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1458 (1258GMT):
Hello and welcome to our coverage of the second British and Irish Lions Test match against South Africa in Pretoria.
I'm Jean Smyth and will be guiding you through today as the Boks look to close out the series while the Lions simply must win to keep the tie alive. The Boks won the opening encounter 26-21 and coach Peter de Villiers today has back in his armoury a man who he recently claimed '60%' of his game plan is based around, that's of course openside Schalk Burger. He replaces Heinrich Brussow and will be looking to add to the defensive solidity of the Boks.
For Ian McGeechan's Lions side, there are five changes including two in the front row while Simon Shaw slots into the second row to add ballast to a pack that creaked at times last week. Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Shaw, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney all come into the side this week. Can the Lions midfield of Roberts and O'Driscoll punch holes in the defence as they did last week? Or will Burger prove to be the cure to de Villiers' ills of last week?
It's a beautiful sunny day in Pretoria on what will be a hard and dry pitch. It's not that warm though, current temperature is around 16 degrees Celsius.
The stands are bathed in seas of green and red and the field is draped in a huge South African and the teams are out onto the field. Schalk Burger leads the Boks out as it's his 50th Test cap.
We're poised now as the anthem is played.
Stay with us for all the latest as we build-up toward kick-off at 1500 (1300GMT).
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| 1 |
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1500 (1300GMT): Stephen Jones gets us underway in the bathing sunlight. Kicking from right to left. The ref is the Frenchman Christophe Berdos. Taken in by the Boks who drive it up and immediately get a penalty for the Lions infringing at that maul.
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| 2 |
0 - 3 |
Shock here as Schalk Burger is sent to the sin-bin for placing his hands in and around Luke Fitzgerald's eyes. Shocking that is - on the replay Burger is very lucky not to get a red card for that. Lions get the penalty and kick to touch. They win the lineout and then win a penalty for the Boks being offside. They've got a shot at goal here. Jones lines it up.
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| 3 |
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Jones strokes it over, 3-0. It all kicks off as the Lions come roaring upfueld and Victor Matfield and Brian O'Driscoll get stuck into each other. Tasty affair this and Bryce Lawrence the touch judge is in again after advising for the card for Burger. It's just a warning from Berdos but O'Driscoll is penalised for starting it.
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| 4 |
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Pienaar charged down and Pietersen somehow manages to scramble it and the Boks manage to get it away. The Lions have started ferociously here and are pinning the Boks in their half with some controlled aggression and enthusiam.
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| 5 |
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TRY! Kearney scores for the Lions. The Lions have the Boks on the rack. Phillips flies a ball to the right and Jones takes and sneaks it out the back door to Kearney who manages to take JP Pietersen over the line with him in the far corner. Jones manages the conversion as well.
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| 6 |
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So, what a huge start that is for the Lions then. The Boks are a man down, can they weather this storm?
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| 7 |
0 - 8 |
Du Preez knocks it high and it's well taken by the Lions who come left and then O'Driscoll kicks straight into Pietersen into touch. Matfield robs the lineout.
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| 8 |
0 - 10 |
Lions now again as Heaslip barges forward. The Boks win the ball at the breakdown though as Gethin Jenkins is penalised for holding on.
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| 9 |
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Burger's back on now - for a restart into the game and there are some jeers for him. The Boks have badly needed him.
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| 10 |
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TRY! What a try that is! Ball is thrown to the tail, Smith dinks it to Du Preez who slides it to JP Pietersen coming in off his wing and he runs straight through to cross completely untouched off first-phase. Pienaar misses the conversion.
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| 11 |
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Lions with the ball down the right after a lineout and the Lions are packing the midfield with the heavies to bash it up and get field position.Wallace surges through and Berdos has his arm out for a penalty as du PLessis is off-side at the ruck. Jones has a shot at goal.
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| 12 |
5 - 10 |
That's over from Jones and the Lions are 13-5 in front.
