THE ALL BLACKS and the Lions played out an incredibly gripping draw to leave this year’s series deadlocked after a win apiece in the opening two Tests. Here’s the match report and below are some of our initial post-match thoughts.
A Test that lived up to the steepest of hype
If you went in to this Lions tour as a sceptic – and this writer did – then this third and deciding Test went a long way to redeeming the quadrennial series.
A favourite, on home turf, against a steadily progressing group of the best players Ireland and Britain could offer and they played each other to a standstill.
In a game that delivered the first Lions series tie since the 1955 tour to South Africa, there were missed chances, nailed kicks, contentious refereeing decisions. Every last moment is worth poring over again and again, because this was a sensational Test match that will leave neither side happy, but both sides left with something to show for their relentless efforts.
The only let down in the whole spectacle was that it ended with two teams awkwardly trying to share the acclaim, the trophy and some fireworks that felt like a damp squib.
Poite questions
Every referee in World Rugby comes in for a lot of scrutiny and a lot of unfair criticism, but Romain Poite will be subjected to an extended stint under the microscope by officials and fans alike after denying the All Blacks a late shot to win the game.
The Frenchman initially called a penalty for offside against replacement hooker Ken Owens, but after a check with the TMO seemed to confirm his decision, he reeled it in to a halfway house to the bewilderment of Kieran Read on his 100th cap.
Pressure cooker
Players talk all week (admittedly, because they’re asked to do so) about how to deal with pressure and this game showed why. The All Blacks deal with expectation more than any other side in the game, but it was clear from the outset that a touch of nerves was stopping them from putting a bow on top of some slick moves and processes.
Julian Savea, returning with a point to prove, dropped an early chance that would normally be meat and drink after the Barrett brothers set him clear.
Beauden Barrett, aside from some errant goal-kicks, managed to mis-time a handful of passes. Sometimes it’s a case of run timing from the receiver, but both the vastly experienced Israel Dagg and Barrett’s own brother couldn’t read the clunky delay.
Perhaps the worst offender in the first half though was Owen Farrell. He’s portrayed as an ‘ice man’ figure – and late in the second half, he showed exactly why that is – but early morning he was guilty of a string of errors. From a reckless wide pass picked off by Barrett, to a dreadful out on the full missed touch and anticipating a pass back from touch that never came from Savea, allowing ‘The Bus’ to advance a few stops further up the touchline.
In the end, Farrell showed his bottle and left the hosts to look back most bitterly to rue their missed chances to put the Lions away nice and early.
Laumape love
The Lions’ late comeback in the second Test pulled an lot of attention away from what was a very impressive international debut for Ngani Laumape.
On his first Test start, Laumape was supposed to be a weak point for the Lions to target, but instead the 24-year-old rugby league convert showed he had more than just codes in common with Sonny Bill Williams. His offload in the lead up to Jordie Barrett’s try was nothing short of sensational, breaking the line and flinging a looping ball around his tacklers as he careered towards the turf.
His first two caps have ended with very unsatisfying home results, but he will have plenty of happy days in black ahead.
Gatland, the greatest ever Lions coach?
In Ireland, praise for Warren Gatland is thin on the ground for the former Ireland coach. But despite dropping Brian O’Driscoll four years ago and calling the ‘Geography Six’ in to hold tackle bags this time around, the Kiwi has presided over a win and a draw in charge of the four nation team.
That’s never been done before. Ian McGeechan won twice, but sandwiched in between was a series loss to New Zealand in 1993. In 1927, England’s James Baxter won a tour to Argentina and lost in Australia and New Zealand in 1930. Gatland stands alone, and the money men behind the Lions will surely be happy to put him in charge again in four years time if he isn’t otherwise engaged.
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