BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 2017 THEY SHALL NOT PASS! Heroic Lions defending denies All Blacks a try for first time in Tests and paves way for historic victory

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we were the better team team. In two Test matches they haven’t really stretched us from an attacking perspective.”

Assistant coach Andy Farrell had warned New Zealand that every underdog has its day and this one would belong to the Lions.

How fitting that the defence for which he is responsible should be the first for 39 Tests to deny the world champions a try.

And that his son Owen should emerge as the match winner, coolly stepping up to kick the 5/1 no-hopers to a win which keeps alive a series which is enrapturing the whole of the rugby world.

There were heroes all over the Westpac Stadium in Wellington – as well as in the coaching booth where Gatland’s gamble of playing Farrell and Johnny Sexton together was vindicated.

Taulupe Faletau and Conor Murray scored tries in the final quarter whilst each and every Lion put his body on the line to preserve the historic result.

None more so than Maro Itoje, who turned in a man-of-the-match display and was serenaded by chants of ‘Oh-h Mar-o Itoje!’ by the massed ranks of Lions’ fans in the 38,931 crowd.

Asked if he had heard the deafening chants, Itoje replied: “I did and obviously it’s nice but I was fully concentrated on the game at the time so I can only really enjoy it now.

“I’m very honoured to be a part of this team. We’ve achieved something pretty good today. but it’s only