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  • Writer's pictureThe Season Ticket

Rugby | Steyn's late penalty seals series win for South Africa

South Africa have beaten the British and Irish Lions 19-16 in Cape Town to win the Test series 2-1.

Morne Steyn's 79th-minute penalty secured a 2-1 series win for the world champions after a dramatic third Test match at Cape Town Stadium.

The Lions produced some of their best rugby of the series in the first half, piling pressure on the Springboks' defence.

Dan Biggar missed an early penalty before being withdrawn after suffering a knee injury, with Finn Russell coming on to replace him.

South Africa took the lead in the 11th minute through Handre Pollard's penalty, with Russell responding with a penalty of his own five minutes later.

The Lions plundered the game's first try in the 18th minute when Ken Owens powered over from a lineout after Alun Wyn Jones opted to kick to touch rather than take on a penalty within scoring distance.

Russell converted to make it 10-3.

Pollard split the posts with his second penalty four minutes before half time, with Warren Gatland's Lions leading 10-6 at the break.

The Lions lost the influential Wyn Jones to injury early in the second half, before Pollard missed two penalty for the hosts.

However, South Africa finally breached the Lions defence in the 56th minute to record their only try of the match.

Lukhanyo Am gathered a loose ball and drove forward, laying it off to Cheslin Kolbe on the right flank.

Kolbe danced past Liam Williams and Luke Cowan-Dickie far too easily before sprinting over the whitewash to make it 11-10 to Erasmus' men. Pollard converted to extend South Africa's lead.

Russell restored penalty with another nerveless penalty five minutes later.

South Africa substitute Steyn, who broke Lions hearts with a series-winning penalty in 2009, nailed a 67th-minute penalty from 40 metres to make it 16-13 in his country's favour.

Russell scored his third penalty of the game in the 75th minute after a driving run upfield from Robbie Henshaw.

Steyn was to have the last laugh, with the 37-year-old veteran keeping his cool to send a last-gasp penalty sailing over the posts to clinch the series for South Africa.

https://twitter.com/lionsofficial/status/1424073242923438082

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