We have seen the greatest Lions try ever

1 All Blacks won the breakdown battle

Key to the victory was how the All Blacks were able to secure quick ball for themselves, while slowing down the Lions’ ball – with the tourists’ best chances coming from long- distance breaks. “If you are in charge of the rucks you are in charge of the game – and New Zealand were,” says Martin Johnson, the former Lions captain. “They are very cute at the breakdown and made it so difficult for the Lions to get the ball. They slow you down a fraction of a second every time. That meant we had nice attacking positions early on and they got nullified.”