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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Third Test match between the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Boks lead the series 2-0 and have made 10 changes from last week's last-gasp win while the Lions have made eight and will be desperate to avoid a series white-wash. It's a sunny but cool afternoon on the highveld and one that should be ideal for a good open game of running rugby.
2:30
Zane Kirchner makes his debut for South Africa at fullback today coming in for Frans Steyn. Kirchner was the form man for the South African sides in the Super 14 as part of the Bulls' winning campaign and was unlucky in not making the initial Test squad for the opening matches of the series. He starred in the 13-13 draw for the Emerging Boks in Cape Town and got a phonecall on Monday morning while at a Blue Bulls Currie Cup practice to get down to Johannesburg immediately and join the Boks. Five days later he's starting a Test match for his country against the Lions - a dream come true for the man from the Southern Cape.
Ian McGeechan's Lions side have clearly dispelled any notions of four years ago that the Lions concept was in doubt after their 3-0 loss in New Zealand. Despite being 2-0 down, this time around there has been enough drama,incident and at times bad luck but more importantly brilliant rugby played by the Lions that they could well have been 2-0 up and have quite clearly put any doubts about their future to rest. For that the Lions of 2009 must take enormous credit. They probably deserve nothing less than a win in Johannesburg today.
2:50
The South African team will reportedly play wearing a white armband today to sympathise with the two-week ban handed out to lock Bakkies Botha this week. He was banned for illegally clearing out Adam Jones at a ruck last week - a decision that captain John Smit called the "victimisation of Bakkies Botha" and a one that even earned sympathy from the Lions management.
2:58
The teams are out on the field and it's true, the Boks are wearing white armbands - they're not surrendering before the start are they? Phil Vickery gets his chance today to scrum against Beast Mtawarira again although I think having Simon Shaw pushing behind him might mean we won't have any repeat of the scrum-hammering he took in the first Test in Durban. They line-up for the anthems. Morne Steyn's armband appears to read 'Justice 4' - Bakkies must be loving this.
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| 1 |
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Stuart Dickinson is the referee today as the Boks kickoff, playing from left to right. Morne Steyn gets us underway then....Straight from the kickoff the Lions get a penalty as the Boks go flying and kill the ball. Jones kicks to touch.
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| 2 |
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Martyn Williams haclks through and Kirchner punts it upfield before Shane Williams is shackled. The Lionas have it and are looking to take it through the phases. Martyn Williams has been prominent in a good start.
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| 3 |
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After a number of phases the Lions force a penalty and Jones pulls it to miss a good chance to go ahead.
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| 4 |
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Steyn takes the drop-out and the Lions take it in before Kankowski is pinged again this time. Kearney kicks to touch.
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| 5 |
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Rees with a big throw here for a good early start for the Lions. O'Connell manages to get it but it's scrappy ball and Mike Phillips is turned and Kirchner clears it.
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| 6 |
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The Boks now have it and it's carried by Brussow into midfield. Nokwe toes it ahead but Kearney fields and counters. Excellent play this and the Lions are on the charge. It looks threatening before Bowe knocks on. Scrum to the Boks on their 22.
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| 7 |
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Kearney's had a fantastic start. Lions Test player of the tour candidate? First scrum - Vickery v The Beast.
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| 8 |
0 - 3 |
It's gone the Lions way - a scrum penalty that is. Jones makes no mistake as Chiliboy popped out of that scrum. First blood to the Lions then.
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| 9 |
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Lineout on the Lions 22 to the Bok. Olivier crashes it up, it's recycled and then Heaslip is blown up for not releasing the tackler. Penalty tot he Boks.
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| 10 |
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Steyn kicks it over. 3-3 and DIckinson has put his foot down with a warning to the skippers for killing the ball on the ground.
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| 11 |
3 - 3 |
Kearney takes an excellent ball and Phillips shifts it left, Williams kicks through but the Lions are offside.
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| 12 |
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Du Preez takes quickly and they're on the attack. Into the Lions half now. It's turned over and the Lions are attacking down the right. O'Connell take it up but the Boks turn it over - it's booted long.
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| 13 |
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Steyn goes for a drop-kick it's short and Monye is nailed by Olivier as he's cleared. Legitimate that - good hit.
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| 14 |
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Half-way lineout to the Boks, they drive it up. It's put up into the air and Kearney takes a mark.
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| 15 |
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Matfield takes again but loses it forward and the Lions bring it forward before Mike Phillips is blown for holding on. Penalty to the Boks. Brussow won that for the Boks.
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| 16 |
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Boks deep in Lions territory. Smith takes it goes down the line and eventually to Kirchner who's wrapped up and Nokwe gets the ball in little space and knocks on,
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| 17 |
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Scrum to the Lions here. First one goes down and Dickinson goes around to check on the Beast and Vickery. That one goes down too.
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| 18 |
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Interesting tussle this. It goes down again and Dickinson just talks to them. We're going to have another one now.
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| 19 |
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Down again and a free-kick to the Lions who go quickly before Worsley is eventually stripped of the ball - to easily. The Boks kick upfield, taken by Kearney who kicks long.
