Letter from Cape Town: Springboks will have to show tactical and mental resilience to recover 

In a strange way, the Boks might benefit from next week’s second Test staying at sea level more than the Lions. They are clearly a few weeks off reaching their physical peak, so avoiding the extra physiological demands of Johannesburg’s high altitude could help the home team more than the tourists.

The Springboks’ Siya Kolisi is tackled by Owen Farrell and Hamish Watson of the British & Irish Lions. The Boks proved hopelessly undercooked and were left rattled. Picture: EJ Langner/Getty Images

The British & Irish Lions are on match point. An historic series win is now tantalisingly close after a stunning second half display that left South Africa rattled and facing a week of inquests after they faded so alarmingly.

It was the oldest cliché in the book, but this was a match of two halves — the difference being that the Springboks’ bad half was much worse than the Lions’ difficult stanza.