Bravo’s plea to Sanchez
But in the end they beat the All Blacks and took the series to a decider.
Whatever happens at Eden Park in the third Test on Saturday, this result means the Lions tour has been a success.
A patched-up team put together five weeks ago has taken on the back-to-back world champions in their own backyard and defeated them.
It was scarcely possible to take the magnitude of that achievement in. But as the sheer excitment faded and the roars of ‘Lions, Lions’ moved from the Westpac Stadium downtown, a warm glow was left behind on a wet evening.
For one night at least Britain and Ireland ruled the rugby world.
It took a comeback from 18-9 down in the last quarter to pull it off but tries from Taulupe Faletau and Conor Murray set the stage for Owen Farrell (below) to deliver the icing on the cake with a 78th-minute penalty.
“We’re very proud to be in this group,” said Murray. “I think we stuck together and showed a lot of character to stay in the fight. We dug in and came out the right end.
“To beat the All Blacks having been in a difficult position for most of the game just showed how much we cared and how much we were willing to work for each other.
“It’s awesome we’ve levelled the series and we go into next week with a bit of a pep in our step.”
The key incident was the red card dished out by French referee Jerome Garces to Williams.
He became the first All Black to be sent off in a home Te s t , a f t e r a shoulder charge to the head of Anthony Watson in the 25th minute.
“It was one of those that could have been yellow or red and Jerome
decided it was a red so you just have to live with it. There ’ s no point whining,” said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
“Sonny didn’t use his arms so he put himself at risk and he connected with Anthony’s head and so unfortunately put him at risk so off you go, boy.
“The loss of Sonny Bill obviously had a big impact on what followed. Regardless of that, the Lions played we l l e n o u g h a n d deserved to win.”
The New Zealand skipper Kieran Read admitted his side failed to take their chances after letting the lead slip in the final 20 minutes.
“The Lions were probably the better side,” he said.
“What an atmosphere. We had our chances. The fact that we got in front and couldn’t keep that lead probably showed that we let them off the hook.”
The contrast in the physical contest to the first Test was absolute with the Lions pack rampant.
Stung by the questioning of their pride by their own coach ahead of the game and aware of how close to the edge of the cliff they were in this series, they operated on the edge of reason.
New Zealand were hammered in the collisions but the Lions were also hammered by Garces f or t heir indiscipline.
Itoje, a cult hero in the stands at the Westpac Stadium, topped the tackle count but he also contributed to the 13 penalties the Lions coughed up. “There was a reaction,” said Itoje. “Guys here don’t like losing and we don’t like it in the manner we did last week. “But 13 penalties is too much for us. It’s something we spoke about and didn’t fix so we will have to have a long, hard look at ourselves and try and reduce it.” The indiscipline could so easily have cost the Lions but Beauden Barrett could not match Farrell’s accuracy and his three misses proved crucial. Farrell only missed once all night and when the game was in the melting pot he delivered. Having converted Murray’s 69th-minute try to level the scores, he then punished Charlie Faumuina for tackling the raging Kyle Sinckler in the air from 30 metres out to send the Lions fans into delirium. The two sides do it all over again on Saturday back at Eden Park. Before then, Williams must await the outcome of a disciplinary hearing today before he knows if he will still be involved. Emotions are sure to be running high. Sinckler and TJ Perenara, who had to be separated at the final whistle, were still at it in the tunnel as the players left the field. praying that his mate will agree to linking up again with his old Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola (below) after working together five years ago at the Nou Camp.
The City keeper said: “Who would not want Alexis as a team-mate? He is one of the best players in the world.
“But it’s not a matter just for the two of us. “It’s something the clubs have to go through.” Sanchez now has a huge decision to make with Juventus entering the race for the Gunners striker along with Paris St Germain.
He has one year left on his current £140,000-week Arsenal deal and the Gunners have offered him a new one worth around £1million a month.
But, as the Daily Star Sunday revealed last month, City’s Abu Dhabi-backed billionaires are ready to make Sanchez the highest paid player on £275,000 a week at the Etihad.