Central Plains FFA Chapter

08/25 14:09 CDT All Blacks need late surge to overcome the Lions 41-35 in scare at Ellis Park All Blacks need late surge to overcome the Lions 41-35 in scare at Ellis Park JOHANNESBURG (AP) --- A dogged Lions side that led for more than an hour was pipped by New Zealand 41-35 at Ellis Park on Tuesday. The All Blacks swept all four provincial teams to remain undefeated on their tour of South Africa, but they were given a serious scare in an entertaining 12-try contest. A makeshift New Zealand side with only three players backing up from last Saturday's test victory over South Africa on the same ground involved all six injury replacements summoned on tour --- including two players who arrived on Monday --- plus a debut for prop Saula Ma'u. Their defense struggled. They trailed 14-0 after seven minutes, were down by four at halftime and found themselves behind 35-17 in the 47th. The Lions threatened to become the first South African provincial side to beat New Zealand since Orange Free State, now known as the Cheetahs, in 1976. But like the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls the All Blacks had already beaten, the Lions were out of season and not match fit. They hadn't played since May 30 in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals. The All Blacks stormed back in the last half-hour with four successive tries; two by Rieko Ioane, a second for flanker Ethan Blackadder that gave them the lead for the first time in the 62nd, and a second by winger Emoni Narawa in the 79th that settled the tourists' nerves. ___ See AP's full rugby coverage here