Although the tourists gave a better account of themselves on a night of immense passion and fire, they were not good enough to level the series. Now, they must move on to Auckland and try to salvage some consolation by winning next Saturday’s game at Eden Park. Such had been the ill-feeling towards All Blacks captain Tama Umaga this week for the part he played in dumping Brian O’Driscoll out of the tour seven days ago, that his name was roundly booed when it appeared on the scoreboard pre-match.
The stadium literally took off with the Lions fans obviously outraged by Umaga’s act and his subsequent decision not to apologise for ending O’Driscoll’s series after just forty seconds of that first Test. Game on.
The Haka was ignored by the supporters who did their bit to lift their beleaguered heroes. Within two minutes of referee Andrew Cole’s first whistle, the Lions were ahead. Captain Gareth Thomas made an initial break down the left and after the Lions twice recycled decent ball, Thomas stepped inside two would-be tacklers and crossed between the posts for Wilkinson to convert.
Straight from the restart Dwayne Peel dummied and galloped forty metres before off-loading, under pressure, into thin air. However, Lewis Moody cleaned up and the Lions won a penalty which Wilkinson pushed wide of the upright. It was frantic, stirring stuff, until outside half Daniel Carter put a lid on matters for a moment when he converted a penalty from forty metres to reduce the arrears to four points on eight minutes.
The game was thirteen minutes old before Gavin Henson’s first real contribution, but when it came, it was vital – a try-saving tackle in the corner on wing Rico Gear. Two minutes later, however, New Zealand were back to within a point when Carter eased over his second penalty after Steve Thompson was caught offside at a ruck eight metres out.
The scores were coming thick and fast – a minute later after Gareth Thomas had given up possession in midfield, the hosts were ahead. Carter stole the ball from the Welsh captain, Henson missed a crucial tackle and Umaga appeared on his shoulder to cross.
Suddenly the boot was on the other foot and it was the Lions who were staring down the barrel. A good start it might have been, but New Zealand were back in it and now leading by six points. Wilkinson had a chance to make up for his earlier miss when the Lions were awarded a penalty on 26 minutes and this time the England pivot made no mistake. However, when O’Connell once again spilt the ball, this time from the restart, New Zealand had another penalty and Carter duly converted. Another bout of handbags between the two sets of forwards earned the Lions their next chance – a penalty from 42 yards – Wilkinson again finding his mark to bring it back to a three-point game.
Not for long. When the Lions failed to hold up Aaron Mauger in midfield, Siviveni Sivivatu found himself in oceans of space on the left wing and despite the efforts of Shane Williams and Josh Lewsey, the Fijian wing made it to the line. Trailing by eight points at half time, the Lions suffered a double whammy within a minute of the restart. First of all Julian White conceded a penalty and as Carter prepared to extend his side’s lead, Wilkinson needed lengthy treatment for a bang on the shoulder.
Within another minute New Zealand were home and dry. A surge down the centre from Chris Jack and Jerry Collins created space on both flanks, but having chosen to go left, they came up trumps when Carter broke along the line, chipped around Lewsey and followed up to score. When Ryan Jones was penalised for holding on at a ruck on 58 minutes, Carter again stepped forward to make the tourists pay. Simon Easterby gave the Llanelli Scarlets something to shout about when he crossed in the corner 14 minutes from time. However, this night belonged to New Zealand and Carter, who topped up his points haul with his second try and yet another conversion.
Richie McCaw added salt to the already gaping wound with another try, four minutes from time, and Carter took New Zealand to within a couple of 50 with the ensuing conversion.
