The British and Irish Lions got their revenge for their two narrow losses in the first two Tests, and the series defeat they suffered, by recording a record equalling 28-9 win over South Africa in the final outing in Johannesburg on Saturday.

It was a day of celebration for the tourists, who not only ended an eight-year victory run by South Africa in Johannesburg, but also recorded their first win at the venue in more than 50 years.

The Boks' last loss in Johannesburg was a 23-32 defeat at the hands of France in June 2001. They had since beaten Australia (four times), New Zealand, Argentina, Scotland and Samoa at Ellis Park.

The Lions haven't won in Johannesburg since 1955 and they equalled the biggest winning margin - the 28-9 victory the Lions recorded in Pretoria in 1974.

It was a deflated Bok captain John Smit that lifted the trophy for the 2-1 series win and indeed the Lions celebrated as if they had won the series.

As Lions captain Paul O'Connell said after the game, the tourists had played very good rugby in their two narrow defeats - 21-26 in Durban and 25-28 in Pretoria.

They were up for the final fling and produced a stirring performance in what was another huge Test, certainly the most exciting of the tour - with all-action rugby from the outset.

The Lions deserve all the plaudits for their high-paced, all-out attacking game, but the Boks were suckered into playing a type of free-spirited game that didn't suit them.

Smit and his men will be filled with mixed emotions, knowing that the Lions will claim the moral victory after their win in the end - also because of the margin of the win in a game in which they outscored the Springboks by three tries to none.

In the end the try-count was seven-to-five to the Lions, the points on aggregate in the series also going to the tourists - 72-63.

The build-up to the kick-off was marked by the Springbok players uniting in solidarity with suspended lock Bakkies Botha, staging an on-field protest. The South African players all decided to wear white arm bands in solidarity with Botha, after his two-week suspension and unsuccessful appeal against transgressing Law 10.4 (j) by dangerously charging into a ruck without binding on a player.

That was to be South Africa's most impressive display of the day.

It was a a game of high intensity from both teams, although the execution was not always as accurate as it should have been. But the hits on defence were as brutal as anything we have seen on tour.

The Lions, in particular, were very effective in turning ball over in the tackle - by not just driving the Boks back, but also getting numbers to the ball.

They also easily matched the Boks in the forward exchanges and as a result dominated possession and the scoreboard.

The most dramatic incident inside the first 10 minutes came the first scrum, where veteran Lions prop Phil Vickery made a mockery of Tendai Mtawarira's supposed strength and earned his team a penalty.

With the game being played at a 100 miles an hour, Stephen Jones (ninth minute) and Morné Steyn (12th minute) exchanged early penalties.

But the scrums remained a focus point and after a couple of collapsed and rest scrums the Lions earned a free kick as the Boks struggled to assert themselves on the tourists.

The first try came only in the 23rd minute - when Jamie Heaslip broke the line, after the Lions had worked the ball into the Bok 22 and he sent Shane Williams away to score a under the poles. The ball was amazingly charged down from point blank range - but the Lions were up 8-3.

And the Boks were still being penalised at scrum time as well, as a bewildered Mtawarira kept asking the referee what he was doing wrong.

The Lions continued their exciting, free-running approach and in the 32nd minute Williams scored his second try when - from a well-executed chip-kick - Riki Flutey tapped the ball and Williams sprinted clear without a hand being laid on him. This time the conversion was good - 15-3.

But there was another defining moment, in the 36th minute, when Lions lock Simon Shaw was yellow carded for his thuggish behaviour - when he jumped with his knee into the back of prone Bok scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez.

The Boks tried to make their numerical advantage count, by setting up a line-out and driving it. However, they again turned over ball in the tackle.

The reward came right on half-time, as Morné Steyn slotted his second penalty after the Lions were again penalised at the

However, the Boks were soon under the cosh after the restart, with the Lions controlling the ball in the early stages and coming to within metres of the Bok line - through a series of strong raids consisting of pick-'n-drive rucks and quick hands.

But the Boks managed to hang on, and turned the ball over, just to give a back through a penalty.

With both teams eager to get a physical ascendancy, the game produced a series of penalties and the match lost some of its structure.

The Springboks had a golden opportunity to score in the 52nd minute, but Zane Kirchner lost the ball in a hard tackle from Tommy Bowe.

The Boks won a scrum penalty and set up a line-out, but Wynand Olivier threw an intercept pass as the Boks tried to force the game and Ugo Monye raced 80 metres for the Lions' third try. The conversion by Jones made it 22-6 - leaving the Boks with a mountain to climb.

Going into the final quarter and the Boks chasing the game, the Lions won a penalty just inside their half, but Jones's shot at goal drifted wide.

The Springboks were now beginning to look increasingly desperate and as a result their error count also increased.

Francois Steyn had a drop-goal attempt from 60 metres out, as the Boks continued to take all the wrong options.

With just over 13 minutes left on the clock Steyn had a shot at goal from 40 metres out, after another transgression at a ruck.

The tempers now flared and there were handbags-at-20-paces, but the end result was a talking to for Mike Phillips and Heinrich Brüssow - with the penalty going against the Boks.

Stephen Jones slotted the penalty to make it 25-9 going into the final 10 minutes.

But from the restart Bismarck du Plessis was penalised for a late charge and Jones made it 28-9.

Another penalty to the Boks, turned into a line-out, and driven up the midfield by Pierre Spies, created an opportunity for the Boks to take it wide. Odwa Ndungane was over in the corner and the call went to the TMO - who his time - before ruling that his foot went into touch in the process of scoring.

The game ended with South Africa attacking from inside their own 22 and turning the ball over - an apt way for the Lions to finish the game.

Man of the match: It would be easy to single out individuals, for there were many standout heroes in the Lions camp. But for an all-round brilliant performance our award goes to all the British and Irish Lions for a truly great team effort.

Moment of the match: Simon Shaw's yellow card in the 36th minute could have been a turning point, but the most significant was the first scrum, inside the first 10 minutes, when veteran prop Phil Vickery turned the tables on rival Tendai Mtawarira. It signalled the Lions' intent.

Villain of the match: Easy, this goes to Lions lock Simon Shaw for his needles act of hooliganism - jumping with his knee into the back of Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez and the 36th minute. Du Preez was later forced to leave the field as a result of the injury.

The scorers:

South Africa:
Pens: M Steyn 3

For the British and Irish Lions:
Tries: Williams 2, Monye
Cons: S Jones 2
Pens: S Jones 3

Yellow card: Simon Shaw (B&I Lions, 36 - foul play, knee into player's back)

Teams:

South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Johann Muller, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Deon Carstens, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Pierre Spies, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Francois Steyn.

British & Irish Lions: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Ugo Monye, 13 Tommy Bowe, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Joe Worsley, 5 Paul O'Connell (captain), 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Phil Vickery, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Andrew Sheridan
Replacements: 16 Ross Ford, 17 John Hayes, 18 Alun-Wyn Jones, 19 David Wallace, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Harry Ellis, 22 James Hook

365

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