All Blacks vs British & Irish Lions

Lore & Background

The ten-match schedule was announced on 9 July 2015, and included matches against New Zealand Super Rugby teams for the first time. Previously in New Zealand, the Lions had played provincial sides or combined provincial selections. However, this was the first tour to New Zealand where the visit fell in the middle of the Super Rugby season. Initially, the Lions proposed a match in the United States against the U.S. national team to open the tour, much like the Barbarians match in Hong Kong in 2013.

However, on 6 July 2015, the idea was dropped because of the unavailability of key American players due to club commitments. The opening match of the tour was originally planned to be against a Provincial Union XV, but this was changed to the New Zealand Barbarians in March 2016, following their win over the Māori All Blacks. Christchurch was initially planned to host a test match but, due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake which damaged Lancaster Park beyond repair, it was deemed that the remaining stadiums in the South Island were too small to host a test match.

Reader's Guide

The first test was a close match during the first half, Codie Taylor's try for the All Blacks being matched by one from the Lions' Seán O'Brien, and the home side led 13–8 at the break; however in the second half Rieko Ioane's two tries took the game away from the Lions, with Rhys Webb's try bringing the score back to 30–15. Notes: On his test debut for the Lions, Peter O'Mahony became the 11th Irishman to captain the team. New Zealand's 15-point winning margin marked the heaviest defeat for the Lions since the third test against New Zealand in 2005.

This defeat was the Lions' third of the tour, the most defeats on a tour since 2005, when they were beaten four times. The match marked New Zealand's fifth consecutive victory over the Lions, having last been beaten in the second test in 1993. The second test was notable for the sending off of Sonny Bill Williams, leaving the All Blacks 55 minutes to play with 14 men. At half time, the score remained 9–9, but Beauden Barrett kicked New Zealand into an 18–9 lead before Taulupe Faletau and Conor Murray tries levelled the game at 21–21.

On 76 minutes, Charlie Faumuina was penalised for tackling Kyle Sinckler in the air, and Owen Farrell kicked the winning penalty. Notes: Ngani Laumape (New Zealand) made his international debut. Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand) was only the third New Zealand player to be sent off, and the first since Colin Meads against Scotland in New Zealand's 1967 northern hemisphere tour. This was the British & Irish Lions' first win over New Zealand since winning 20–7 during their 1993 tour, and was their first win over New Zealand in the professional era.

The British & Irish Lions ended New Zealand's 47-match home winning streak, the All Blacks' first loss since the (source text cuts off).