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LIVE: New Zealand v British and Irish Lions: Follow the action as it happens in our live blog


Follow our live coverage of the second Test between the All Blacks and British and Irish Lions from the Westpac Stadium, Wellington.

 Check out our second Test betting preview here

Alex Payne: Notes from New Zealand

Click here for live Sky Bet odds here 

Get in touch @sportinglife


New Zealand 21-24 British and Irish Lions


NZ Penalties: Barrett (20, 31, 35, 47, 53, 58, 65) 

Lions Tries: Faletau (60), Murray (67)

Penalties: Farrell (23, 32, 42, 77) 


THAT'S IT. THE LIONS HAVE DONE IT.

A remarkable match and remarkable victory for the Lions. Their first against New Zealand since 1993 which sets up the series for a dramatic finale at Eden Park next Saturday. The Sonny Bill-Williams dismissal was obviously a decisive moment, but the Lions showed real guts to fight back from 18-9 down to snatch it at the death courtesy of those two tries from Faletau and Murray. Roll on next Saturday.

76 mins: PENALTY LIONS. Pressure, pressure, pressure. Farrell is cool as ice and kicks what could be a decisive penalty after Sinkler is tackled high and late. The Lions lead for the first time - 21-24. They have minutes to hang on. Finger nail biting time.

75 mins: Time is running out for the Lions. New Zealand's 47-match winning run is under threat. Can the Lions do it?

72 mins: We're into the last eight minutes, and it's a massive eight minutes for the Lions. Will that extra man count or will the class of the All Blacks prove decisive?

67 mins: TRY LIONS - MURRAY. A moment of magic from Ireland's Conor Murray, who sees a gap and bursts over the line for the second try of the match. Jamie George is owed a lot for that try after a ramaging run. Amazing scenes in Wellington, the Cake Tin is certainly hotting up now. Farrell converts from wide and it's all square. 21-21

66 mins: The penalty count continues to stack up for the Lions and Barrett, who has already missed three, gets his 10th kick at goal. He makes no mistake to extend the lead to seven points. 21-14

60 mins: TRY LIONS - FALETAU. In a rare forary into the New Zealand half the Lions strike with Tauluple Faletau crossing for a try in the corner after some good attacking play involving Watson. The ball switched across field, Williams throws out a wide ball and the Welsh forward powers over a helpless Dagg to score. Farrell misses the conversion but that's much, much better from the Lions. 18-14

57 mins: I'm getting pretty fed-up typing - penalty New Zealand. The Lions are punished again for their poor disclipine and Barrett once again adds the extras. New Zealand are getting away from the Lions now - it's 18-9.

55 mins: YELLOW CARD - VUNIPOLA: Madness from the England prop. Seconds after a clumsy challenge on Barrett he repeats the dose and get's a spell in the bin.  That evens things up and it's worrying times for the Lions.

53 mins: Vunipola gives away a daft penalty, charging into Barrett and the fly-half extends the hosts' lead.  It's 15-9.

52 mins: The Lions need to wake up otherwise they are in danger of throwing this huge opportunity away. Itoje is penalised and again Barrett steps up...but he's wide again.

You certainly can't tell the All Blacks have 14 men at the moment, they are dominating things.

46 mins: Another clumsy error from the Lions as Murray is penalised for a neck challenge on Liernert-Brown and Barrett quickly atones with his fourth penalty of the night. Far too many mistakes from the Lions. It's 12-9.

42: mins: Replacement Lauampe causes the Lions problems and again New Zealand win a penalty for offside, but again Barrett misses a penalty - his second of the night. Can you beleive it!

41 mins: The second-half is underway. The Lions will never get a better chance to take the series to the decider next week, but it's the All Blacks who are out of the traps early in the second-half. 

Let's check out the latest odds from Sky Bet: It's 6/5 the All Blacks and 5/6 the Lions with the scores level at the break. Anthony Watson is 9/1 to score a try, while the online bookie offer 7/1 that Waisake Naholo crosses for five points. You can also have 40/1 that Watson and Liam Williams both score tries, one of several #RequestABetoptions.  

HALF-TIME: So another thrilling half of rugby and it's level at 9-9 at the break. Sonny Bill-Williams' dismissal was the big talking point but I don't think he can have any complaints, it was needless and downright ugly and means the former rugby league convert has become the first New Zealand player to be sent-off in 50 years. What an opportunity for the Lions now, can they do it, let's hope so.

40 mins: Once again Farrell is given another chance to square things up and the England man delivers with his third penalty of the half. That's it as the sides go in all square at 9-9.

35 mins: Vunipola is penalised and again Barrett cashes in with another penalty. Despite being a man down it's the hosts who lead 9-6.

33 mins: But straight from the restart Itoje puts Dagg under real pressure and the Lions win another penalty and Farrell makes no mistake. It's 6-6.

31 mins: Despite the loss of SBW it's New Zealand who take the lead. Another penalty from Barrett. It's 6-3.

30 mins:  Good news for the Lions as Watson returns to the field.

