British and Irish Lions vs Maori All Blacks as it happened: Tourists seize momentum ahead of first Test
Follow the game as it happened from the Rotorua International Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.The British and Irish Lions face the Maori All Blacks in their fifth warm-up match on their tour of New Zealand in what will be their penultimate game before the Test series with the All Blacks. Follow the latest here.
- Maori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions kicks off at 19:35 local time [08:35 BST]
- Warren Gatland recalls a number of Test candidates to face the Maori
- No Owen Farrell with fly-half ruled out through injury
- Johnny Sexton starts at 10, Peter O’Mahony captains the Lions with Sam Warburton on bench
- Maori All Blacks captained by Ash Dixon
- Nehe Milner-Skudder starts on wing, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Reiko Ioane released by All Blacks
Follow the live action below...
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What time does it start?
The Maori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions kicks off at 19:35 local time [08:35 BST] on Saturday 17 June.
What TV channel is it on?
The match will be shown live on sky Sports 1 from 08:00 BST.
Teams:
Maori All Blacks: James Lowe, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Matt Procter, Charlie Ngatai, Reiko Ioane; Damian McKenzie, Tawere Kerr-Barlow; Kane Hames, Ash Dixon, Ben May; Joe Wheeler, Tom Franklin; Akira Ioane, Elliot Dixon, Liam Messam.
Replacements: Hikawera Elliot, Chris Eves, Marcel Renata, Leighton Price, Kara Pryor, Bryn Hall, Ihaia West, Rob Thompson.
British and Irish Lions: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Anthony Watson; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Sam Warburton, Greig Laidlaw, Dan Biggar, Elliot Daly.
48 mins: George is getting the pats on the back after Te'o smashed McKenzie out of the way. We're going to the TMO to check if it's a try or not though...
but it's 'inconclusive' so no try!
49 mins: The Maori get away another penalty and it's another scrum. Here we go...
50 mins: PENALTY TRY!
Another huge scrum and the Lions have finally taken a chance! Excellent scrum and the Lions just burrowed into them and blasted them over. Furlong was key and it's an automatic seven points. 22-10.
52 mins: The Maori have conceded another five-metre scrum after the Lions dragged them back over their try line. They have another opportunity to smash the scrum here just as they did two minutes ago. This is what we were talking about by taking chances, albeit against 14 men.
54 mins: TRY LIONS!
Here we go! Maro Itoje stays lows and burrows over from close range! Faletau picks up and runs from the scrum with Murray and his decoy and Itoje eats up the scraps. Halfpenny adds the extras and the Lions lead 29-10.
58 mins: That was a huge drive from the Lions as the forwards showed exactly what they can do. They move a good 20 metres but O'Brien loses the ball from the offload.
60 mins: The Lions are really working their hosts here but somehow the Maori turn it over! Another wasted opportunity from the Lions. They do have a five-metre scrum to attack now at least.
63 mins: Daly and Warburton are on for North and O'Mahony, who look like they've won they're being saved for the Test now.
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