As it happened: Lions keep series alive with thrilling win over 14-man All Blacks

The British and Irish Lions have beaten the All Blacks 24-21 in a classic Test match at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. </s> WELLINGTON, July 1 (Reuters) - British and Irish Lions beat New Zealand 24-21 (halftime 9-9) in the second test at Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday.

July 8 v All Blacks, Auckland (Compiled by Nick Mulvenney, editing by John O'Brien) </s> WELLINGTON, July 1 (Reuters) - The second test between the All Blacks and British and Irish Lions was locked up at 9-9 at halftime after the home side had Sonny Bill Williams sent off for a dangerous tackle in the 25th minute at Wellington Regional Stadium.

Williams was given a red card by referee Jerome Garces for the no-armed tackle on Anthony Watson, who escaped injury, with the New Zealander's shoulder making contact with the Lions winger's head.

He becomes just the third All Blacks player to be sent off in a test match and first since 1967.

All the scoring came from the boot with New Zealand flyhalf Beauden Barrett and Lions inside centre Owen Farrell slotting three penalties apiece in the match that was played in a swirling northerly wind and persistent rain.

The All Blacks hold a 1-0 lead in the three match series after winning the first game 30-15 last week in Auckland. The third match is back at Eden Park on July 8. (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by John O'Brien) </s> The British and Irish Lions go into Saturday's all-or-nothing second Test against New Zealand knowing they must win the tactical battle as well as the physical clashes to upset the world champions and keep the series alive.

Already one down in the three-Test series, defeat in Wellington would condemn the Lions to yet another failure -- the 11th in 12 visits to New Zealand.

Lions coach Warren Gatland and the All Blacks' Steve Hansen say they are both expecting that a huge collision at the breakdown will prove decisive.

"There's going to be a tremendous battle there because they'll be a little wounded from last time out and they'll want to prove a point there," Hansen said.

Both men have spent the week crystal-ball gazing on how the game will play out.

Will the Lions again employ the line-speed plan that has worked so well for them, except in the first Test? Or will they develop the running game that proved productive the times they used it a week ago?

And will the All Blacks return to the close-quarter attacks, directed by number nine Aaron Smith, that worked so well when they cleaned up 30-15 in Auckland?

"We have to make sure we stop that," Gatland said.

"We worked pretty hard on that this week. But the All Blacks will probably come with a different plan. They may throw the ball around, they may kick the ball more. We have got to be ready for the changes."

Hansen, having out-thought the Lions' first Test tactics, is now trying to fathom what the tourists will bring this time around.

"He (Gatland) is going to second-guess what we did. Are we going to play off nine again? Then we have to second-guess, if we play off nine, is he going to shut that door? If they shut the door, what other door have they just opened?" Hansen said.

After the All Blacks bullied the Lions in the forwards last week, Gatland has dropped lock George Kruis with Maro Itoje starting in the second row, and recalled tour captain Sam Warburton to replace Peter O'Mahony on the blindside flank.

Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell wear 10 and 12 to have two playmakers running the backline which, as an attacking venture, looks promising.

But defensively, Farrell gives away 14 kilos (31 lbs) to Sonny Bill Williams, the one All Black of whom Gatland said: "It will be important we shut him down."

The All Blacks' two injury-forced changes make little difference to the balance of the side, with Waisake Naholo going onto the right wing for Israel Dagg, who moves to fullback and replaces the concussion-troubled Ben Smith.

Anton Lienert-Brown takes the place of Ryan Crotty (hamstring) in midfield with the untested Ngani Laumape on the bench.

With the breakdown a key area, the All Blacks have retained the same forwards that controlled the first Test, while Gatland wants more from his reorganised pack the second time around.

"As I have spoken all along, we need to be more physical up front. The players are aware of that and we have spoken about that as a group," the New Zealander said.

Hansen was giving nothing away about how the All Blacks would contend with a more fired-up Lions pack.

"They're sitting there thinking, 'Will they do the same thing as last week?'

"I guess we'll have to wait and see what we all do but it's about reacting and adapting to that at the moment," he said.