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| 20 |
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Boks now with the ball and Kirchner is charged down as he kicks. Ball into touch and it's a lineout to the Boks.
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| 21 |
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Still 3-3 here and it's a cagey start by both teams. Steyn chips over the Lions backline for a flying Kankowski, the ball skips past him and Kearney knocks it on - just. Scrum to the Boks.
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| 22 |
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Good ball now. Boks putting a lot of pace onto this as Olivier puts Fourie in space and it goes through the phases before, first right, then left before Phillips turns it and the Lions clear. Real danger there, good scrambling by the Lions.
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| 23 |
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Frans Steyn is on for Jaque Fourie - not sure if that's permanent or a blood-bin.
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| 24 |
3 - 8 |
TRY! Lions strike - Heaslip is away and the Boks fail to shackle him. He manages to offload to Shane Williams who scuttles over. Not forward as the Boks claim. Excellent try.
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| 25 |
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Ball falls of f the kicking tee and Jones attempts to take the drop-kick and is charged down. So no conversion then! Amazing scenes! Entertaining to watch at the very least!
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| 26 |
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Scrum on the right by the Boks and Du Preez goes blind - great hands to Ndungane who nearly gets away from the cover and flings it in before Heaslip recovers it. Knock on by the Lions.
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| 27 |
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Fourie is back on and the Boks are penalised at the scrum as that one goes down.
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| 28 |
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Lions clear to the half-way line. They win the lineout and Bowe is nearly through but gets tacklde by Olivier. Flutey now but he's tackled and the Lions still. Intricate play by the Lions and Williams is nearly away and chips inside. Steyn nearly makes a hash of it but clears beautifully into the Lions half.
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| 29 |
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Worseley's off after taking a boot to the face in tackling Ndungane on the wing a few minutes back. Rees is skew at the lineout - scrum to the Boks. It goes down again.
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| 30 |
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He shifts the pack to a slightly better piece of turf. It is a bit sandy after the recent Confederations Cup final here between Brazil and the USA. Solid now.
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| 31 |
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Boks into midfield. The Lions turn it over and du Preez is not happy about it. the Lions come left quickly and then sheer brilliance/luck. Flutey chips over the top and as Kirchner comes into Flutey gets his hand to it and somehow manages to flip it to Shane Williams who jogs over. Magic stuff that.
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| 32 |
3 - 13 |
3-15 to the Lions - sound familiar? They're hugely in the ascendancy thus far.
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| 33 |
3 - 15 |
Shane Williams has had a great few minutes as he comes away with the ball and Bowe chips and is nearly away.
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| 34 |
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Heaslip - silly that. Comes flying in from the side and without any arms. Penalty to the Boks. Rees is looking dazed.
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| 35 |
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Rees is off and Ross Ford is on. Simon Shaw is now penalised the Assistant Ref is in here and has recommended a yellow against Shaw for leading with the knee. Steyn for touch.
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| 36 |
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Scrappy ball in the Lions 22 - it appears to be turned over twice and the Boks win the scrum in the Lions 22.
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| 37 |
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Free-kick to the Boks. They play quick and it's series of penalties to the Boks deep in the Lions 22. Dickinson talks to O'Connell. The Boks kick to touch.
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| 38 |
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Du Preez goes left quickly to Olivier who is dumped on his backside by Flutey and the Lions get the penalty for for him Olivier holding on.
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| 39 |
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Kearney misses touch and Kirchner carries it up. It goes left and the Boks then win a penalty against Phil Vickery for playing the ball on the deck.
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| 40 |
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Steyn kicks it and the half-time whistle goes. 6-15 to the visitors who have had an excellent half but will be at least a man down for 5 minutes in the second half with Shaw still in the bin. The Boks have looked ragged and not defended very well. The Lions are in a really good position here to get a win in their final game of the tour. We'll back shortly with the second half.
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| 40+1 |
6 - 15 |
M Steyn - penalty goal
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Excellent half for the Lions, they were superb in the scrums and the backs were excelent with ball in hand - Kearney a rock at the back for them. Silly by Shaw leading with his knee to get 10 minutes in the bin and Heaslip conceded a silly penalty that probably highlights the point the Boks were making with their white armbands. If Bakkies got a two week ban then Heaslip would probably get similar even though he was penalised as it looked a lot worse. Ridiculous really. Looking forward to an exciting half as the Boks go chasing the game now. Lions to kick off playing from left to right.
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| 40 |
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Bismarck du Plessis is on at half-time to shore up that Bok scrum. Jones kicks off and Pienaar is on for du Preez. Steyn clears.
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| 41 |
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Lions now playing enterprising stuff. Lions still up the blind before the Boks win it and boot into the Lions 22. Boks win a scrum on the Lions half-way line after Ndungane takes the ball up.
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| 42 |
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Boks with the ball now as Pienaar and the Boks eventaully lose it. Lions on the attack.
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| 43 |
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Still with the Lions who are busting up the middle. Before Brussow wins a superb turnover right underneath how own tryline.
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| 44 |
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Steyn tot he half-way line. Muller takes and Pienaar is undecided before feeding Kankowski and eventually it's recycled to Ndungane who fires out a pass and the Boks go right. Trouble here for the Lions....and O'Connell wins a penalty. Good play that.