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| 13 |
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Lions clean upa messy restart and it's cleared by Phillips, it's knocked on by the Lions.
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| 14 |
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Excellent start. First scrum - tension!
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| 15 |
5 - 13 |
Beast is poised but it's steady. The ball comes right and du Preez kicks it right and Pietersen takes it and toes it ahead. Steyn carries Fitzgerald over the line.
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| 16 |
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Lions have a scrum on their own line and they get a penalty as the Boks are penalised for infringing.Cheers and pats for Adam Jones.
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| 17 |
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South Africa are penalised at the lineout and Bakkies Botha shoves Jenkins out the way. Jones kicks for the corner.
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| 18 |
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Lions with the ball just outside the Boks 22 and they lose the ball forward. Scrum to the Boks.
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| 19 |
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Scrum goes down but Boks clear it and take play to the half-way line.
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| 20 |
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What a first 20 minutes it's been. Have the Lions started too quickly? Lions still have it and Habana intercepts but is luckily scragged and South Africa win a penalty as Simon Shaw infringes. Boks to kick for poles.
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| 21 |
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Frans Steyn is going to kick this one. Habana was away but the defence luckily hung onto is undergarment to stop the speedster from getting away. Very lucky indeed.
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| 22 |
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Steyn strikes it beautifully but it's wide - just. 5-13 still to the Lions and they're in control at the moment.
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| 23 |
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The Boks seem over their initial nerves and are getting their hands on the ball. Spies shrugs off two and the Boks kick through. Pietersen hits Kearney late-ish and is spoken to. Just a penalty though.
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| 24 |
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Lions lineout and they go into midfield again and Habana kicks it upfield. Kearney pulls a 'Steyn' and goes for a drop goal from his own half. That's wide though.
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| 25 |
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Sheridan is on for Jenkins and carries strongly. Lions attack the blindside and it's Sheridan again but he's holding on and his penalised. Not unsurprising that.
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| 26 |
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Boks kick long and have a lineout.
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| 27 |
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Taken in and du Preez looks for clean ball. The Lions turn it over. Phillips thinks of going himself but is held and eventually it's cleared.
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| 28 |
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Boks win a lineout in their own half and Ruan Pienaar clears over the 10-metre line. Smith takes it at the back and the Boks try an intricate move that eventaully gets blown up for holding on. That looks unfortunate decision against the Boks.
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| 29 |
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Boks come away with it and kick ahead. Lions kick it forward and it's marked by Habana. He clears to touch to settle things down a bit for the home side.
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| 30 |
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Rees throws a ball - it's rather skew. Phillips could have jumped for that and taken it. Scrum to the Boks.
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| 31 |
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Scrappy ball for the boks and eventually the Lions turn it over. They come down the left and Fitzgerald is away. He flings the ball infield and Spies pulls off a magnificent tackle. Lions still on the attack.
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| 32 |
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Lions on the attack. Slow ball though. Drop goal on here? Nope - they're still playing.
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| 33 |
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They've looked for a hole, can't find one so Jones finally hits the drop and it's over. 5-16 now.
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| 34 |
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Off the restart Habana floors Bowe and Jones clears upfield.
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| 35 |
5 - 16 |
Kearney takes a fantastic catch and it's given to Jamie Roberts to boots it straight into touch, It's been passed back into the 22, so lineout to the Boks from where he kicked it.
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| 36 |
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Free-kick to the Lions and it's cleared long and taken by du Preez. Kearney takes again and clears before the Lions eventually win a scrum on the half-way line after Frans Steyn knocks on.
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| 37 |
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Lions are easily on top. They've rattled the Boks here who've struggled at the breakdown.
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| 38 |
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Lions go right off the scrum and Roberts considerable frame blocks of Adi Jacobs. That's a epnalty and Steyn will have a shot.
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| 39 |
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Steyn knocks that ove from jsut inside his own half as the siren goes for half-time.
