KOL-BLOODED THRILLERS
Wyn Jones tears as Lions lose epic decider
ALUN WYN JONES was reduced to tears in Cape Town after the broken Lions saw Morne Steyn return to haunt them again.
The 37-year-old Bok, who kicked the monster Second Test penalty in 2009 from inside his own half that won South Africa’s last series against the Lions, came off the bench to deliver the killer blow again, with the winning penalty two minutes from time in his first Test appearance in FIVE years.
Jones was left red-eyed and empty as his Lions career, and a tense and tetchy series, ended in cruel fashion after Cheslin Kolbe had lit up the Third Test with a brilliant 56th-minute try for South Africa to help turn the game.
“I’m very proud of the bunch – we were in it to the death – but I’m hugely disappointed in the way it panned out,” said Jones (right).
“There was huge pride in what the guys put out there but to fall short on a couple of calls was a huge disappointment.
“I know a lot of these guys will be on the next tour, so I look forward to watching them.”
South Africa, with their resilience, showed why they are world champions, but the Lions were left rueing what might have been after totally dominating the opening period.
Yet they were only able to take a 10-6 lead into the interval.
The Lions, helped by the enforced early introduction of Finn Russell for the injured Dan Biggar, were a revelation in terms of their positive approach.
The Scotland standoff’s vision and fast hands opened the space for what should have been a try in the 28th minute but with Josh Adams free outside him, Liam Williams held on and blew the opportunity.
Still, the Lions had one try to show for their efforts with Ken Owens mauled over in the 19th
minute as they showed their intentions by repeatedly drilling penalty chances into the corner in search of more.
Half-time, as so often in the series though, brought a significant momentum shift.
South Africa regrouped and came again, and although
the Lions came up with a magnificent 14-phase defensive set to keep the
home side at bay there was nothing they could do to stop the lethal ambition of Kolbe.
There is no finer finisher in world rugby and when Lukhanyo
Am and Willie le Roux combined to give him space 30 metres out, one shimmy inside Williams, one press of the accelerator, and hand-off of replacement hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, and he was on his way over the line.
With Handre Pollard, who had missed with two earlier second-half penalties, converting, South Africa held a 13-10 lead.
When Pollard departed Steyn set up a nerve-shredding last quarter shoot-out with Russell.
Russell brought the Lions level after 63 minutes with a penalty after he had been latetackled by Jasper Wiese, but as the tourists pulled down a maul Steyn drilled over a challenging
35m penalty for South Africa to retake the lead. When Am coughed up another penalty 30 metres out after Robbie Henshaw’s break with five minutes left, Russell brought the scores level.
A second successive drawn series loomed.
But then the Lions were penalised at a tackle and, after a brain freeze by Herschel Jantjies – who was fortunate to be brought back after a quick tap for taking it in the wrong place – Steyn put the kick over from 30 metres.