Lions would have won with one more week – tour manager

Everything seemed to be go according to the script for the home team when the All Blacks convincingly won the first test 30-15, but the Lions outscored New Zealand two tries to nil to win the second test 24-21 and force a decider which ended in a thrilling but also anticlimactic stalemate, resulting in just the second drawn series in the nearly 120-year history of Lions tours. Everywhere we have been, there has been nothing but good will from rugby fans. “It was always thrilling, never comfortable but for all the angst, tension and uncertainty, arguably the right result emerged from one of the best 80 minutes in recent memory”, says Gregor Paul of the New Zealand Herald.

Fans flowed out of Eden Park, many into the city’s bars.

Owen Farrell kicked a penalty in the 78th minute which drew the Lions level at 15-15. Had flyhalf Beauden Barrett kicked the goal from relatively close range, the All Blacks would likely have won the match and the series.

Read was left mystified by the decision, arguing strenuously with Poite. They did that without modern luxuries, and without the mass supportive army the 2017 Lions had at their backs, thanks to the ease of 21 century travel.

The All Blacks, back-to-back World Cup winners in 2011 and 2015, kept their unbeaten record at Eden Park, but they too can’t talk of a series win. So that was my initial thought, that he’s hit the player in the air.

“It is a tough one”, he said of the result.

“We gave ourselves a big chance tonight. But that is the way rugby goes”.

New Zealand’s Kieran Read and Lions’ Sam Warburton with the trophy after the match.

He was also the All Blacks’ leading ball-carrier last night with 20.

Former England and Lions scrumhalf Matt Dawson said: “Ken Owens was in front of Liam Williams, he had plenty of time to skirt out the way and not touch the ball”. “I was as excited and nervous as I was for the first test”. “If there’s a chat and opportunity to think about 2021, to do maybe the three as a head coach, to win two and draw one wouldn’t be a bad achievement”. “The series was pretty well fought out, the teams couldn’t be split”.

There were a couple of wee things where you think: ‘We can build from that’. “I think a week in the United Kingdom or Ireland beforehand, then arrive in South Africa for a week before the first game, is reasonable”.

The only team in world rugby now that could match these Lions is the All Blacks and over three Tests the world champions couldn’t do more than match them.

And the intensity on the field lived up to that.

The New Zealand Herald mocked up Gatland as a clown in a front-page caricature that upset the Lions boss given its direct personal nature.

Verbal barbs have been fired from both camps, including over perceived foul play.

World Rugby and the club bodies want the Lions to cut future tours to eight matches, but the tourists themselves are intent on retaining their 10-match schedules – and building in an extra preparation week.