All Blacks recover from 18-point deficit to defeat Lions 41-35 at Ellis Park
New Zealand’s tour of South Africa remains undefeated after a dramatic late surge against the Lions, who had not played since May.
New Zealand have maintained their unbeaten record on a six-week tour of South Africa, defeating the Lions 41-35 in a tense tour match at Ellis Park on Tuesday. The victory marks the fourth consecutive win for the All Blacks against South African provincial teams, following previous successes against the Stormers, Sharks, and Bulls.
The match was defined by a significant late turnaround. New Zealand trailed by 18 points in the 47th minute, facing a 35-17 deficit that threatened to end their perfect tour record. The Lions had not played a competitive match since 30 May in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals, meaning they were out of season and lacked match fitness, yet they controlled the early stages of the contest.
New Zealand’s defensive struggles were evident early on, with the team missing 19 tackles and trailing 14-0 after just seven minutes. Despite these early setbacks, the All Blacks mounted a comeback in the final 30 minutes, scoring four successive tries to secure the lead and ultimately the win.
Rieko Ioane and winger Emoni Narawa each scored two tries during the surge. Flanker Ethan Blackadder also crossed for a second time in the 62nd minute, giving New Zealand the lead for the first time in the match. Blackadder’s performance was highlighted by coach Dave Rennie, who described him as having a “massive engine” and being “everywhere” on the field.
The result also has implications for the All Blacks’ squad selection ahead of the second Test. Anton Segner was ruled out of the remainder of the tour due to an ankle injury diagnosed as acute inflammatory arthritis, which required two surgeries. Segner will not be replaced in the squad, potentially opening a pathway for Blackadder, who was one of the standout performers alongside inside centre Timoci Tavatavanawai.
Fly-half Richie Mo’unga returned from Japan for the match, wearing a black jersey for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final. While New Zealand’s kicking game was inconsistent, with Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett converting only three of seven tries, the defensive resilience and attacking momentum in the closing stages proved decisive. The second Test of the three-match series is scheduled for Saturday at 4.55pm UK time.
