Springboks clinch series with penalty

South Africa 28, Lions 25. A last-minute kick by the Springboks' replacement fly-half Morne Steyn ended the British and Irish Lions' hopes of a draw in South Africa, after a nail-biting performance at Loftus Versfeld.

The thrilling second Test in Pretoria ended when Steyn landed the winning penalty in injury time, via a monumental kick from 53 metres. A draw would have kept the series alive until the deciding Test in Johannesburg next Saturday.

In a mesmerising first half, the Lions started strongly with a 16-8 lead. However a combination of Bok resilience and Lions' injuries and fatigue changed the momentum as the match entered its crucial phase.

In an emotional interview after the match, Lions coach Ian McGeechan said he was "very proud" of his team's performance. "They don’t deserve to be two down."

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

Paul Ackford, Sunday Telegraph: "It was also a match that brought the brutal nature of international rugby into horrible relief. Both teams suffered a catalogue of nasty injuries. Andries Bekker, a Bok replacement, suffered a sickening accidental blow to the head, while the Lions finished with a makeshift front row and a makeshift midfield as the men in the starting positions were forced off with broken bodies."