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| 40 |
8 - 16 |
What a fantastic half of rugby by the Lions there. They hit hard and they hit early. They look sharp and incisive and are clearly in the ascendancy. The Boks have been hurried and will be looking to be a bit more clinical in the second half, keep their hands on the ball and play outside of their half.
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So, what a half of rugby that was and the Lions are certainly on course - as it stands - to take this series to a third test. But, will the affects of altitude come back to hit them in the second? They've played a high-octane brand of rugby and their big forwards have been throwing themselves about. Ian McGeechan will be saying to them to just keep it the same, keep ball in hand, kick intelligently and make the first-time hits. For Peter de Villiers, I don't think that he will be completely disheartened, he knows that his team will create with ball in hand and will be please with the improvement in midfield defence. He knows the holes will come as the Lions start to tire. They'll have to play Berdos more carefully at the breakdown too, as they're struggling a little bit in that area. Fantastic half ahead, can the Lions hold on or will the Boks use the Loftus crowd to come roaring back into the game.
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| 40 |
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Pienaar gets us underway. Taken in by Shaw and the Boks boot it forward and it's cleared by the Lions to Kearney again. Aerial ping-pong at the moment and eventually Kearney brilliantly ito the Boks corner.
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| 41 |
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Burger carries into midfield and it's cleared.
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| 42 |
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Boks now with the ball and they carry well on the right before losing the ball at the breakdown and it's booted away.
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| 43 |
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The Boks are playing with intent now. Jenkins is down at the moment after colliding with O'Driscoll. Still the Boks though as they probe for a hole.
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| 44 |
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Steyn eventually puts paid to it all. He gets the ball in his 22 and blasts it into touch as Jenkins walks off with blood pouring from his head.
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| 45 |
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Adam Jones is also down and struggling a little bit. and it looks like he's being led off the field with a shoulder. Loks like uncontested scrums then as there's only one specialist prop on the pitch for the Lions. Alun Wyn Jones on for Adam Jones then.
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| 46 |
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Lions attack the blindside and the Boks hack it forward. It's charged down and Shaw touches it ahead of his own man. Penalty to the Boks for that then.
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| 47 |
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Boks take the ball up and then Matthew Rees grabs Burger around the neck and throws him to the ground. It's a penalty to the Boks. Pienaar to take the kick.
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| 48 |
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Adam Jones has a shoulder injury apparently. Pienaar misses his shot at goal, not good for the Boks but the Lions fans are bouyant.
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| 49 |
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Boks come left off the restart after some fancy work from Burger before it goes right. Pietersen stands Fizgerald up and goes to ground. Shaw kicks the ball out of du Preez's hands as he tries to clear, it's knocked on by Jacobs. Scrum to the Lions then.
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| 50 |
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Sheridan and Bakkies Botha are told to calm down. Bet they're not swapping phones numbers? Mike Phillips could get a wee bit jealous after Bakkies allegedly told him he liked his blue eyes last week. Steyn takes a mark after and uncontested scrum from the Lions. Steyn clears.
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| 51 |
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Lions are pinned for being offside after Stephen Jones dinks one over the advancing Bok midfield. Habana drops it but it's a penalty to the Boks. Pienaar to go for poles.
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| 52 |
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Pienaar misses another one. That's 11 points the Boks have missed going for poles. Reminiscent of 1997 and Percy Montgomery for the Boks?
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| 53 |
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Should Pienaar be subbed for Morne Steyn on his home ground? O'Driscoll scythes through on the angle after another silly looking scrum. A bit of a mish-mash this half thus far.
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| 54 |
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Spies picks up off the back and hands off. great stuff. Boks go left quickly adn there's a good switch with Habana who Phillips brings down. Scrum to the Boks.
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| 55 |
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Jaque Fourie is on for an injured Jean de Villiers. Local hero Morne Steyn is also poised to come one.
