Lions beat All Blacks to level series

The British and Irish Lions have levelled the series at 1-1 after they came from behind to beat 14-man New Zealand 24-21 in Wellington.

When Sonny Bill Williams was dismissed early in the game for a cynical shoulder charge to the head of Anthony Watson, the tourists were handed a huge advantage as they aimed to square the series after their disappointing 30-15 loss at Eden Park last Saturday.

The red card was the first for the All Blacks in 50 years but they showed why they are the world champions with an intelligent tactical strategy which saw them head into the break level at 9-9, before they took control and built an 18-9 lead based on domination of territory and cheap penalties coughed up by the visitors.

Beauden Barrett, who matched Owen Farrell's three penalties in the first period, had a mixed day with the boot, kicking the Kiwis into their nine-point advantage but also missing a couple of straightforward shots.

With the Lions' disciple letting them down, Mako Vunipola was sin-binned for a late swinging arm on Barrett - the last of a few brainless actions from the prop - but with the numbers evened-up they got back into the game when after good work by Jonathan Sexton, Toby Faletau crashed over in the corner for the game's first try.

Farrell's missed conversion attempt from out wide left the score at 18-14 and Barrett's seventh penalty stretched the margin to seven points.

The wet conditions didn't help either side and New Zealand's handling wasn't as clinical as usual, and in the final stages it was the Lions who had another gear to go to.

Their pressure saw Jamie George charge through the hosts' defence and from the ruck, Conor Murray saw a gap and sniped through to cross the line.

Farrell kept his nerve to add the extras to leave the match on a knife-edge heading into the last 10 minutes and backed by a vocal travelling support, the Lions were ferocious in their defensive effort, gradually pushing New Zealand back into their half.

Finally with four minutes on the clock the pressure told on the home side as Charlie Faumuina was penalised for taking the charging Kyle Sinckler out in the air and Farrell, faced with a 40m kick from the centre, kept his cool and kicked the Lions into the lead.

Sean O'Brien and Maro Otoje were outstanding for the Lions with the former perhaps deserving of the man-of-the-match award while, aside from some sloppy kicks in the first period, Murray and Sexton excelled when the game opened-up in the final quarter.

Sam Warburton helped Warren Gatland's men improve at the breakdown while for the hosts the substitute Ngani Laumape proved an inspired replacement after Williams was dismissed, his power regularly forcing the Lions onto the backfoot.

As the Lions bask in the glory of matching the feat of the 1993 touring squad, they head back to Eden Park next week for the deciding test, looking to clinch an unprecedented series win in New Zealand.

Image: Getty/David Rogers

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