ARE WE PUMPED?
Good morning one and all and welcome along to our live coverage of the second Test between the All Blacks and Lions, with Warren Gatland’s side now in make-or-break territory following last week’s defeat.
All the odds are stacked against the tourists but many of the players have spoken of this night as the biggest in their careers as they look to spring a surprise and pull off a historic win.
It is a Test match with all the mouth-watering ingredients to be a classic and we’re following it minute-by-minute right here.
Kick-off in Wellington is at 8.35am and we’ve got all the build up between now and then.
If you’re just waking up, there was some concerning news from Wellington a little earlier after it was confirmed Sir Ian McGeehan was taken to hospital after collapsing at Westpac Stadium.
The 70-year-old, who was on the tour with Sky Sports, is said to be in a ‘moderate’ condition.
The Lions are in the house.
Here’s a reminder of the teams, as named by Hansen and Gatland earlier in the week.
Two changes for the All Blacks from last week with Ryan Crotty and Ben Smith ruled out through injuries they sustained in the first Test. Waisake Naholo comes in to start on the wing while Anton Lienert-Brown will win his 12th cap at outside centre.
For the Lions, meanwhile, Sam Warburton is drafted in to captain the tourists while Johnny Sexton starts at 10 with Owen Farrell shifting to inside centre.
All Blacks:
15. Israel Dagg
14. Waisake Naholo
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
12. Sonny Bill Williams
11. Rieko Ioane
10. Beauden Barrett
9. Aaron Smith
1. Joe Moody
2. Codie Taylor
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Samuel Whitelock
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read (captain)
Replacements:
16. Nathan Harris
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Scott Barrett
20. Ardie Savea
21. TJ Perenara
22. Aaron Cruden
23. Ngani Laumap
Lions:
15. Liam Williams
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Davies
12. Owen Farrell
11. Elliot Daly
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Sam Warburton (captain)
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements:
16. Ken Owens
17. Jack McGrath
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Courtney Lawes
20. CJ Stander
21. Rhys Webb
22. Ben Te’o
23. Jack Nowell
Ryan Bailey here to guide you through all the action as it happens while Murray Kinsella is in position in Wellington as we bring you live minute-by-minute coverage.
It's very wet in Wellington. pic.twitter.com/NbrSZ5Knbp
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) July 1, 2017
There’s a big Lions following already inside Westpac Stadium and the atmosphere, despite the wet conditions, is building nicely.
Warren Gatland has been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kick off.
“We all know how important tonight is. We’ve all seen in sport and rugby when you’ve had a performance one week and turn it around the next.
“It’s not easy but we’ve worked on a few things during the week to change the result (from last weekend).”
Right, which way is this one going to go? Can the Lions conjure a big performance and pull a famous victory off or will the All Blacks seal the series?
Poll Results:
Scott Quinnell is a little animated on the touchline alright. Someone needs to tell him he’s not playing!
The Lions are led out by Sam Warburton as the rain continues to hammer down.
Kick off! The anthem and haka complete, it’s show time!
Johnny Sexton gets us underway and Aaron Smith sends an up and under back towards the Lions, which Liam Williams deals with. We’re likely to see plenty of kicking this evening.
Maro Itoje brilliantly steals the lineout but how on earth does he get away with it? The second row practically started in the All Black line there but Jerome Garces turns a blind eye.
Strong start for the Lions and after Murray feeds Elliot Daly, the All Blacks are pinged for not rolling away. From the lineout, the Lions have good go forward ball as Furlong puts the head down and makes a big carry before it breaks down when Itoje knocks on.
Handling is going to be tricky and Dagg fumbles Williams’ up-and-under to give the Lions the scrum. The tourists have started very brightly and have enjoyed all the possession and territory so far.
Lovely hands from Sexton as shapes to grubber but offloads to Davies on his left shoulder instead. The Lions work it through the phases as they chip away at the All Blacks defence before Sexton’s pass to Williams goes marginally forward.
Barrett looks for Waisake Naholo with a dangerous cross-field kick and after Daly spilled it, the All Blacks winger gets his hands on the ball for the first time before being snuffed out by a number of red shirts.
Penalty against Sean O’Brien for hands on the ground and Barrett has the chance to open the scoring from about 35 metres out — but he strikes the post!
That’s a bad miss from the All Black out-half, particularly after he was flawless from the tee last week with six from six.
Nothing came of it in the end but you feel the Lions have to take full advantage of any time in All Blacks territory.
