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In terms of intensity, of drama, of crescendo, this was as close to the peak of international rugby as it gets.
In terms of quality, it showed it only in flashes, most notably in a wild first-half spell that ebbed and flowed from one end of the field to the other and back again. The final Test could be fairly described as error-strewn, an encounter where New Zealand may well have run away with it had they been a tiny bit more precise with their first-half play but still the Lions will be lamenting a missed opportunity - several, in fact - with the series tied and the game tied and barely more than two minutes ticking away on the clock.
Once again the Lions were afforded the opportunity of glory by All Black indiscipline, Jerome Kaino in the sin bin this time after Sonny Bill Williams had last week had been dismissed. They took little advantage of a 15-on-14 situation, nicking three points as the clock ticked down to zero on Kaino's punishment.
What it all came down to was those breathless, fingernail-less final seconds. New Zealand making incursions deep into Lions territories but the red sea swarming to the ball, slowing down the recycling process and eventually forcing the ball out of play. It was over. And a curious silence befell Eden Park. A sunken sponge. A bitter taste.
Perhaps a drawn series proves a fair result, and the Lions will come out of it with immense credit. They looked overmatched at times but had enough grit - and, it must be said, phenomenal goal kicking throughout - to come away with something. More than many had predicted, less than they had dreamed of.
For many of these All Blacks, the feeling will be that they didn't deserve to lose.
British and Irish Lions series ratingsShow all 41 1 /41British and Irish Lions series ratings British and Irish Lions series ratings 8-marler.jpg
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On the day, a little more composure and New Zealand could have had more than their two first-half tries. There would have been no coming back from that. Cross-field kicks that weren’t quite where they needed to be and passes that fell slightly behind their intended recipient managed to stop the All Black juggernaut at full speed, but the two they did score were the product of top-class play from the backs.
Ngani Laumape went over first after a smart knockdown from Jordie Barrett hadn’t been read by the Lions defence, and then scorer turned provider, a game-breaking offload from Laumape finding Anton Leinert-Brown, who fed rising star Barrett for the second score.
Shortly after the break Julian Savea took a one-handed, 20-yard pass to run untouched into the corner but that pass was forward and the Lions lived to breathe again. As long as the scoreline reflected an achievable gap, something that could be swept away with one moment of magic, it felt as if the Lions were happy. Perhaps happy is the wrong word, they were just desperate to hold on, waiting for one of the New Zealand mistakes to become fatal and let in the tourists to cap a memorable series victory.
But New Zealand would raid into Lions territory and then the huge touring crowd would wail in apprehension. To win this at the death would be dreamland but to lose it? Unthinkable. Heartbreaking.
Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the yearsShow all 38 1 /38Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | NZ Jnrs 9 Lions 19 | Mudmen. Lions forwards Allan Martin, Phil Orr, Moss Keane, and Fran Cotton are covered head-to-toe in the Wellington mud as they wait for in a line-out at Athletic Park. The weather would greatly add to the challenge faced by the tourists, with unusually high rainfall for the entirety of the three months invariably falling in the towns where the Lions had their twenty-five games, adding to the siege mentality engendered by the grueling schedule and largely limiting the chances of their quick-fire backs to express their creativity
Colorsport / Colin Elsey
Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 1st Test: NZ 20 Lions 18 | Lions captain Gavin Hastings faces down the Haka in a manner that would be impossible today, before the opening test match at Christchurch
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1971 | 2nd Test: NZ 22 Lions 12 | Gareth Edwards, under pressure from Sid Going and Ian Kirkpatrick, dive-passes to half-back partner Barry John
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | 3rd Test: NZ 38 Lions 19 | Lions prop Graham Rowntree sports a bloodied ear during another heavy defeat in the final test
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 3rd Test: NZ 30 Lions 13 | Gavin Hastings and Rory Underwood are devastated after the heavy loss in the deciding test
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 1st Test: NZ 21 Lions 3 | Captain Brian O'Driscoll in agony as he is attended by team doctor James Robson after the infamous spear tackle by opposite captain Tana Umaga, and Keven Mealamu
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | Waikato 38 Lions 10 | Current Lions head coach Warren Gatland scrums down for Waikato during a famous victory for the North Island club in the midweek before the deciding final test match. The hooker also scored a try
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | North Auckland 7 Lions 18 | Ian McGeechan, one of the greatest figures in the history of the Lions as a player and a coach, crosses for a try at Okara Park, Whangarei
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | Willie John McBride – perhaps the greatest figure in Lions history after five tours as a player including victories in New Zealand and South Africa - talks to the press after a training session in his tour manager role, as some local school girls looking on
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 3rd Test: NZ 30 Lions 13 | Jon Preston rounds full back Hastings to score one of the All Blacks three tries
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 1st Test: NZ 20 Lions 18 | Lions scrum-half Dewi Morris can not believe that Australian referee Brian Kinsey has awarded the All Blacks the penalty in the dying moments that Grant Fix would duly kick to win the game
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 2nd Test: NZ 7 Lion 20 | Rory Underwood dives over for the Lions only try of the game as they secure a victory to level the series
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 2nd Test: NZ 7 Lion 20 | Nick Popplewell charges through the All Black defence, with a young Martin Johnson in support
