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Highlights: Lions tamed! All Blacks take first blood in Test series

All Blacks Codie Taylor celebrates after scoring a try during the first test between the British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, June 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
24th June, 2017
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The All Blacks are just one win away from denying the British and Irish Lions another Test series triumph in New Zealand, downing them 30-15 in an absorbing opening Test at Eden Park.

Enjoying all the early running and possession, the All Blacks on Saturday looked likely to pull away from the tourists, who struggled to assert their trademark dominance at the set-piece or create opportunities through five-eighth Owen Farrell.

But first-half injuries to Ben Smith and Ryan Crotty turned the match on its head, as an emboldened Lions – against the script – threw the ball around willingly and bagged a stunning length-of-the-field try through Sean O’Brien.

Their upper hand continued into the second stanza, with the Lions just 13-8 down, until the match swung again via Rieko Ioane’s clinical double.

Rhys Webb then bagged a last-second Lions consolation.

It was far from a vintage All Blacks performance, with few of the flicks and tricks that drove them to last week’s 78-0 thrashing of Samoa.

Instead, the world champions simply delivered at the right moments.

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Hooker Codie Taylor emulated incumbent No.2 Dane Coles by collecting a pass off his bootlaces to score the side’s first five-pointer, before freshly introduced props Wyatt Crockett and Charlie Faumuina helped create Ioane’s first by monstering their counterparts at an attacking second-half scrum.

Ioane, in his first Test start, then capitalised on a Liam Williams dropped ball to streak away and place the match beyond the Lions’ reach.

They’ll need to find a second attacking gear – and quickly – to turn the three-Test series around next week in Wellington.

The All Blacks will be confident of doing the business again in the Kiwi capital, despite the potential absences of Smith and Crotty.

Skipper Kieran Read was superb in his first game back for almost two months, while Beauden Barrett rarely erred and Ioane finished with aplomb.

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Taylor, Joe Moody and Owen Franks were also impressive.

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