The All Blacks survived a spirited challenge from the Lions to claim a 41-35 victory at Ellis Park on Tuesday night, maintaining their unbeaten record on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour.
New Zealand entered the contest having already defeated the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls, as well as the Springboks in the opening Test at the same Johannesburg venue.
The Lions came close to becoming the first South African side to stop them, but the visitors produced enough attacking quality to escape with another win.
Lions Take Control Before Half-Time
The hosts produced an impressive opening half and went into the interval with a 21-17 advantage.
The Lions showed little fear against their more illustrious opponents and repeatedly found ways to break through the New Zealand defence.
Their first-half performance raised hopes that they could produce a historic upset nearly a century after Transvaal recorded the only previous victory over New Zealand in the rivalry.
All Blacks Turn the Game Around
New Zealand responded strongly after the break, eventually overturning the deficit and securing a six-point victory.
The All Blacks’ attacking depth proved decisive as they continued to find gaps despite the Lions’ determined resistance.
Emoni Narawa and Ethan Blackadder each crossed the line twice, while Rieko Ioane and scrumhalf Noah Hotham also scored tries for the tourists.
Richie Mo’unga Returns to All Blacks Action
Richie Mo’unga made his return to the All Blacks jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against South Africa.
The flyhalf marked his comeback with two successful conversions, while Beauden Barrett added another conversion.
Mo’unga’s return provided another significant talking point from a match that showcased the depth available to New Zealand.
Lions Keep Pressure on New Zealand
Despite eventually falling short, the Lions produced an attacking display that ensured the All Blacks could never relax.
Nico Steyn, Siba Mahashe, Kelly Mpeku, Erich Cronjé and captain Francke Horn all scored tries for the home side.
Flyhalf Chris Smith was particularly reliable from the kicking tee, converting all five of the Lions’ tries to keep the scoreboard moving throughout the contest.
Historic Opportunity Slips Away
The defeat will be particularly painful for the Lions because of the historical significance attached to the fixture.
The South African side was attempting to defeat New Zealand for the first time since the team was known as Transvaal, with that landmark victory coming 98 years ago.
Instead, the All Blacks extended their perfect run against South Africa’s provincial opposition during the current tour.
New Zealand Completes Provincial Sweep
The victory means the All Blacks have now beaten all four South African provincial opponents they have faced.
Stormers, Sharks and Bulls were unable to overcome New Zealand before the Lions also fell short at Ellis Park.
The All Blacks have therefore maintained significant momentum heading into the next Test of the tour.
Lions Can Take Plenty From the Performance
Although the result went against them, the Lions can take considerable encouragement from the manner in which they competed.
Scoring 35 points against an All Blacks side packed with international experience demonstrated the attacking threat possessed by the Johannesburg team.
Their ability to lead at half-time also showed that New Zealand could be pressured when the Lions maintained their intensity and execution.
Focus Now Turns to Cape Town
The All Blacks will next face their second Test at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 29 August.
Kick-off is scheduled for 17:10 as New Zealand continues its Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry programme.
The visitors will enter the match with confidence after maintaining their unbeaten tour record, while the Lions will reflect on a performance that came within touching distance of a major upset.
What’s Next?
Attention now shifts to Cape Town, where the All Blacks will continue their tour on Saturday.
For the Lions, the immediate task will be to build on the attacking strengths displayed at Ellis Park while addressing the defensive lapses that allowed New Zealand to overturn a four-point half-time deficit.
Summary
The All Blacks defeated the Lions 41-35 at Ellis Park after trailing 21-17 at half-time.
New Zealand’s victory was powered by two tries each from Emoni Narawa and Ethan Blackadder, with Rieko Ioane and Noah Hotham also crossing the line.
The Lions responded through tries from Nico Steyn, Siba Mahashe, Kelly Mpeku, Erich Cronjé and Francke Horn, with Chris Smith converting all five.
The result keeps New Zealand unbeaten against South African provincial opposition on its Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, while the Lions’ hopes of repeating Transvaal’s historic victory over the All Blacks 98 years ago have been postponed.