"We're determined to win all the time. I'm sure that'll definitely be the mental state they're in. They'll be determined to win.

"Losing hurts, it sucks, it's not a great idea." </s> Warren Gatland has admitted he would relish a British and Irish Lions rematch with New Zealand at Twickenham in November.

READ MORE - New Zealand 15 - 15 British & Irish Lions: Series tied for first time

The Lions held New Zealand 15-15 at Eden Park on Saturday to end the series one-all, with the tourists drawing just their second series in history.

Head coach Gatland’s men rallied from their 30-15 first Test defeat to triumph 24-21 in Wellington in the second encounter, and edged to a gritty draw in Auckland to complete the trio of All Blacks clashes.

The Barbarians are slated to face the All Blacks at Twickenham on November 4 and Gatland admitted the Lions would fancy stepping in instead to take on New Zealand in an unofficial fourth Test.

Gatland said of the suggestion: “That would be good wouldn’t it? You’ll have to ask PRL (Premiership Rugby Limited) if they’d release any of the players.”

England had already explored the possibility of pulling rank on the Barbarians to face New Zealand in that November 4 encounter but the Rugby Football Union (RFU) eventually had to give up that ghost.

The notion of the Lions stepping in for a rare home fixture would appear a long-shot at this stage.

But it would not be beyond the realms of possibility for the Barbarians to look to reassemble the 2017 Lions squad, just in their black and white colours and not the red of the famed tourists.

The 1973 Barbarians were effectively the 1971 Lions reunited in different colours, and that star-studded side dispatched the All Backs 23-11 in Cardiff in one of the classic all-time matches.

READ MORE - How Twitter reacted to New Zealand 15 - 15 British & Irish Lions

For any kind of repeat, or indeed for the Lions to take the fixture instead of the Barbarians, the English club governing body Premiership Rugby would have to agree to release their players to take part.

Lions boss Gatland walked into the post-match press conference at Eden Park sporting a fancy dress red clown’s nose, in a pointed jibe at the New Zealand Herald.

New Zealand’s national newspaper had mocked up Gatland as a caricature clown in the wake of the Lions’ first Test defeat.

And New Zealand native Gatland was left unhappy with the media treatment in his homeland.

“The New Zealand public and fans have taken us to their hearts,” said Gatland. “It’s been a great series.

“What was disappointing for me was how much negativity was out there.

“I think we should embrace this concept of the Lions, I think it’s been brilliant. I think a lot of negativity turned the Kiwis off supporting the All Blacks.

“They were very much hoping that we’d do well and that as a team and a tour we’d embrace New Zealand.

“But that’s finished now, so we’ll just enjoy the next couple of days as a squad and reflect back on what this group of players have achieved.

“Some of these players have been on two tours now and are undefeated as Lions players. Those players who have been on two tours should be very, very proud of their achievements.”

READ MORE - New Zealand 15 - 15 British & Irish Lions: How the Lions rated

Asked to explain the clown nose, Gatland added: “It was my idea.

“I had it last week but I didn’t think it was right time to wear it (after the second Test).”

The Lions’ only other drawn series came back in South Africa in 1955. New Zealand stretched their unbeaten run at Eden Park to 40 matches, but were left a little nonplussed by the draw.

Lions boss Gatland insisted he would not have wanted any extra-time to be played, and All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen agreed.

Asked if he would have wanted extra-time, Gatland said: “No. This is unusual, yeah, but I think those provisions have to be put in place beforehand.

“I spoke to Steve Hansen and he said it feels a bit like kissing your sister.

“For us to come here and draw a series in New Zealand it feels like some achievement, especially considering we were totally written off with the predictions for a three-nil whitewash.

“And this group of players have shown unbelievable character, it’s been a tough tour.”

When New Zealand boss Hansen was asked if he would have wanted extra-time, he said: “There’s no simple answer.

“Look, maybe everyone’s a bit hollow today because of the last three minutes.

“There was some really good rugby played, and maybe a drawn series was fair.

“We played well in the first Test, they played well in the second. We did well enough to win it in the third but they hung in there.

