The Wallabies have scrambled late in a 27-19 first Test loss after the British and Irish Lions threatened a Brisbane mauling.

Twelve years on from their last Test on Australian soil, it took the visitors just 22 seconds to hit the lead.

Joe Schmidt’s side then conceded after 10 minutes and scrambled desperately to limit the damage in a thunderous Lions first half.

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The lead swelled to 24-5 after 42 minutes before the hosts controlled the contest, late tries to replacements Carlo Tizzano and Tate McDermott restoring order ahead of a must-win Melbourne Test next Saturday.

Earlier, the hosts had looked indecisive and impatient as Brisbane again proved a happy hunting ground for a Lions team unbeaten in the city.

Prop Tadhg Beirne was player of the match while flyhalf Finn Russell, flanker Tom Curry and prop Ellis Genge were the other tormentors in front of a 52,229-strong Suncorp Stadium crowd, mostly drenched in Lions red.

Max Jorgensen scored the Wallabies’ only first-half points, pinching a Jake Gordon box kick and racing 22 metres to score against the run of play.

The Lions were up 3-0 when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was penalised for not releasing with his first touch from the second phase of play and they took the points.

An Australian crossed in the ninth minute, but unfortunately for the Wallabies it was Scottish captain Sione Tuipulota, who left Melbourne via Japan six years ago and on Saturday became the first Australian-born Lion to play a Test since 1910.

The centre was involved again soon after, shifting the ball left before James Lowe palmed off Jorgensen and setting up Huw Jones.

Jones’ try was disallowed though, replays showing Jorgensen had a hold of Jones’ leg when he attempted to play on and score.

Curry barged over before halftime in a blow for the desperate Wallabies, who had scrambled so well to limit the damage.

There was no respite though, the Lions finding open spaces almost from kick-off before Dan Sheehan touched down in the right corner for a 24-5 lead.

Any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Suaalii was denied what had been initially adjudged a try when he’d rolled over the line without releasing the ball.

They really knew it wasn’t their night when captain Harry Wilson’s neat in-behind grubber kick took a nasty turn just as winger Harry Potter was poised to score an opportunistic try.

Lynagh was busy in 60 minutes in his first Test start, taking on the line early then mopping up indecision and getting hammered in the air by Curry while catching a bomb.

Curry escaped a card for that offence, just as Tadhg Furlong did despite making high contact on Suaalii in the ruck.

A Wallabies penalty soon after drew Bronx cheers from the capacity crowd, only for the hosts to immediately cough the ball up anyway.

A sharper final 30 minutes will give Schmidt plenty to ponder ahead of Melbourne, where crucial pair Rob Valetini and Will Skelton will likely be fully recovered from calf niggles.