’t have much inside knowledge of Scottish rugby as two Jones tries helped the tourists to a 14-5 lead at half-time.
His first came off a soft ball from his centre partner Sione Tuipulotu and a hard line from Jones who scored under the posts with a powerful burst.
The Waratahs got over the line on 29 minutes when flanker Charlie Gamble appeared to score but that was chalked off for a clear out by lock Fergus Lee-Warner on Mack Hansen.
Jones’ second arrived on 32 minutes when he was initially held up but then got the ball back from Earl and barrelled over.
The Tahs got one before the break when Keenan should have done better with his tackle on wing Darby Lancaster and although the TMO had a look at another clear out it was given.
Just after the break Lee-Warner made up for his error by taking a line out and hooker Ethan Dobbins rumbled through and all of a sudden it was a four-point game.
Then Mitchell scored a deserved try after an outstanding nights work and the Lions huffed and puffed their way home.
Scorers:
Waratahs: Tries: Lancaster, Dobbins
Lions: Tries: Jones (2), Mitchell; Cons; F.Smith (3)