All Blacks edge Lions in 12-try thriller at Ellis Park
· Citizen
The All Blacks completed a clean sweep of South Africa’s URC-playing franchises when they narrowly beat the Lions 41-35 at Ellis Park on Tuesday night.
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It was the closest and hardest-fought contest in the series so far, following the All Blacks’ victories against the Stormers in Cape Town (38-21), the Sharks in Durban (54-0), and the Bulls at Loftus (50-19).
The All Blacks also beat the Springboks 33-16 at Ellis Park on Saturday, in the first of four Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
After five victories on South African soil, they will take some beating when the Springboks face them in Cape Town on Saturday, and Soweto and Baltimore over the following two weeks.
The Lions played brilliantly in the first half, taking their opportunities to lead 14-0 after seven minutes. While the All Blacks fought back into the game, they made many errors under pressure.
They fought back to a 21-17 deficit at the break, three tries apiece, before having to weather another Lions surge for two more tries early in the second half.
Three unanswered scores gave them a lead for the first time, and it was only by one point (36-35).
As the final minutes ticked by, the All Blacks again worked the ball wide for a score.
The Lions have only beaten the All Blacks once in their history: 6-0 in the first-ever game played at Ellis Park in 1928.
Lions match All Blacks’ intensity
The Lions came out guns blazing, Nico Steyn scoring the first try after a scrum, and Siba Mahashe the second after an uncanny intercept.
Chris Smith’s conversions gave the Lions a 14-0 lead within seven minutes.
But All Black scrumhalf Noah Hotham hit back following a line break.
The Lions maintained pressure and the All Blacks made several errors here before working the ball wide for a two-on-one and an Emoni Narawa score in the 24th minute.
Lions wing Kelly Mpeku hit back for the Lions, diving past the tackler on the sideline. Smith’s conversion gave them a 21-12 lead after 33 minutes.
New Zealand likewise responded immediately when Ethan Blackadder scored on the side. The Lions still took a 21-17 lead at the break.
The hosts extended their lead when Erich Cronje linked with Siba Mahashe right after the kick-off to score, and Francke Horn scored the Lions’ fifth try from a rolling maul. Two more conversions by Smith gave them a 35-17 lead.
But Rieko Ioane hit back twice for the All Blacks following a break and then an intercept. Blackadder’s second try allowed the All Blacks to take the lead for the first time (36-35 in the 62nd minute).
Narawa scored his second try in the final play of the game.
Scorers
Lions: Tries – Nico Steyn, Siba Mahashe, Kelly Mpeku, Erich Cronje, Francke Horn. Conversions – Chris Smith 5/5. Penalties – Smith 0/1.
All Blacks: Tries – Noah Hotham, Emoni Narawa (2), Ethan Blackadder (2), Rieko Ioane (2), Fehi Fineanganofo. Conversions – Beauden Barrett 1/3, Richie Mo’unga 2/4.