McGeechan’s midweek marvels
McGeechan's side had lifted the tour out of a hole last Tuesday in Palmerston North, when a 100-plus point rout of Manawatu rescued morale after the first Test defeat. But Auckland required a very different approach.
Boasting seven internationals in their starting line-up, including rocket man Joe Rokocoko on the wing, Auckland were regarded as the toughest of the midweek provincial sides, and they lived up to the billing.
In fact, Pat Lam's side will feel they let victory slip from their grasp, having fought back from 14-3 down at half-time to 14-13 with 15 minutes to go.
McGeechan was delighted with the victory, achieved in trying circumstances after the surrender of the Test series three days previously. The tourists were spurred on by the incentive of staking a claim in for a place in Saturday's final Test at the same stadium, but chiefly by the desire to maintain the midweek side's unbeaten record.
Prompted by an excellent display from scrum-half Matt Dawson in only his second start of the tour, the Lions scored through a first-half try from Wales flanker Martyn Williams, a penalty from Charlie Hodgson and three more from his early replacement, Ronan O'Gara.
"I'm hugely proud," said McGeechan at the end of what was undoubtedly his final Lions game as a coach following a 31-year involvement since going on the 1974 tour as a player.
"We had a team full of character, they were intelligent and they really dug in against a side that has some outstanding individual runners. It was a great team effort against a very good provincial side."
O'Gara had come on in the 22nd minute after Hodgson, who hit the opening penalty, had been poleaxed by a massive hit from hooker Semisi Telefoni. The English fly-half had to be helped from the field complaining of breathing difficulties after a knock to his nose but O'Gara slotted in comfortably, landing a penalty on the half hour, with Dawson and Williams doing great work to hold the ball up as prop John Afoa got over the line some eight minutes earlier.
An exchange of penalties with Auckland full-back Brent Ward took the score to 9-3 before Williams struck, finishing off a move started by a great run from Mark Cueto. Quick ball from Dawson in support sent Williams over in the corner and
although O'Gara missed the conversion, the Lions went in happy at half-time, leading 14-3.
Having lost Hodgson, there was more injury woe three minutes before the break when lock Ben Kay ridiculously picked a fight with Auckland centre Sam Tuitupou and came off worse, with Brent Cockbain taking his place.
Cockbain got involved in similar fashion four minutes into the second half when he punched Auckland scrum-half Steve Devine but the Welsh lock remarkably escaped punishment.
McGeechan said he did not want to comment on the Kay incident until he had seen video evidence, but his opposite number, Pat Lam, picking up where Graham Henry left off with complaints about punching by the Lions in the second Test, said the lack of yellow cards produced by referee Steve Walsh had been "frustrating."
The Lions players showed the positive side of their character, however, for the rest of the half, digging deep to keep Auckland's comeback at bay and not buckling under the pressure when wing Isa Nacewa's converted try put the home side within a point of the Lions at 14-13.
Wave after wave of attacks from the home side were repelled and O'Gara more than played his part in the rearguard action, pulling out some important positional kicks to relieve the pressure as the Lions played out the game in their own half.
His 76th minute penalty further eased the siege but there were still some panicky moments, most notably when flanker Williams attempted to kick for field position on the halfway line amid a sea of Auckland players who were happy to accept the gift.
It was the least the Lions deserved in a very difficult week that they held the line to the end.
"It was just a complete team effort in the second half," said McGeechan.
"Everybody gave everything and the players have been outstanding in their approach and I hope that some of them are saying tonight that they have really enjoyed it. At a time when it would have been easy to come off tour or show it didn't matter we had a performance that showed how much the Lions means to a big group of people, and that includes me. There was no-one going off tour here."
AUCKLAND: B Ward, I Nacewa (G Williams, 73), B Atiga (I Toe'ava, 77), S Tuitupou, J Rokocoko, T Lavea, S Devine; S Taumoepeau, S Telefoni, J Afoa, B Mika (J Kaino, 46), B Williams, J Collins captain, D Braid, A MacDonald (K Haiu, 69).
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: G Murphy, M Cueto, W Greenwood (S Horgan, 51), G D'Arcy, D Hickie, C Hodgson (R O'Gara, 22), M Dawson; G Rowntree, G Bulloch (capt), J Hayes (M Stevens, 61), S Shaw, B Kay (B Cockbain, 37), J White (M Corry, 56), M Williams, M Owen.
Referee: Steve Walsh, New Zealand.
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