The Lions suffered their first defeat of their tour of New Zealand as a late Ihaia West try handed the Blues a famous 22-16 win at Eden Park this morning.
The tourists were desperate to show improvements from their narrow win over the Provincial Barbarians last Saturday and they led 16-15 with nine minutes to go after Leigh Halfpenny came off the bench to slot two penalties.
But the hosts snatched the win with replacements fly-half West turning a Sonny Bill Wiliams offload into a 40-metre wonder try.
The Lions conceded the opening try with youngster Reiko Ioane going over in the left corner but a push-over try from CJ Stander and five points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny handed the Lions a five-point lead.
But a try from Sonny Bill Williams on the last play edged the hosts in front at the break.
West extended the hosts’ lead before the turning point of the game just before the hour when Liam Williams was shown a yellow card for tackling Matt Duffie in the air, the second time in the space of four minutes.
Halfpenny put the Lions in front with his two penalties for what looked to be a second narrow in four days but it wasn’t to be as West clinched it five minutes from time with his try under the posts.
The Lions started the game by showing great ball retention but Sonny Bill Williams secured the turnover and slowly the Blues got into the game.
Five minutes later they had the opening try of the game when Stephen Perofeta threw a brilliant 20-metre pass and wing-sensation Ioane outpaced Jack Nowell to over in the left corner.
The tourists went back on the attack and Jared Payne came very close from scoring in the left corner after some deft hands from Mary Itoje, Leigh Halfpenny and Elliot Daly in the lead up but a fine covering tackle Perofeta took the former Blues centre into touch just before he put the ball down.
There was no doubt Stander had the first Lions try on 18th minute however with the Lions turning down a kickable penalty and two catch and drive later the Irish No.8 was over.
Leigh Halfpenny converted and then added a penalty after a scrum penalty 15 metres in front of the posts won by Dan Cole handed him an easy shot at goal.
Ioane thought he’d scored his second try of the game with five minutes left to play in the first half pouncing on a loose ball on half-way but loosehead Ofa Tu’ungafasi had failed to retrieve the required ten metres from a clearance kick before he tackled Dan Biggar and caused the ball to get loose.
The Kiwis had time to launch one last attack however and it looked like Perofeta missed the opportunity to close the gap to only two points at the break when his penalty attempt hit the left post but Nowell failed to collect the bouncing ball and Williams won the race to touch down ahead of Stander.
Perofeta slotted the extras and, like in their first game against the Provincial Barbarians last Saturday, the Lions when into the break trailing.
The Blues stared the second half on the front foot and for the third time of the game Ioane found himself over the line.
But like in the second, his try was turned down as Nowell was this time on hand to make the tackle and force the impressive wing into touch.
The next ten minutes were all about the hosts though and they extended their lead with a West penalty after Maro Itoje was pinned for offside.
Liam Williams’ two tackles in the air on Duffie earned him ten minutes in the bin on 57th minute and the Lions came close to conceding a third try when Ioane resisted three tacklers to get over the line but the last pass from West was deemed forward and the score was rightly disallowed.
A penalty for killing the ball the breakdown cost the Blues three points as Halfpenny was on target from in front of the posts.
With only two points in the balance and just over ten minutes to go, it was all to play for as Liam Williams returned to the field.
The new-look front row of Joe Marler, Rory Best and Kyle Sinckler forced another penalty and once again Halfpenny split the posts to put the Lions in front.
The Blues were on the ropes but Sonny Bill Williams found some space in the Lions defence to break and his offload found West who showed a clean pair of heels to score the match winner under the posts.
The Lions had one last attempt at winning the game kicking for the left corner from a penalty but Best and Maro Itoje couldn’t connect at the lineout handing the ball back to the Blues who kicked it out for a memorable win.
SCORERS
For Lions
Tries: Stander 18
Conversions: Halfpenny 18
Penalties: Halfpenny 25, 65, 71
For Blues
Tries: R Ioane 7, Wiliams 40, West 75
Conversions: Perofeta 40, West 75
Penalties: West 53
TEAMS
Lions: Leigh Halfpenny; Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Jack McGrath, Ken Owens (captain), Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, James Haskell, Justin Tipuric, CJ Stander
Replacements: Rory Best, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Grieg Laidlaw, Johnny Sexton, Liam Williams
Blues: Michael Collins; Matt Duffie, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane; Stephen Perofeta, Augustine Pulu; Ofa Tu’ungafasi, James Parsons (c), Charlie Faumuina; Gerard Cowley Tuioti, Scott Scrafton; Akira Ioane, Blake Gibson, Steven Luatua
Replacements: Hame Faiva, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Kara Pryor, Sam Nock, Ihaia West, TJ Faiane
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