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| 56 |
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Kearney takes another great high ball and the Boks recycle. The Boks look to be coming back into this game and finding some holes in the Lions defence. Can the Lions hold onto this lead?
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| 57 |
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More replacements for the Boks now as Danie Rossouw and Andries Bekker is off. Big changes here - has de Villiers made the right call?
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| 58 |
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Penalty to the Lions. The ref appeared to indicate he could play the ball the blew him up for playing it. Is that harsh? Not sure as we couldn't hear what Berdos said. Smit is perplexed. Jones nails the penalty.
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| 59 |
8 - 19 |
Pienaar off and Morne Steyn is on. The Boks now with the ball in the final quarter.
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| 60 |
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Berdos appeared to play advantage. Danie Rossouw and O'Driscoll are both in another world. The Irishman appeared to hit him without his arms but the ref hasn't blown for it. that shold have been a penalty but he hasn't given it and Rossouw is taken off the ground on a golf cart.
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| 61 |
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Brussow comes on now. His energy could be good for the Boks. Scrum to the Boks.
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| 62 |
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TRY! habana comes flying off his wing and is put through by du Preez and he scores under the poles. What a great try that is. Another off first phase. 15-19 - Game On!
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| 63 |
15 - 19 |
Bodies all over the show. Now Brian O'Driscoll is off. He's really put his body on the line. It's like an Emergency Room that touchline.
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| 64 |
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Boks have gone up a gear. They win a penalty in the Lions 22 and Bismarck du PLessis takes it quickly! Why? He loses it forward and the ball gets turned. Penalty to the Lions now for holding on.
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| 65 |
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boks bring it back through Steyn who chips and it's taken in by the Lions who then are penalised for holding on and it's a penalty to the Boks just inside the Lions half. Morne Steyn to go for poles.
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| 66 |
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Steyn bangs that over as he has done all yaer at this ground. One point in it as O'Gara is on now.
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| 67 |
18 - 19 |
Accidental offside against the Boks off the restart and it's a scrum. It's in the Boks 22 and Schalk Burger is miles offside, Jones has got a shot for poles right in front. To take a four point lead.......
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| 68 |
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It's over by Jones and the Lions are clear in front now.
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| 69 |
18 - 22 |
It's helter-skelter stuff here. Grand-stand finish as both teams are looking to kill of the match
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| 70 |
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Habana tackled in midfield by Bowe. Boks recycle and go right.
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| 71 |
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Shaw's in trouble now as he hits The Beast high. Penalty and Boks go for touch.
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| 72 |
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Boks looking for a pushover and they nearly lose it. Boks on the charge here. Spies carries hard left and it gets recycled. Quick ball and the Boks fly right, Pietersen, shifts it quickly and Jaque Fourie crashes over in the corner. TMO decision and Fourie takes a few bodies over with him.
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| 73 |
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After a long deliberation and some clarification between Lawrence, Berdos and Dickinson - it's a try. Steyn nails the conversion. What a kick! 25-22.
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| 74 |
25 - 22 |
Only three points in it now and Shane Williams is crunched in a tackle. ball goes left and Bekker is pinged for a high hit on Jones and Jones is going for poles from the far touchline. Huge, huge kick this.
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| 75 |
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He nails it!!! What a game!
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| 76 |
25 - 25 |
All square then. Phillips clears.
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| 77 |
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boks on the attack again. Drop kick coming?
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| 78 |
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The Boks are working this for a drop goal and Morne Steyn duffs it.
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| 79 |
28 - 25 |
A series of good long kicks and O'Gara takes du Preez out in the air. Penalty to the Boks and Morne Steyn has a chance to win an historic series here for South Africa.
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| 80 |
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MORNE STEYN nails the kick on the hooter! The Boks have won 28-25 to win the series but my word what a massive battle that was. The Lions were superb and credit to the Boks too for fighting back in the way they did. Once they had ball in hand they looked incredibly threatening.
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