Plenty of unforced errors from both teams but it was the All Blacks who knocked on first and Murray will feed the scrum. They go off the back of the set-piece and Williams combines with Watson to come in field, before the latter is pinged for holding on.
A lot of back slapping going on out there as the Lions force the turnover and it’s that man Itoje again — but it’s the All Blacks’ turn to celebrate as they put the squeeze on and win the scrum penalty.
PENALTY! All Blacks 3-0 Lions (Barrett)
No mistake this time from Barrett as he opens the scoring and gives the All Blacks first blood. 20 minutes gone in Wellington.
It’s monsoon like out there!
New Zealand are penalised again at the breakdown, this time caught offside, and Farrell calls for the tee.
PENALTY! All Blacks 3-3 Lions (Farrell)
He strikes it sweetly and through the wind and the rain, it drops over from long-range as the Lions draw level. That really was a superb kick from Farrell.
Sonny Bill Williams is in big trouble here. He hits Watson with a no-arms tackle and after looking at the TMO, Garces say he thinks it’s a red card.
RED! The TMO tries to talk the referee out of brandishing the red but he has no choice after Sonny Bill Williams lined Watson up and hit him with his shoulder. The All Blacks are down to 14!
A big couple of minutes in the match there. Not only have the hosts been reduced to 14 men but they’ve just lost Jerome Kaino to injury, with Ngani Laumape on for his debut.
Anthony Watson, meanwhile, has gone off for a HIA with Jack Nowell on in his place.
Sexton looks to kick in behind after latching onto the loose ball but he overcooks it and the ball goes dead. New Zealand build from deep and then win the penalty after a red shirt fails to roll away at the breakdown.
Watson has passed his HIA and is back on.
PENALTY! New Zealand 6-3 Lions (Barrett)
Barrett dissects the posts with his third effort and Steve Hansen’s side are back in front.
Brilliant from Liam Williams as he puts the All Blacks under all sorts of pressure from the restart and Itoje is on hand to gather the ball when it’s fumbled. From there, New Zealand are guilty of not rolling away and Farrell has the chance to restore parity.
PENALTY! New Zealand 6-6 Lions (Farrell)
That was fairly straightforward for Farrell and the Lions are on level terms again.
The conditions are difficult but the error count from the Lions is still far too high and they continue to concede penalty after penalty. On this occasion it’s Mako Vunipola who is penalised as he tried to slow the ball down at the breakdown.
PENALTY! New Zealand 9-6 Lions (Barrett)
Four minutes until the break and New Zealand are back in front.
The Lions knocking on the door as we approach half time. Sexton pumps it into the corner and the tourists have a good attacking position here.
With the penalty advantage coming, Murray looks cross-field where Ioane just does enough to prevent Faletau gathering and diving over, although there was more than a suspicion of a deliberate knock on there.
PENALTY! New Zealand 9-9 Lions (Farrell)
We go back for the penalty and Farrell knocks it over.
Half-time! New Zealand 9-9 Lions
An incident-packed first half of rugby which was riddled with unforced errors with conditions making it difficult for both teams. Sonny Bill Williams’ sending off was the big moment but the Lions have been unable to take advantage so far with Beauden Barrett and Owen Farrell exchanging penalties.
We’re back underway in Wellington!
We’re going to see a different side of Barrett’s game now as he arrows a kick into touch on this near side to put the lineout under pressure. George finds Itoje and Murray clears before the ABs win another penalty in front of the posts.
How did he miss that!? Barrett pushes his effort from 30 metres out and that’s another bad miss from the out-half. The Lions escaped there.
Conor Murray is perhaps a little fortunate to escape a yellow there as he tackles Anton Lienert-Brown around the neck and Barrett will have a chance to atone for his miss a few minutes earlier.
PENALTY! New Zealand 12-9 Lions (Barrett)
A much cleaner strike from Barrett moves New Zealand back into the lead.
Itoje is offside and the All Blacks have the advantage, with Barrett stabbing a grubber through which forces Daly to scramble back and dive on the ball before Kieran Read.
Barrett misses another penalty, although to be fair that was a tricky kick through the wind and rain.
Meanwhile, Steve Hansen has made a couple of changes with Joe Moody and Owen Franks replaced by Wyatt Crockett and Charlie Faumuina.
We’re going upstairs to have a look for potential foul play from Mako Vunipola as he hit Barrett late, but it’s just a penalty against the prop and nothing more.
