DURBAN—World champions South Africa survived a stirring fightback by the British and Irish Lions to win a pulsating first test 26-21 at Kings Park on Saturday.
Tries by captain John Smit and flanker Heinrich Brussow and some accurate goalkicking put South Africa 26-7 ahead early in the second half and seemingly in control.
The Lions fought back superbly as flanker Tom Croft added a second try to his first-half effort and scrumhalf Mike Phillips scampered over to set up a thrilling finale.
The Springboks held out and with the second test in Pretoria next Saturday and the third in their Johannesburg stronghold of Ellis Park on July 4 they look well-placed to gain revenge for their defeat in 1997.
Only once before, against Australia in 1989, have the Lions lost the first test and come back to win the series.
"I think we ran out of time. But when the ref gives that many penalties against you, you don't really stand a chance. It was just penalty after penalty after penalty," Lions captain Paul O'Connell said in an on-pitch interview.
"Undoubtedly some were our fault but it was a killer for us."
O'Connell though was pleased with his team's final half hour.
"(I am) very encouraged," he said. We are playing a good brand of rugby. I think when we played our game we were very good.
"The penalties killed us in the end. Without playing much rugby South Africa were able to accumulate enough points."
The burning issue of whether the Springboks would be rusty after not playing a test since November and resting their players from the provincial games was answered inside the first five minutes.
After Stephen Jones missed a second-minute penalty attempt Juan Smith stole a lineout and the Boks moved the ball sweetly across the line for Smit to charge over.
The Lions thought they had hit back with their own try almost immediately but the TV official ruled that Jean de Villiers had prevented Ugo Monye touching down.
RARE HIGHLIGHT
They did cross the line after 22 minutes when centres Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll combined well to send Croft over but it proved a rare highlight as South Africa took control.
Their dominance emanated from the scrum, where Phil Vickery was having a torrid time and was repeatedly penalised.
Twelve years ago the Springboks lost the decisive second test at Kings Park thanks to their awful goalkicking. This time Juan Pienaar and Steyn both looked assured as they landed four penalties between them to put their side 19-7 up at the break.
That lead was stretched by another seven points within four minutes of the restart as virtually the whole Springbok team created an unstoppable rolling maul, with Brussow scoring.
The Lions recovered well and eventually began to build some momentum but timely interventions by lock Bakkies Botha and replacement Morne Steyn twice dislodged the ball as Mike Phillips and Monye were both about to score.
They did get it down after 68 minutes when Croft, who had been left out of the original tour party, broke through.
Scrumhalf Mike Phillips then sneaked in for a third Lions try to cut the lead to five with five minutes remaining.
However, just as when they won the World Cup in 2007, South Africa's defence held firm in the face of the tourists' last desperate assault.
"It was very, very scary," said Pienaar. "We let them back at the end. The Lions played really well at the end, broke the line a few times.
"The guys showed a lot of character to keep them out just before they got over the tryline."
