The British and Irish Lions were unconvincing in victory over Southland, the weakest side they will face on tour, but pulled through courtesy of two tries from Test reject Gavin Henson and 16 points from the boot of Ronan O'Gara.

Here, the Press Association analyses the dirt-trackers' performance just four days before the first Test against the All Blacks.

TACTICS:

Again the Lions' approach seemed confused and that led to a lack of shape which cost them the chance to nail the win before half-time.

The Lions spurned penalty shots at goal to go for touch but poor execution at the lineout, basic errors and a raft of turnovers kept Southland in the game.

They also failed to exploit the clever tactical kicking game of Ronan O'Gara or Gavin Henson's giant boot to pin Southland back.

It was only when the game was on a knife-edge in the last 20 minutes that O'Gara began to kick for territory with any regularity. In truth, the Lions muddled through to victory.

LEADERSHIP:

Michael Owen captained the Lions for a second time and he made the right tactical decisions early on - repeatedly choosing to kick penalties to touch in the hope of killing off Southland. The tactic failed but only through poor execution.

When the Lions' early onslaught dissipated, Southland came back and the visitors needed someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck but no-one did.

Martyn Williams turned in another all-action display and led by example at the breakdown and Gordon Bulloch, Lions captain against Otago, brought some authority to the lineout when he replaced Andy Titterrell.

KICKING:

Given the Lions boasted the tactical eye of O'Gara and Henson's monster boot, it was a surprise how little they utilised the kick to pin Southland back into their own half.

O'Gara attempted one cross-kick - a tactic utilised frequently by the Lions this tour - and he picked out Denis Hickie effectively, though the chance came to nothing.

When the game became close in the final stages, O'Gara began to control territory more effectively with the boot and the Lions benefited as the Irish fly-half closed out the game with two late penalties.

After a poor goal-kicking performance so far this tour, O'Gara finished with 16 points from two conversions and four penalties.

FORWARDS:

The pack provided the Lions backs with a solid foundation but were given added brute force after half-time when heavyweight prop Andrew Sheridan came on for Matt Stevens.

Sheridan, Simon Shaw and Donncha O'Callaghan all carried the ball well and Martyn Williams was an effective, all-action performer. Again the Lions were guilty of committing to few men to the breakdown and they turned the ball over far too frequently.

ATTACK:

Gavin Henson was central to everything positive about the Lions' attacking display. He scored two tries, combining his ability to find space with power to barge through the defence.

In the first 15 minutes, when the Lions were at their best, Henson was spinning wonderfully attacking passes out wide and slipping neat offloads out of the tackle.

But the Lions' attack lost shape for large parts of the game and coach Ian McGeechan was frustrated at how his players had started "playing sevens rugby" and trying to impress individually.

They began to look more incisive once Tom Shanklin was introduced to the midfield and he combined brilliantly with Henson to almost send Mark Cueto over.

The Lions used their driving maul on occasion - but arguably not often enough given the success it brought them.

DEFENCE:

Only one try conceded, to the excellent open-side flanker Hale T-Pole, but it will have disappointed the defensive gurus in the coaching box.

T-Pole was driven over straight from the back of a lineout just after half-time, when the Lions' shape was still ragged.

But otherwise, the Lions kept Southland at a distance and were only threatened by hopeful chips over the top that Fijian wing Lotawa Watisoni chased dangerously.

Lions on the up: Gavin Henson, Martyn Williams

Work to do: Geordan Murphy, Mark Cueto