New Zealand’s All Blacks host the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park in Auckland for the first test of the series.
The All Blacks have not lost at Eden Park since 1994 and have won an incredible 37 successive tests at the venue.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
1.00: BEEP! BEEP! Beauden Barrett gets this much-anticipated game underway.
3.00: Elliot Daly almost scores in the corner, but Israel Dagg gets the winger and holds him up. Good start by the tourists. The All Blacks win a penalty at the breakdown and clear.
5.00: Barrett picks up a loose ball – one handed – plays Ben Smith, who is tackled, but the Kiwis have the scrum. Scrum reset.
7.00: Israel Dagg clears up at the back and clears the danger. The All Blacks win the battle at the breakdown after the Lions win the high-ball. Aaron Smith clears to touch with a grubber. The visitors have the ball on their 22.
12.00: The Kiwis go 13 phases, but Anthony Watson takes Barrett’s cross-kick and saves the day. The All Blacks are building pressure through pick-and-drives, keeping the ball alive with offloads and the Lions are under the pump. Taulupe Faletau is penalised for offsides and Barrett will call for the tee.
13.00: PENALTY! Beauden Barrett puts the All Blacks on the board: 3-0.
15.00: The Lions pick-and-go, but Brodie Retallick wins the turnover at the ruck. Magnificient. The home team come again. The All Blacks go 15 phases – again – and win a penalty. Alun Wyn Jones is feeling the pain. Barrett does not kick, instead, he sends the ball wide after Aaron Smith’s quick-tap. The first five skips Sonny Bill Williams to Israel Dagg, who puts Codie Taylor away. The hooker picks the ball up off his toes and is over in the corner. Stunning: 8-0.
16.00: Barrett slots the touch-line conversion: 10-0
18.00: The Lions have already made 57 tackles to the All Blacks’ 27, missing six.
21.00: The Lions continue to kick away possession, but the Kiwis are dominating the breakdown. The home team win another penalty. Sam Cane has been excellent at the ruck.
24.00: Sonny Bill loses the ball forward in the tackle. Somehow, the All Blacks, through Dagg, saves the day. Aaron Smith clears the danger. Dagg has been instrumental in defence, attack and everything good from the Kiwis are coming from the winger.
26.00: The Lions go wide, but Alun Wyn Jones loses the ball forward. It’s all New Zealand at the moment, who could be ahead by more, but the Lions are under the pump. The visitors’ handling has been ordinary, giving the All Blacks a “get-out” at every opportunity. Ben Smith is off for an HIA. Dagg takes the ball at first receiver, puts in a chip kick, and the ball rolls out.
28.00: Farrell puts up a bomb, the ball is won by Daly, but the wing knocks on. The referee calls play back for a sack at the lineout. Farrell kicks to the corner and the Lions will go to their lineout drive.
29.00: Jaco Peyper blows for a penalty against Owen Franks. The prop is hard-done-by because Conor Murray had his hands on the ball. Farrell will kick at goal.
30.00: PENALTY! Farrell gets the Lions on the scoreboard: 10-3.
32.00: Ryan Crotty is down; it looks like a hamstring. The All Blacks win another penalty after some good work by Kieran Read. Barrett will kick at goal.
33.00: PENALTY! Barrett extends his side’s lead: 13-3.
36.00: TRY Sean O’Brien! Liam Williams breaks from his 22, goes 50 metres, pops to Jonathan Davies, who sends the ball to Daly. The winger takes the tackle, but the flanker is on hand to score one of the best tries in Lions history. Aaron Smith’s missed tackle was costly; the fullback handed off the scrumhalf, which set up the try.
37.00: MISS! Farrell can’t add the extras.
40.00: The All Blacks go through the phases. but lose the ball inside the Lions’ 22. Somehow, the visitors survive the onslaught. The ball is cleared and it’s half-time.
The Lions have made 81 tackles to 42; that will be important as the game goes on.
The half-time score was All Blacks 13 British and Irish Lions 8
41.00: BEEP! BEEP! We are back underway at Eden Park. Ben Smith and Ryan Crotty are out of the game. Anton Lienert-Brown and Aaron Cruden replaced the injured players, leaving one backline player on the bench. The breeze has picked up and there was a little shower during the break.
43.00: Ben Te’o smokes Sonny Bill, but is penalised for going above the horizontal. That looked fine. Beauden Barrett clears the danger. A kicking battle ensues, eventually, Israel Dagg runs the ball out from his 22.
