The All Blacks have played out an extraordinary 15-15 draw with the British and Irish Lions, ensuring their series on Kiwi soil ends as a 1-1 tie.
Like their 1971 forebears, the Lions eked out a draw at Eden Park in the final Test on Saturday night after striking a 78th-minute penalty goal through Owen Farrell.
However, unlike that series 46 years ago, the 2017 series is made up of three Tests instead of four – thus forcing the series to end in a tie.
A bizarre late-match decision to hand the Lions an attacking scrum instead of penalty for a Ken Owens offside, however, will undoubtedly hog the headlines, with skipper Kieran Read clearly perplexed by referee Romain Poite’s call.
Nevertheless, the All Blacks can have few genuine complaints after wasting a host of decent try-scoring chances in a ferocious first half.
Up 12-6 at half-time through tries to debut Test starters Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett, the side’s profligacy appeared likely to be forgiven – until Farrell and the booming boot of Elliot Daly levelled the sides 12-12.
A Barrett penalty followed in the 68th minute, giving the hosts another sniff of victory, until Wyatt Crockett was penalised late on for failing to roll away.
Farrell tied the match with the subsequent kick before confusion reigned when Owens was called for an accidental offside, yet a scrum was ordered.
The All Blacks couldn’t take advantage of the late set-piece and closed the match in a draw – their first in a Test for three years.
They controlled all the running at the start, despite occasionally falling under the spell of quick Lions raids, and touched down via Laumape in the 15th minute after Jordie Barrett batted down a Beauden Barrett cross-field kick.
Jordie’s first Test try followed after a spiral ball from Anton Lienert-Brown, but the All Blacks couldn’t break through again.