Only major surgery can save the Lions now

New Zealand 21 Lions 3

Injuries and injustices, citings and non-sightings have all followed the travelling circus of All Blacks and Lions across the Cook Strait from the South Island to Wellington on the northern side, ahead of next Saturday’s second Test.

The tourists have had to strike three players - captain Brian O’Driscoll, Richard Hill and Tom Shanklin - from their party due to injury. They lost another, Danny Grewcock, to a two-month disciplinary ban for a biting offence and were denied justice when the “double spear-tackle” that could force O’Driscoll under the knife to further aid his recovery from a dislocated shoulder was not deemed sufficiently grievous by the citing officer to be sent to a judicial hearing.