44.00: The Lions win the turnover and run the length of the field. It was Liam Williams again. The visitors are stopped short, but the All Blacks are offsides. Farrell kicks to the corner.
46.00: The Lions win the turnover after initially losing the ball on the Kiwis’ line. The All Blacks clear, but Watson returns the ball with interest. Warren Gatland’s team are missing all their opportunities, but can’t finish. We know what happens when you don’t take your opportunities against this New Zealand team.
48.00: Sam Cane is down. The All Blacks go wide through Aaron Cruden and Aaron Smith, but the home team can’t finish and the ball is lost forward. The Lions have started well – better than the Kiwis – but they cannot finish their chances. The New Zealand handling has been decent, but not up to their usual standard. Boy, this is a good game. On comes Maro Itoje for Alun Wyn Jones.
50.00: The rain is pouring down in Auckland. This could work in the Lions’ favour. Dagg gets the ball on the touchline, cuts inside and the All Blacks recycle. Sonny Bill kicks forward and Liam Williams loses the ball into touch. The Lions are making some changes. On comes Jack McGrath for Mako Vunipola.
53.00: On comes Sam Warburton; he runs on awkwardly, but let’s see how he goes. Gatland hung his hat on the Welshman, now he needs to deliver.
54.00: The All Blacks have the scrum – it’s only their sixth of the night.
55.00: TRY Rieko Ioane! Jaco Peyper calls the TMO to check if Kieran Read knocks the ball on from the base of the scrum. Aaron Smith goes to the open side, the Kiwis send the ball to the wing, who dives over in the corner: 18-8. The pass over the top from Dagg was wonderful, but the All Blacks’ scrum bulldozed the Lions, setting up the score.
56.00: Barrett adds the conversion: 20-8.
58.00: Ben Te’o is off for Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell moves to second five eight. Aaron Smith is off – he’s been superb tonight. Thomas Perenara takes over at No 9. The Lions will need to take some risks here.
60.00: It’s relentless pressure from the home team. They are racking another double-digit series of play. After 12 phases, the Kiwis get a penalty. Read will opt for poles. The Lions have had to make 143 tackles; they’re out on their feet.
61.00: PENALTY! Barrett slots the easy penalty: 23-8.
63.00: Farrell passes wide to Watson, but it’s a poor pass, and the winger loses the ball forward. The Kiwis have the scrum on the 22. Anton Lienert-Brown loses the ball forward on the try-line. It’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks. Barrett kicks to the corner. Somehow, the home team loses the ball and Murray clears.
66.00: The All Blacks should have kicked there. The Lions are on the attack; they’ve won another penalty after Cane is penalised for tackling the man without the ball. Farrell puts the ball in the corner. Gatland rings the changes. It’s now or never.
67.00: Samuel Whitelock steals the visitors’ ball. Cruden clears the ball after another lineout, but it’s only to the 22.
69.00: TRY! Ioane gets another after a turnover. Liam Williams loses the ball forward after another bomb from TJ Perenara. Game over: 28-8.
70.00: Barrett adds another two points: 30-8.
72.00: The Kiwis win another penalty; Cruden kicks, but the ball is not out. Kyle Sinckler makes a break, the Lions recycle. Farrell loses the ball forward, but the ref says it went back. eventually, the All Blacks win the penalty.
75.00: The Lions are having some possession, but they keep making errors. They go again and are inside the Kiwis’ 22.
78.00: The Lions have a scrum inside the All Blacks. Reset.
80.00: The hooter sounds, but the Lions have one last chance.
81.00: TRY Rhys Webb! The scrummy dives over from close range. Good try: 30-13.
82.00: Farrell adds the two: 30-15.
Full-time
The final score is All Blacks 30 (13) British and Irish Lions 15 (8)
Scorers
New Zealand All Blacks
Tries – Taylor, Ioane (2)
Pen – B. Barrett (3)
Con – B. Barrett (3)
Drop –
Cards –
British and Irish Lions
Tries – O’Brien, Webb
Pen – Farrell
Con – Farrell
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant 1: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant 2: Jérôme Garcès (France)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Teams
New Zealand All Blacks
15 Ben Smith, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Thomas Perenara, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
British & Irish Lions
15 Liam Williams, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 George Kruis, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Sam Warburton, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Johnny Sexton, 23 Leigh Halfpenny.