PENALTY! New Zealand 15-9 Lions (Barrett)
Barrett dusts himself down and extends the All Blacks lead to six points.
The Lions need to find something here because they’ve been second best since the dismissal of SBW and continue to concede penalty after penalty.
Yellow! Mindless stuff from Vunipola as he clears Barrett out late and doesn’t get away with it this time. The prop has conceded four penalties in 55 minutes.
The Lions are caught offside again and we’re going back for the penalty after Barrett’s up-and-under is well gathered by Liam Williams. Discipline is really hurting the tourists at the minute and they’re about to go nine points behind.
PENALTY! All Blacks 18-9 Lions (Barrett)
The out-half has found his range again and this is slipping away from the Lions.
This has been a woeful performance from the Lions.
Gatland looks to change things up as he introduces Courtney Lawes for the ineffective Alun Wyn Jones.
TRY! New Zealand 18-14 Lions (Faletau)
Just as we say that, the Lions strike! For the first time in the game, the tourists get the ball in hand and stretch the All Blacks with Watson providing the initial injection of pace.
It’s eventually worked back out towards this near side and Williams feeds Faletau, who shows his power to run over Dagg and dive over in the corner. Farrell misses the conversion but the Lions are back to within a score.
Tadhg Furlong has been called ashore with Kyle Sinckler on in his place. 18 minutes to go at Westpac Stadium and we have a four-point game.
Elliot Daly boots it long but he’s put too much on that and it trickles into dead ball territory and we’re going all the way back to inside the Lions 22.
A couple of changes on both sides as Ardie Savea comes on for Sam Cane and Sean O’Brien is withdrawn to allow Jack McGrath come on for the scrum.
Danger here! Huge carry from Laumape as he barges his way through and Cruden puts the grubber in behind. The Lions are caught short on that far side but the ball just beats Read and we’re going back for another penalty.
PENALTY! New Zealand 21- 14 Lions (Barrett)
Barrett now has 21 points to his name.
TRY! New Zealand 21-21 Lions (Murray)
Oh Conor Murray! Jamie George with the blistering break and after a few phases, Murray picks and goes from the base of the ruck, throws the dummy and darts over. Farrell nails the conversion and we’re level!
Cruden is penalised for taking Williams out off the ball and Farrell launches it towards the New Zealand 22.
We’re in for a thrilling final few minutes in Wellington. We’ll have a Lions scrum on halfway after Farrell’s kick was charged down. Scott Barrett, meanwhile, is on for Sam Whitelock.
PENALTY! Farrell dances his way around a few tackles in midfield and then Charlie Faumuina tackles Kyle Sinckler in the air with the prop’s two feet off the ground as he gathered the pass. Farrell with the chance to put the Lions in the lead.
PENALTY! New Zealand 21-24 Lions (Farrell)
It’s there! The Lions lead with three minutes remaining.
Brilliant restart from the ABs as they reclaim possession. Less than two minutes to go and the world champions are throwing it around.
Barrett goes for the cross-field kick but he has put too much on it and it’s out into touch. This is a huge lineout!
FULL-TIME! THE LIONS WIN 24-21 TO LEVEL THE SERIES
What a finish as the Lions hold on to claim a famous win in Wellington.
‘It’s only half a job done, I’ll be happy when we win the series next week,’ Sam Warburton tells Sky Sports.
An incredible game of rugby, packed with drama from start to finish, but in the end it was the Lions who showed the composure at the death to complete a remarkable comeback and snatch a victory which ties the series heading into the third and final Test.
Here’s Murray Kinsella’s on-the-whistle match report from Westpac Stadium.
All Blacks captain Kieran Read:
“The Lions were the better side, we had our chances. We got in front but we could not keep that lead which just shows that we let ourselves off the hook – the Lions took their chances really well.
“It sets it up nicely for next week – I am looking forward to it.”
What a moment for Conor Murray!
Sean O’Brien was absolutely immense tonight and he’s been talking to Sky Sports:
“It feels very good right now. We’re delighted to win and the crowd have been unbelievable here.
“We made our life very hard for ourselves, but we worked incredibly hard for one another out there and we really fronted up there.
“We had a cool head and we knew our plan. We stuck to the plan, bar discipline, and it worked out for us.”
That’s all from us on the liveblog but we’ll have plenty of reaction and analysis of a famous Lions victory on The42 throughout the day. Thanks for joining us and until next week, goodbye!
Great scenes pic.twitter.com/HkaE1ELzqF
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) July 1, 2017
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