New Zealand 15-15 British and Irish Lions: Match stats, report and reaction

New Zealand 15-15 British and Irish Lions: Match stats

NZ tries: Lauampe (15)  J Barrett (36)
Conversions: B Barrett (16)
Penalties: B Barrett (68)

Penalties: Farrell (21, 31, 59, 76) Daly (41)

Match report

Owen Farrell kicked a penalty two minutes from time as the British and Irish Lions claimed a dramatic 15-15 draw against world champions New Zealand at Eden Park.

In doing so, a pulsating Test series also ended 1-1, with one Test drawn, as both sides fought themselves to a standstill.

The All Blacks thought they had a chance to win it with just seconds left, but as Beauden Barrett lined up a kick at goal, referee Romain Poite consulted television replays and awarded a scrum to New Zealand instead for accidental offside.

New Zealand looked to have silenced the Lions' roar, but they were guilty of blowing a number of gilt-edged chances that ultimately returned to haunt them.

The Lions' hopes of series glory on New Zealand soil for a first time since 1971 were ultimately thwarted by an All Blacks side that made it 40 Tests unbeaten at Eden Park.

The third Test decider did not disappoint, matching expectations in terms of ferocious intensity as both sides tore into each other.

First-half tries from international rookies Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett gave them momentum, while Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty and conversion, with Farrell's four penalties and an Elliot Daly strike providing the Lions' points.

The Lions were left to suffer frustration rather than create history, but it was a brave and resilient effort.

Perfect playing conditions - dry and barely a breath of wind - greeted the teams, but the Lions conceded an immediate penalty when Warburton transgressed at a ruck, only for Barrett to drift a 45-metre chance well wide.

It was a let-off for the Lions, yet still a concerning early development for them as Poite made his intention clear at the breakdown.

And the initial All Blacks onslaught continued as they probed deep inside Lions territory before the tourists broke free and should have scored following sustained pressure, but Farrell's pass was intercepted and it took brilliant defensive work from Jonathan Davies and Liam Williams to snuff out danger.

New Zealand, though, were in no mood to waste the opportunity and they struck through a 15th-minute try after Barrett's cross-kick found his brother Jordie, who tapped possession back inside and Laumape finished off.

Barrett's conversion made it 7-0 and it was a nervy opening from the Lions, not helped by Farrell's error-strewn first quarter before he kicked an angled penalty to open their account.

But New Zealand continued pressing and they should have scored again after shunting the Lions off their own scrum ball. only for Beauden Barrett to knock on his half-back partner Aaron Smith's pass with the line beckoning.

It was wasteful rugby from the All Blacks and the Lions finally released New Zealand's grip when Davies put a crunching tackle on Jordie Barrett and gained a penalty, yet the Lions ran it and went straight into a dead-end.

A second Farrell penalty narrowed the gap eight minutes before half-time before fly-half Johnny Sexton went down clutching his left ankle and was only able to continue following lengthy treatment.

There was still time, though, for New Zealand to strike again as Laumape's brilliant off-load to his midfield partner Anton Lienert-Brown caused sufficient havoc before Jordie Barrett finished superbly on an arcing run.

Beauden Barrett missed the conversion, yet the Lions - given they had struggled for much of the opening 40 minutes - would have settled for only a six-point interval deficit, even if New Zealand had lost only one of 58 previous Eden Park Tests when leading at half-time.

Lions flanker Sean O'Brien did not appear for the second period - he was on the receiving end of a crunching first-half collision - and his Ireland colleague CJ Stander took over.

And the Lions made a dream start to the half when Daly, renowned for a mighty left boot, duly obliged by kicking a penalty from 52 metres out.

The Lions then had another reprieve, this time when Jordie Barrett fired out a forward pass to unmarked wing Juian Savea, and the visitors were using up huge slices of luck yet still remaining in the contest.

And they were further helped 10 minutes into the half when All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino caught Alun Wyn Jones in the face with his arm and Poite showed him a yellow card after consulting television replays.

Farrell's third successful penalty levelled the game with 20 minutes left, raising hopes of a famous win and setting up a pulsating closing quarter as both coaches began unloading their replacements' benches.

And it was one of the Lions substitutes, Kyle Sinckler, who infringed 12 minutes from time, collapsing a scrum, and Beauden Barrett nudged the All Blacks back in front, which proved an advantage the Lions could not claw back until Farrell struck as the clock ticked down.

