All Blacks Deny Lions Historic Shock Victory In 12-Try Johannesburg Epic

The All Blacks maintained their unbeaten tour record in South Africa in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, edging the Lions 41-35 in a pulsating, fast-paced encounter that pushed them to the limit.

A shock victory was almost on the cards for the home side in front of a crowd of 16,000, with both teams producing a clinic of open, attacking rugby that yielded 12 tries. The Lions looked on course for a famous victory after surging into a 35-17 lead, but the All Blacks shifted up a gear to launch a stunning comeback.

In the fifth minute, the Lions drew first blood, signalling their intent and confidence as they surged into the All Blacks’ 22. After winning a scrum five metres from the try line, they patiently worked through the phases before Nico Steyn powered over for the opening try.

The quick-fire start stunned the All Blacks as Siba Mahashe intercepted a Noah Hotham pass following a successful All Blacks lineout and raced over to extend the Lions’ lead to 14-0. Chris Smith added the extras as the hosts’ early dominance continued inside the opening 10 minutes.

Indeed, the All Blacks had never faced a deficit of this nature on tour, and the Lions’ early dominance was a clear statement of intent. Yet the visitors finally found their attacking rhythm around the 10-minute mark. As they showed in the first Test against the Springboks, give them an opening and they will punish you, with Noah Hotham making amends for his earlier error by crossing for a try after Emoni Narawa had burst clear.

It made for a frantic opening to the contest.

As the All Blacks found their feet and swagger, Emoni Narawa turned provider into scorer, finishing off a sweeping attack that used the full width of the pitch to stretch the Lions’ defence. The missed conversion left the visitors trailing by just two points.

The Lions showed no signs of being overawed, continuing the attacking exuberance they had showcased at home in last season’s URC. Their willingness to take the game to the All Blacks paid dividends as Kelly Mpeku squeezed over in the right-hand corner under pressure.

The visitors responded almost immediately, with Ethan Blackadder crossing as both sides traded blows in a breathless opening half.

HALF-TIME: LIONS 21-17 NEW ZEALAND

Mahashe chose this night to shine, producing another outstanding run along the touchline to create the opening for Erich Cronje, who crossed early in the second half to extend the Lions’ lead to 28-17 after 42 minutes.

Francke Horn compounded the All Blacks’ woes, powering over for a try that stretched the Lions’ lead to 35-17.

With their backs against the wall, Rieko Ioane turned back the clock with a sensational run through the heart of the Lions’ defence, producing a spectacular solo effort.

He then compounded the hosts’ misery by intercepting a Richard Kriel pass to bring the All Blacks within seven points at 35-28, as the 10-try mark was surpassed.

The comeback was complete when Ethan Blackadder capped a stunning length-of-the-field attack to give the All Blacks the lead, before Narawa secured his double before full-time to complete a remarkable turnaround.