New Zealand 21-24 British & Irish Lions: Tourists seal famous win in Wellington to set up series decider at Eden Park
Sonny Bill Williams became the first All Black for 50 years to be sent off as the British and Irish Lions claimed a famous victory in Wellington.
Legendary lock Colin Meads was the last New Zealander to see red in a black jersey, dismissed for kicking Scotland's David Chisholm as he lay on the ground in a 1967 Test against Scotland at Murrayfield.
But Williams paid the ultimate price for a reckless challenge on Anthony Watson midway through the first half, smashing into the Bath winger’s face with his shoulder to leave referee Jerome Garces little choice but to reduce the Kiwis to 14 men.
Tellingly, there were no complaints on the field or from the commentary box, with everyone agreeing the official had got his decision spot on.
That was the pivotal moment of a tense first half in which the Lions gave every bit as good as they got, dominating territory and possession.
They were unable to turn that dominance into significant points, however, with Owen Farrell and Beauden Barrett trading penalties to leave the game finely balanced at 9-9 at the break.
But, despite their numerical disadvantage, the hosts started strongly after the interval, pinning the Lions back into their own half.
The tourists conceded four kickable penalties in the opening 12 minutes of the second period, and they were thankful Barrett’s radar was off course as he nailed just two of those opportunities to stretch his side’s lead to 15-9.
But when Mako Vunipola was yellow carded for a rash challenge on Barrett, the numbers on the pitch were even, and Barrett then slotted another penalty to stretch New Zealand’s lead to nine points.
At that point the writing appeared to be on the wall for the Lions, but they finally got their game going again and got their rewards when Taulupe Faletau bounced off Israel Dagg and powered over in the corner for the first try of the game.
Farrell was unable to add the conversion, before another Barrett penalty moved the All Blacks into a seven point lead as the game entered its final 15 minutes.
Still there was more to come from the Lions, though. Hooker Jamie George burst through the defensive line and scrum-half Conor Murray picked up at the base of the ruck before charging through a hole and bursting over the try line.
This time Farrell was able to convert to level the scores, but the tourists knew they needed more to square the series and keep alive their hopes of winning a series in New Zealand.
And it was Farrell who provided the score they needed, showing nerves of steel to kick the winning penalty with three minutes remaining after Kyle Sinckler had been taken out in the air.
That kick inflicted the All Blacks’ first defeat on home soil since South Africa triumphed in 2009, and sets up a seismic encounter at Eden Park next Saturday.
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