Gatland knows the All Blacks won’t take this lying down

IT would have been a long, difficult week for Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions had they not won the Second Test.

All of the criticism that the coach endured over selections, devaluing the jersey and other such issues would have been thrown in his face and he and his squad would have been tormented by the New Zealand media.

But. in atrocious conditions, the Lions defeated the All Blacks, outscoring them by two tries to none and the tour remains alive.

If Gatland can pull off the impossible once, then would it really be surprising if he did the same again next Saturday in Auckland?

There were some mitigating circumstances to the win, however.

The All Blacks had to play with 14 men for around three-quarters of the match when Sonny Bill Williams was sent off for a reckless challenge on Anthony Watson.

No-one disputed the decision and that in itself made life very challenging for the hosts.

But Beauden Barratt also had an offday with his kicking. He missed three very kickable penalties, which not only would have given the All Blacks a considerable lead going into the final quarter of the match, but it would have put real pressure on the Lions.

The All Blacks don’t usually give up these sorts of opportunities.

Yet it was the Lions who finished the game more strongly. Their defensive effort was absolutely first class – it had been a facet lacking the previous week – and the Sexton-Farrell axis in the midfield created the first lovely try.

Jamie George then set up a second for Conor Murray and the Lions began to believe. The tour was not over yet.

The All Blacks have, from time to time, looked vulnerable.

They were defeated comprehensively by Australia in Sydney in 2015 and again in Chicago by Ireland last year.

Following each defeat, they bounced back and recorded overwhelming victories the following weekend and it is this that the Lions will have to guard against.

After the First Test at Eden Park, most commentators, including me, expected the series to be wrapped up in Wellington, but it was not to be.

The All Blacks are not a side that will sit down and take this defeat lightly. They will already be plotting how to set the record straight and Gatland will be aware of that.

For the Lions to stand a chance of taking the series, they are going to have to scale even greater heights in their performance and keep their discipline.

To win, they will have to perform at a level that no-one has seen on tour thus far – that it why it is the ultimate test.