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1971 | Pre-departure training session in Eastbourne | 2017 tour manager John Spencer (right) looks on with Gerald Davies as David Duckham passes the ball
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | 3rd Test: NZ 15 Lions 8 | All Black forwards Andy Haden and Murray Mexted battle the Lions in the wet at Dunedin's Carisbrook
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | 2nd Test: NZ 7 Lion 20 | Captain Gavin Hastings carrying the team mascot, followed by Brian Moore, as he runs out for the second test at Wellington
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | Training session at Westport | Hooker Bobby Windsor practices his line-out throwing surrounded by hordes of school children during practice before the game against West Coast-Buller
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | 4th Test: NZ 10 Lions 9 | Tony Neary runs out for the Lions, followed by Bill Beaumont and Graham Price, at Auckland's Eden Park, with an opportunity to tie the series with a victory
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | 4th Test: NZ 10 Lions 9 | Lions captain Phil Bennett is swamped by All Blacks tacklers in the final test, a suitable illustration of the pressure he was under both on and off the field during this tour. Despite all the obstacles they faced and eventually losing 3-1, the Lions came extremely close to winning this series. They lost the first test through an opportunist breakaway try, won the second, dominated forward possession in the third whilst conspiring to lose, and went down by just a single point in the final game
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | 4th Test: NZ 38 Lions 6 | Scrum-half David Loveridge breaks with plenty of teammates in support
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | 4th Test: NZ 38 Lions 6 | [l-r] Geoff Old, Andy Haden, and Murray Mexted celebrate the All Blacks 4-0 series victory
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | 2nd Test: NZ 9 Lions 13 | Bill Beaumont is surrounded by All Blacks as he scrambles for the ball at Lancaster Park
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | Prince William watches a training session with tour manager Bill Beaumont before the second test.
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | 2nd Test: NZ 9 Lions 0 | Fly half Wayne Smith, currently assistant coach of the All Blacks, leaves David Irwin floundering during the second test at Wellington
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | Otago 19 Lions 13 | Shane Williams and his Lions teammates before kick-off in Dunedin
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | 2nd Test: NZ 48 Lions 18 | Jason Robinson is smashed backwards by Dan Carter and an All Black teammate
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | 4th Test: NZ 38 Lions 6 | Winger Stu Wilson on the way to scoring the first try of his hat-trick - breaking Ian Kirkpatrick's record for test tries in the process - in the emphatic All Black victory in the final test
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | 3rd Test: NZ 38 Lions 19 | Rico Gear scores the final try of the series. Remarkably it is the twelfth in the three games for the home side
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1983 | Stash! Ireland fly-half Ollie Campbell shows off his Bukta kit bag prior to departure in 1983
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | 2nd Test: NZ 9 Lions 13 | Prop Graham Price – who won a record 12 caps in succession for the Lions, playing in every game across three tours - falls to the ground under the feet and fists of opposing front row Billy Bush as tempers flare in Christchurch. The Lions won the game 13-9 to bring the series level
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | 2nd Test: NZ 9 Lions 13 | Prop Graham Price – who won a record 12 caps in succession for the Lions, playing in every game across three tours - falls to the ground under the feet and fists of opposing front row Billy Bush as tempers flare in Christchurch. The Lions won the game 13-9 to bring the series level
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1977 | Lions 45 West Coast-Buller 0 | Lions players huddle under towels in the team bus as there were no changing rooms at the ground to shower in after the wet and muddy game at Westport
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1971 | 4th Test: NZ 13 Lions 13 | Peter Whiting stands over Lions lock Gordon Brown after punching him to the ground in the first line-out of the game
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1971 | 4th Test: NZ 13 Lions 13 | The captains, Colin Meads of the All Blacks and John Dawes of the Lions, lead their teams out for the final test at Auckland's Eden Park, with the Lions leading the series 2-1
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | 3rd Test: NZ 38 Lions 19 | The All Blacks celebrate – the late Jerry Collins in a Lions jersey - with the series trophy after completing the heaviest whitewash over the Lions in their history
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1993 | The Lions squad gather in their blazers prior to departure
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 2005 | 2nd Test: NZ 48 Lions 18 | Tempers flare during the Lions' heavy defeat in Wellington
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Lions tours to New Zealand: the most iconic photos through the years 1971 | 4th Test: NZ 13 Lions 13 | Lions captain John Dawes, alongside tour manager Doug Smith, addresses the crowd after securing the series victory with a 13-all draw. It was the Lions' first overall triumph in New Zealand after seven attempts, and remains the sole victorious tour; in the four subsequent trips they have won only two of the fourteen tests played
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Instead, as the rucking masses were shunted into touch and the final whistle blew, there was no great explosion of joy nor misery, a curious ambivalence from the crowd reflected by the players' immediate post-match comments.
"I don't know what to say really," said skipper Sam Warburton. Who does? Months of hard work and four hours of tough, on-field grind against the world's best and nothing to show for it, not even defeat.
But New Zealand skipper Kieran Read had it right on the Lions. "A special team, a special series," and perhaps that is all that matters.
As they lifted the trophy, together, Read and Warburton nodded in agreement. They had been through so much. "I said it was going to be an epic battle," Warburton recounted, and it was. Oh it was.
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