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| 45 |
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Ford feeds the lineout and it's scrappy before Phillips chips and Kirchner takes it on his left boot and it's straight into touch.
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| 46 |
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Lions attack now down the left and eventually the Lions are blown for holding on on the Bok 22. Steyn kicks long and they will want a controlled period of play to get some rhythm.
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| 47 |
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Nokwe knocks on as an intricate inside ball off a backline ball comes to nought and the Lions now are on the attack. O'Connell plays the ball on the ground despite being warned and it's penalty to the Boks.
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| 48 |
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Pienaar bursts straight through the lineout and he's away. He can't step the fullback though and recycles. It goes right quickly and Olivier floats a ball over - Kirchner......Bowe nails him and Kirchner knocks on in trying to offload virtually over the line.
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| 49 |
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Scrum to the Lions 5 Metres out.
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| 50 |
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Boks win a penalty in abhuge scvcrum and kick to touch to set up a drive.
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| 51 |
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The Lions drive the Bok lineout drive back and the Boks go left quickly Monye intercepts and he's away. Nokwe is after him but won't get him...and that's a huge try for the Lions. Jones get's the conversion to.
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| 52 |
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Ellis is on for Flutey and John Hayes is on for Vickery. Interesting that.
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| 53 |
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Phillips shifts to outside centre now and the Lions have the ball.
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| 54 |
6 - 20 |
Bokks are looking to play now and eventually Matfield knocks it on. Lions can settle things here.
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| 55 |
6 - 22 |
Scrum to the Lions and Kirchner is subbed - he hasn't had a bad debut, two small errors but probably enough to make the Tri-Nations squad.
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| 56 |
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Scrappy scrum but the Lions have it and Jones chips it. Steyns first touch is excellent he catches skips away from the defenders and boots the ball intot he far corner.
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| 57 |
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Pienaar looks to go up the touchline after Nokwe takes it up. He's out though and it's a Lions throw.
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| 58 |
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Kearney fumbles a long kick from Steyn but recovers easily and boots it back. Bok half.
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| 59 |
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Lions defending high and aggresivley as the Boks have the ball before eventually they're blown up for holding on.
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| 60 |
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Kearney going for posts here from inside his own half....it's wide. Just.
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| 61 |
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Bowe chips through but can't regather and Heaslip somehow stays on his feet. eventaully it's a scrum to the Lions.
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| 62 |
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Lions attack the short blindside again. They lose it though ad the Boks attack quickly left and eventually win a penalty after Jaque Fourie works himself in a small amount of space. Boks go for the line - not the posts.
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| 63 |
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Spies is on for Nokwe on the wing. But the ball isn't straight from the lineout. Scrum to the Lions.
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| 64 |
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Messy scrum and the Lions clear straight upfield through Jones and Frans Steyn goes for a drop-kick on his own 10 metre line. It misses. Not too clever that.
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| 65 |
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Ndungane chips through and Heaslip takes - cleared upfield and Frans Steyn attacks all the way upfield. Penalty to the Boks as Martyn Williams kills the ball.
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| 66 |
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Morne Steyn for poles. It's over and the Boks are hanging in there - just.
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| 67 |
9 - 22 |
Ndungane fields the restart and Morne Steyn eventually clear upfield.
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| 68 |
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Lions lineout on the Bok 22 and O'Connell takes superbly well. They're working it up the blindside again.
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| 69 |
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It's kicking off now as Mike Phillips is tangling with the Boks and Brussow eventually gets penalised for pulling Phillips away from the ruckus and Jones gets a rather forunate shot at goal.
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| 70 |
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Penalty now to the Lions as Victor matfield is penalised for a late hit straight from the restart and Jones gets a shot straight in front of the poles.
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| 71 |
9 - 25 |
Lions get the ball away and the Boks now are trying to get some points on the ball through Spies and then Kankowski.
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| 72 |
9 - 28 |
Frans Steyn is held up by Monye and it looks like he's turned it over but Dickinson blows for a penalty to the Boks who kick to touch.
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| 73 |
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Spies comes short off the lineout and crashes it up. It goes right quickly from du Plessis and Ndungane appears to have superbly got this over in the corner. TMO decision pending. Bryce Lawrence is the man watching from the box.
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| 74 |
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Interesting call that! It looks like a try but Lawrence decides his foot is on the line. The Boks go left through Juan Smith and Mike Phillips knocks him over. Scrum to the Lions.
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| 75 |
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Good scrum and Ellis puts the ball deep into their own half. Lions are closing out this game well - unlike last week.
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| 76 |
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Lions now and they are carrying the ball well throught he pahses.
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| 77 |
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Lions attack the blindside - they going for more points here.
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| 78 |
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The Boks are still playing though and looking to finish with a try at least.
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| 79 |
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In the death throes of the test match here and it's a turnover to the Lions.
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| 80 |
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It's recycled and Stephen Jones boots it into touch for an empahtic win at Ellis Park. That's the finish to a superb series all round and the Lions players are embracing as they celebrate their win and finally end their seven match losing streak.
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