“So rugby’s always had a draw and it’s not a World Cup final; it is a three-match series. So my own belief is probably leave it the way it is.

“If you’re good enough to get a drawn series, both teams will get the credit that comes from it.”

READ MORE - New Zealand 15 - 15 British & Irish Lions: Story of the match </s> related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

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The All Blacks and British and Irish Lions drew a fiercely contested third test 15-15 at Eden Park on Saturday to share the spoils in a series for the first time.

AUCKLAND: The All Blacks and British and Irish Lions drew a fiercely contested third test 15-15 at Eden Park on Saturday to share the spoils in a series for the first time.

New Zealand won the first test at Eden Park 30-15, while the Lions took out the second 24-21 in Wellington last week. </s> The British and Irish Lions are back in action this morning as they take on the All Blacks in the second test.

After last weekend’s defeat, the Lions will be looking to get back to winning ways against the hosts.

Both teams head to the Westpac Stadium in Wellington for a match the Lions simply can’t afford to lose.

Speaking about the challenge ahead Lions head coach, Warren Gatland, said: "It is a big challenge for us. As coaches and players we know that the series is on the line.

"A lot of the players have spoken about it being the biggest match of their careers."

Lions coach, Andy Farrell, added: “We are playing the best in the world in their own backyard and they are 1-0 up and we need to win – it doesn’t get any bigger than that.

“We will see what we are made of.”

So, if you want to watch the Lions face the All Blacks in the second test here's how to tune in online. </s> AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand and the British and Irish Lions played out a 15-15 draw in the third test on Saturday, with a compelling three-test series ending in a bitter stalemate.

New Zealand won the first test 30-15, the Lions clinched the second 24-21 and Saturday’s finale at Eden Park was everything that had been expected – pulsing with incident – until the final deadlock left home fans in stunned silence.

Owen Farrell kicked a penalty in the 78th minute which drew the Lions level at 15-15. The match ended controversially when the All Blacks were awarded what might have been a series-winning penalty – only to see the decision overturned.

French referee Romain Poite first awarded the Lions the penalty which tied the scores when he judged All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett had not attempted to roll away at a ruck. But Crockett had suffered a head injury in the preceding play and was unable to roll away, suggesting the penalty should not have been awarded.

The All Blacks were then awarded a penalty at the ensuing kickoff and flyhalf Beauden Barrett seemed likely to have the chance to kick, from 35 meters, a penalty which would decide the match and series. But Poite’s attention was drawn by the television match official to replays that suggested the offside might have been accidental.

The penalty was withdrawn, a scrum awarded and though the All Blacks attacked until the bitter end, and went close to scoring even after the final hooter had sounded, they were unable to wrest back a lead they had held for most of the match.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said it was his policy not to discuss referees but it was inevitable the final minutes of Saturday’s match would overshadow much that had happened in the test and series.

”It’s a tough game to ref,” Hansen said. ”We all know what happened and we all know what should have happened.

”But at the end of the day it’s a game. As little kids we’re taught to take the good with the bad and we have to do that.”

Lions coach Warren Gatland said captain Sam Warburton had convinced Poite to look at replays and ultimately to change his penalty decision.

He said Warburton had ”been quite smart and astute and been able to talk the referee from a penalty into an accidental offside.”

Gatland added: ”We would have been devastated as a group if we had lost the game from that (decision).”

The game and series slipped through the All Blacks’ fingers, just as so many passes had done during the match, nullifying their attempts to play an attacking game.

For some time Saturday, New Zealand appeared to have reaped rewards for bold selections when rookies Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett scored tries which gave it a decisive early lead.

Laumape and Barrett were both picked to make their first test starts in one of the most high-stake tests the All Blacks have played in recent years, outside the World Cup finals they won in 2011 and 2015. Both rose magnificently to the occasion, scoring tries which contributed to a 12-6 halftime lead.

The Lions canceled out that advantage with three penalties to Farrell and one to Elliot Daly and were on terms, 12-12, after 59 minutes. Barrett nudged the All Blacks ahead again with a penalty in the 68th minute but Farrell’s answering penalty – mirroring the 78th minute goal which won the second test – forced the match into its final stalemate.

