 | CONNELL GRANGE SUPPLY WHERE THE CUSTOMER IS STILL THE COMPANY |
|
Printable Page
08/25 14:42 CDT All Blacks need late surge to overcome the Lions 41-35 in scare
at Ellis Park
All Blacks need late surge to overcome the Lions 41-35 in scare at Ellis Park
JOHANNESBURG (AP) --- A dogged Lions side that led for more than an hour was
pipped by New Zealand 41-35 at Ellis Park on Tuesday.
The All Blacks swept all four provincial teams to remain undefeated on their
tour of South Africa, but they were given a serious scare in an entertaining
12-try contest.
New Zealand had only three players backing up from last Saturday's test victory
over South Africa on the same ground and involved all six injury replacements
summoned on tour --- including two players who arrived on Monday --- plus a
debut for prop Saula Ma'u.
Their defense struggled. They trailed 14-0 after seven minutes, were still
behind at halftime and found themselves down 35-17 in the 47th. The Lions
threatened to become the first South African provincial side to beat New
Zealand since Orange Free State, now known as the Cheetahs, in 1976.
But like the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls the All Blacks had already beaten, the
Lions were out of season and not match fit. They hadn't played since May 30 in
the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals.
The All Blacks stormed back in the last half-hour with four successive tries;
two by Rieko Ioane, a second for flanker Ethan Blackadder that gave them the
lead for the first time in the 62nd, and a second by winger Emoni Narawa in the
79th that finally settled the tourists' nerves.
Standouts for New Zealand included Blackadder --- whose father Todd was on the
last traditional tour in 1996 --- inside center Timoci Tavatavanawai, Narawa,
and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, back from Japan and in a black jersey for the first
time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
Mo'unga, like New Zealand, got better as the game got older, but he and Beauden
Barrett could convert only three of their seven tries. On the other hand, Chris
Smith, at home, converted all five of the Lions tries and hit the post with a
long penalty.
Early pressure by Lions long-time captain Francke Horn resulted in a dummy and
try by scrumhalf Nico Steyn, who has been in the Springboks camp. Moments
later, All Blacks scrumhalf Noah Hotham was intercepted by Siba Mahashe who ran
in untouched. Mahashe was only 22 and carrying hype. The recent Junior Bok was
wanted by the Blitzbok sevens and regarded as a Bob Skinstad type. He was the
player of the match.
Narawa laid off a try for Hotham and finished one that started from a mark by
Mo'unga in his 22.
But the Lions shot further ahead again through winger Kelly Mpeku.
Wonderful handling by New Zealand produced a try for Blackadder but one for
winger Fehi Fineanganofo on halftime was ruled out by a forward pass.
Winger Erich Cronj started and finished a Lions try 42 seconds into the new
half, and captain Horn scored from a pushover try as the All Blacks scrum
creaked again.
But the Lions' preseason conditioning fell away and the All Blacks were
ruthless. Against the four provinces they have owned the last quarter when they
have scored 12 of their total 29 tries.
The second test is on Saturday in Cape Town.
The Springboks cleared Siya Kolisi to play after a grade-two hamstring tear on
Aug. 8 against Argentina. He will also captain them. Paul de Villiers dropped
out of the matchday 23.
___
See AP's full rugby coverage here
