Rugby Union: Lions plot a repeat: Tourists make history

THE JUBILANT Lions today began plotting to repeat the downfall of the All Blacks in next Saturday's final Test in Auckland after making history by winning the second Test in Wellington by a record margin - 20-7 - to square the three- match series.

Suddenly the initiative is so firmly with the Lions that the All Blacks selectors put their team announcement back 24 hours from yesterday to today. Some vintage All Blacks - John Kirwan, Grant Fox, Michael Jones, Zinzan Brooke and even the captain, Sean Fitzpatrick - are under heavy fire.

Last night, after the Lions had arrived here to play the national champions, Waikato, tomorrow, their management acknowledged that even a performance of the exalted standard of Saturday's will not suffice in the third Test. 'I firmly believe that if you go into games thinking of the consequences of success or failure you're not in the right frame of mind,' Geoff Cooke, the manager, said. 'The reality is it's going to be the most intense game of international rugby they've ever played, but it would be a mistake for us to dwell on that in the build-up.'

The Lions are concerned at having to put Test scrum-half, Dewi Morris, on the bench tomorrow as he has a knee injury.

Lions' rampant, page 26