The All Blacks might have felt harshly treated by the referee but they had only themselves to blame. Their performance was beset by handling errors which drained their attacking game and opened the way to the Lions’ late revival.

The Lions have won only one test series in New Zealand and that was 46 years ago. New Zealand-born Gatland’s team came as close as any Lions in the intervening five decades, playing an often ambitious and highly skilled brand of rugby, but they fell just short of the victory they needed to seal their place in rugby history.

Gatland arrived at the post-match news conference briefly wearing a red nose after he was caricatured as a clown by one New Zealand newspaper.

”It’s been a great series and what was disappointing for me was to see how much negativity was out there because I think we should embrace Lions tours,” Gatland said.

”Ironically, I think the negativity turned a lot of Kiwis off supporting the All Blacks and they were very much hoping that we would do well … To come here to New Zealand and draw a series against the back-toback world champions I think is an incredible achievement. We’d been completely written off, everyone had been talking about this being a 3-0 whitewash and this group of players have shown unbelievable character.”

The All Blacks felt only bitter disappointment. Stung by their second test defeat, they produced a more controlled and aggressive performance in the first half, gaining ascendancy over the Lions scrum and at lineouts, bringing fresh vigor to the breakdown.

But they ultimately faltered and failed because of a lack of precision and a lack of discipline, losing flanker Jerome Kaino to a yellow card at a vital stage.

The match was still a great rugby occasion, eagerly awaited by fans from both sides and worthy of that anticipation. Eden Park was crammed to bursting by 50,000 fans with the red of Lions’ supporters at least as much in evidence as the New Zealand black.

The first chance for points fell to the All Blacks but Beauden Barrett, who missed three of 10 shot at goal in a second test decided by three points, was wide with his attempted penalty.

The All Blacks created several chances on attacking ball in the first quarter but final passes didn’t stick.

The Lions were pinned inside their half until the 12th minute when they launched a breakout off a lineout steal by Maro Itoje. They pressed within meters of the All Blacks line, then swung the ball wide but Barrett was lurking and claimed an intercept – caught from behind he passed to Laumape who, in turn, was run down by Jonathan Davies.

New Zealand stayed on attack and after committing the Lions forwards Barrett kicked crossfield for his brother Jordie on the right wing touch who batted the ball infield to Laumape, who scored.

Farrell brought the Lions back into the match with penalties in the 21st and 33rd minutes, while the tourists also had to fend off the threat of an All Blacks tighthead near their line.

Just as Jordie Barrett had a hand in Laumape’s first All Blacks try, Laumape had a hand in Barrett’s. He broke through the Lions’ midfield in the 36th minute, linked with his midfield partner Anton Lienert-Brown, who swung the ball wide for Barrett to score.

Winger Elliot Daly opened the second-half scoring with a long-range penalty for the Lions, which cut New Zealand’s lead to 12-9.

Kaino’s yellow card came in the 50th minute when his forearm made contact with the head of Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones in a tackle, though the referee agreed there was no intent or force in his action. </s> AUCKLAND, New Zealand — A by-the-numbers look at the third test between New Zealand and the British and Irish Lions, drawn 15-15 at Eden Park on Saturday:

1–number of drawn series between Lions and New Zealand out of 12 since 1904.

2–tries for New Zealand backs Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett in their first test starts.

2–minutes the Lions led in the entire three-test series.

4–number of draws between Lions and New Zealand after 1908, 1950 and 1971.

4–tests since the Lions’ last went tryless, the second vs. Australia in 2013.

5–wins out of 10 by Lions on New Zealand tour, plus 3 losses, 2 draws.

11–years since the Lions’ last test draw, 25-25 vs. Argentina in Cardiff.

23–years since New Zealand last lost at Eden Park.

40–consecutive tests unbeaten by New Zealand at Eden Park (38 wins, 2 draws).

46–years since Lions won their only series in New Zealand.

100–tests for captain Kieran Read, the seventh All Black to the milestone.
In rugby union, the British and Irish Lions defeat the All Blacks 24–21 in the second test match.