Lions level series against 14-man All Blacks   1 Jul 2017

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QUICK TAP: THE TRUE ORIGINS OF THE ALL BLACKS NAME

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For the first time since the 2014 Test against Australia in Sydney the All Blacks were held tryless while the Lions crossed twice through No.8 Taulupe Faletau and halfback Conor Murray while the New Zealanders lost second five-eighths Sonny Bill Williams for a shoulder charge, the third All Black after Cyril Brownlie (1925) and Colin Meads (1967) to be sent off.

It seemed for the first 60 minutes that penalties, and there were seven penalty goals out of 10 attempts, landed by All Blacks first five-eighths Beauden Barrett, were going to cost the Lions their chance to win, but in the end their willingness to run the ball at crucial stages proved the difference.

That was significant in a game that was affected by the wet weather, although there wasn't an influence from the wind. The Lions choice of five-eighths Jonathan Sexton and Owen Farrell proved significant and was influential in the outcome.

Victorious captain and flanker Sam Warburton said it was a credit to the All Blacks that they managed to take the game to the wire with only 14 men.

After Williams' 24th minute dismissal team management immediately pulled flanker Jerome Kaino from the field and replaced him with second five-eighths Ngani Laumape who was making his debut. Centre Anton Lienert-Brown moved into flanker at scrums.

The Lions achieved their win with only 39 percent of possession and they had to make 122 tackles as opposed to 65 by the All Blacks, but the gaps didn't come while the Lions conceded 13 penalties to eight.

The Lions also had to play 10 minutes without prop Mako Vunipola when he was yellow-carded for a clean out on Barrett. New Zealand lifted their effort when the numbers were equalled but all they could secure was a sixth penalty goal when Warburton got offside at a lineout.

From the ruck the ball was moved quickly to the left and found Faletau with just enough room and time to get over in the corner ahead of fullback Israel Dagg's tackle.

Then nine minutes later as the Lions ran the ball from a lineout out from the All Blacks 22m area, hooker Jamie George burst onto the ball and created a ruck which saw Murray break and get through to score and with Farrell's conversion the scores were level at 21-21 with 12 minutes remaining.

Dagg had a busy night in the air and taking the ball to the line but the inclusion of Itoje bolstered the Lions pack and the influence of No.8 Read and the two locks Brodie Retallick and Sam Warburton were not as prominent in the first Test.

The disruption to the New Zealand backline caused by Williams dismissal, and in the last quarter when wing Waisake Naholo was forced off with concussion, did not help continuity and there were few chances for the All Blacks to move the ball.

Scorers: New Zealand 21 (Beauden Barrett 7 pen) British & Irish Lions 24 (Taulupe Faletau, Conor Murray tries; Owen Farrell con, 4 pen).