In the final match of the mid-week greatest rivalry at Ellis Park, the Lions team managed to get close to the All Blacks, despite losing the exciting confrontation 41-35.
All Blacks stars Rico Ioane scored one of his two touchdowns, and Springbok fullback Juan Horn could not stop him on Tuesday evening. Although the Lions' defense left large gaps for the New Zealand players, the home team's attacking play allowed them to be one step away from snatching victory from the touring team in the last match of this series.
After defeating the Springboks in the first test match on Saturday, the All Blacks secured their fifth win of the tour; however, if the Lions' defense had been better, they could have staged a famous comeback. Nevertheless, the team demonstrated that maintaining pace against the New Zealand side is necessary.
The Lions first lost their lead in the 62nd minute. Up to that point, they scored five thrilling touchdowns, with the team's best try possibly being scored by number eight and captain Frank Horne after a powerful scrum that advanced the All Blacks to the try line. However, this converted touchdown in the 46th minute was the team's last score.
The individual try by Siba Mahashe and the touchdown by winger Erich Kronhe attracted special attention from spectators. Mahashe intercepted the ball early in the first half and carried it himself across the try line, giving the team a second chance and a 14-0 lead. Then Kronhe brilliantly deflected a high pass, passed the ball to Mahashe at the edge of the field, who brought it back inside before being tackled, and Kronhe managed to throw the ball and dive across the try line.
Mahashe, Horne, Kronhe, midfielder Chris Smith, fullback Juan Horn, and the front-line players showed excellent play, and this performance will be remembered for the home team. They were able to play in an attacking style comparable to the All Blacks in front of an audience of just under 16,000 fans, but maintaining such a pace for 80 minutes against a touring team is always difficult.
Forwards and Scorers
Rico Ioane, playing as an outside centre, was the main attacker for the All Blacks; his second try and New Zealand's sixth touchdown gave them an advantage in the second half. In the final seconds of the game, winger Emoni Narawa also scored his second touchdown, beating about six defenders to seal the victory. In his first match since returning, midfielder Moonga also brilliantly led the game, and full-back Ethan Blackadder added two touchdowns to his statistics.
Although the Lions fought until the end, they fell slightly short of victory. Nevertheless, they demonstrated that a brilliant season awaits them.