24 mins: RED CARD - SONNY BILL-WILLIAMS: A horrid shoulder barge from Sonny Bill-Williams on Anthony Watson and the referee, Jerome Garces, after checking on the TMO, correctly shows a red card to the New Zealand talisman. What an opportunity for the Lions. 

Sadly for Watson he is forced to leave the field and replaced by Jack Nowell. I'm not surprised because that looked really nasty.

22 mins: But the Lions hit back and win a penalty themselves and Farrell produces a superb response to level the scores. It's 3-3.

20 mins: Another penalty for New Zealand and this time Barrett makes no mistake and the All Blacks go 3-0 ahead.

17 mins: Another case of handbags as, for the second time, the forwards have a friendly dust-up. The Lions' forwards are certainly 

14 mins: Typically, the first time they do cross the line they win a penalty as the Lions go offside, but Barrett, who was flawless last week, misses a straightforward penalty and it remains scoreless. That's a real let off for Gatland's men. 

8 mins:  This has been a very promising start from the Lions who are dominating both terriority and the ball. Some excellent play for the tourists. I don't think the All Blacks have crossed the half-way line yet.

4 mins: It's been a solid start from the Lions, disrupting an early All Blacks' lineout and keeping a solid scrum and making early ground through Daly and Furlong, which a bullocking drive but Itoje knocks on inside the 22 to hand the ball back to the hosts.

And we're under way as Sexton kicks off for the Lions.

0832: Time for the New Zealand anthem and then the haka.

Sky Bet's latest odds make New Zealand 1/5 favourites with the Lions 9/2. Waisake Naholo and Rieko Ioane to score anytime is Price Boosted to 9/2. 

0830: Here come the teams, Sam Warburton leads the Lions out to a huge roar. Let's hope, for Lions' fans, they will roar today. Kieran Read, who had such a superb match last week, follows with the world champions.

0825:   As last week, the statistics certainly favour the All Blacks today. They are bidding for a 48th successive victory on home soil and have won the last 16 Tests in 14 years in Wellington. The last team to beat them was Sir Clive Woodward’s World Cup winners back in 2003, so it can be done.  

0820:   Having a bet on today’s showdown? Still not sure where to put your money? Why not check out my betting preview for today’s clash including a 20/1 tip.   

Click here for live Sky Bet odds

0815:   Talking of Sean Fitzpatrick, I caught up the the legendary skipper before the tour, and he admitted the stick he would get if he became only the second All Black skipper to lose a Test series to the Lions.  

Having won the first Test 20-18, the Lions hit back to level the series with a 20-7 victory in Wellington and led 10-0 in the deciding Test at Eden Park after a Scott Gibbs’ try before New Zealand ran in three tries in the second-half to win the match 30-13 and series 2-1. 

Fitzpatrick reflected: “I never thought we were going to lose that, purely in terms of our preparation.  “We let ourselves down the week before. I’d played my worst game for the All Blacks in the second Test but we knew within the team we had the right people in the team to do the job, but I was glad when it was all over. The pressure was immense."

0811:   Worringly ahead of today's clash the Lions’ record in second Tests isn’t great. Of the 27 matches they���ve played since 1899 they’ve won only 10 and lost 14, that’s a win rate of 37% and it’s even worse in New Zealand where they have won only two of their 10 matches. 

The last occasion was in 1993 when they beat Sean Fitzpatrick’s All Blacks’ 20-7, what Warren Gatland would give for another win today.  

0805:  Sky Sports’ presenter Alex Payne has provided us with a behind the scenes view on things out in New Zealand. Check out this week's 'Notes from New Zealand' here.

0802:   Let’s get a quick reminder of the teams   New Zealand have made two enforced changes following injuries to Smith and Crotty in Auckland, in come Lienert-Brown and Naholo in the backs.   The Lions have made three changes. Sexton partners Farrell in midfield, while Warburton and Itoje bolster the pack   

British and Irish Lions team: L Williams, A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, E Daly, J Sexton, C Murray, M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, AW Jones, S Warburton, S O'Brien, T Faletau. Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, K Sinckler, C Lawes, CJ Stander, R Webb, B Te'o, J Nowell. 

New Zealand team: I Dagg; W Naholo, A Lienert-Brown, S B Williams, R Ioane; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt). Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea,  TJ Perenara, A Crruden, N Laumape.  

0755:   It’s pouring down with rain in Wellington as predicted but that’s not deterred the Lions’ fans who have once again turned up in the droves to pack into the Westpac Stadium, interestingly nicknamed the ‘Cake Tin’. Let’s hope the Lions’ hopes aren’t cooked today and they can take the series into the final match at Eden Park.  

0745: A very good morning and welcome along to our live coverage of today’s crucial second Test between New Zealand and the British and Irish Lions. I’m Steve Bramley and I’ll be providing you with all the build-up as Warren Gatland’s Lions bid to square the series against the mighty All Blacks.

If you have any views on Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell playing together, Gatland's decision to leave Ben Te'o on the bench, the decision to recall Sam Warburton, then send them to me at feedback@sportinglife.com.  

See our full big match guide here 

Re-live our first Test live blog here  

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