Reaction

British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton was left speechless after a 15-15 draw. Warburton told Sky Sports: "It is a difficult one, it has got to be a first. It is difficult as players, if you go through the pressure and the emotion of the week, it is all geared towards winning.

"But, I guess, it is better than losing. We didn't lose the series. To be honest, I am a bit speechless, I don't know what to make of that. I was ready to go into extra-time! My legs weren't, they are cramping up everywhere.

"To come to the double world champs, what they have done over the last six to eight years was incredible, so to come here and not get beaten, we can take some credit for that.

"We can take some positives from a draw but, as players, we are gutted not to take that win."

New Zealand captain Kieran Read, playing his 100th Test, echoed Warburton's thoughts: "I feel pretty hollow, to be honest.  When you walk away with a draw, it doesn't really mean much. I will probably look at it in the future with a bit more pride."

Maro Itoje added: "We are a little bit unsatisfied, we came here to win but we didn't quite do that. I don't think we played that perfect game. But New Zealand are a top team. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what we wanted. Life goes on."

Former coach Sir Ian McGeechan reflecting on the series said: "I think the Lions will look back on it and say this has been a very successful series.

"To go one down, to play like they did last week and then today, they were under the hammer for 40 minutes and really the All Blacks could have had another two or three tries.

"I thought they (the Lions) played well and controlled the game in the second half, got themselves back in it and yes they could have won it, but I think they will look back and be very pleased with all the effort and all that energy that has gone into the three Tests."

Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick echoed those thoughts, highlighting the difference between this tour and the Lions' previous trip to New Zealand, when they were thrashed 3-0 in the Test series in 2005.

"It's phenomenal, it's a wonderful organisation. From where it was in '05, to where it is out here now is quite phenomenal and you need to say a lot of that has to go to Warren Gatland in terms of what he laid out, in terms of what was needed to be successful here in New Zealand.

"And he had to earn the respect of the New Zealand public, the New Zealand players, and he has definitely done that. It's been amazing and wonderful to see what the Lions have done, and what the fans have done.

"And there's no reason why we can't continue with this, it's wonderful."

Follow the action as it happened in our live 3rd Test blog

British and Irish Lions' player ratings

LIAM WILLIAMS: Struggled positionally in defence but always a threat on the counter attack. 6/10

ANTHONY WATSON: Always looked dangerous but was never able to receive the ball in either time or space. 7

JONATHAN DAVIES: Two massive hits on Jordie Barrett summed up another stunning showing from Wales' fine centre. 9

OWEN FARRELL: Nerveless personified at the death to nail the levelling penalty, and that after a shocking opening. 7

ELLIOT DALY: Booted a huge long-range penalty and ran the All Blacks ragged at times out wide. 8

JOHNNY SEXTON: Settled into the task after a wayward opening and shook off an ankle problem to boot. 7

CONOR MURRAY: Another fine performance from the world's best scrum-half. 8

MAKO VUNIPOLA: Scrummaged well and kept things ticking over in the loose. 7

JAMIE GEORGE: Wayward in the lineout but impressed otherwise. 7

TADHG FURLONG: Another huge shift from Ireland's premier tighthead. 8

MARO ITOJE: The beast of the Lions pack somehow returns home better than he arrived. 8

ALUN WYN JONES: A gritty performance given all the pressure. 7

SAM WARBURTON: Scrapped and slowed ball at the breakdown all night. 8

SEAN O'BRIEN: Set the tone early on with some fine ball-carrying. 7

TAULUPE FALETAU: Another hugely impressive performance from the peerless number eight. 8

Replacements

KEN OWENS: Just about avoided conceding a penalty that would have cost the Lions the series. 6

JACK MCGRATH: Solid enough game at the death. 7

KYLE SINCKLER: Struggled at the scrum but somehow turned that on its head. 6

COURTNEY LAWES: Put himself about in typical style. 6

CJ STANDER: Worked hard but was unable to cut loose. 6

RHYS WEBB: Unable to maintain Murray's accuracy after coming on as a head injury replacement. 6

BEN TE'O: As physical as ever but unable to cut loose. 6

JACK NOWELL: Precious little to do in a short cameo. 6