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What we learned from All Blacks' hard-fought win over Lions
Sport Nation • August 26th, 2026 10:14 am
Ethan Blackadder was a standout in the All Blacks 41-35 victory in Johannesburg | Photo: Shaun Roy / Photosport
The All Blacks have survived a major scare against the Lions, coming from behind to claim a 41-35 win at Ellis Park on Wednesday morning.
The Lions led for almost an hour and had New Zealand under pressure for long periods, but the All Blacks finished strongly to secure the win in Johannesburg.
The result was not without its concerns, with the All Blacks conceding 35 points and struggling defensively at times.
However, Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy praised their ability to respond when the game was on the line.
“The big thing for me is they found a way,” said former All Black Israel Dagg.
“There's a lot of inexperienced players out there that had to dig deep and find a way, and you come out the other side.”
Among the positives from the All Blacks were 15 line breaks, while their scrum recorded a 100 percent success rate and their lineout operated at a 92 percent click.
Their finishing ability was another major positive, with the All Blacks scoring four tries in the final 30 minutes.
“I think what's pleasing is the trend here for me, which is the All Blacks' finish,” Scotty Stevenson said.
“We've seen it now across the provincial games that they've played on this tour. We've seen it in the Test match.”
The All Blacks also made several unforced errors, with missed tackles, loose offloads and a lack of urgency around the breakdown allowing the Lions to stay in the contest.
“There'll be disappointment with the way that they made errors,” Dagg said.
“You're just probably trying too hard, probably just lacking a little bit of respect for the opposition.”
The Springboks are running scared after Ellis Park loss to All Blacks | Scotty & Izzy
Ethan Blackadder was one of the biggest winners from the match, earning praise for his work rate and impact across the 80 minutes.
“I just think he was massive.”
Emoni Narawa and Timoci Tavatavanawai were also highlighted, with Narawa scoring a crucial late try to help seal the result.
The replacement front row also made a major impact, adding power at scrum time and helping the All Blacks close out the match.
“That front row that came on towards the end of the game were good and they added a lot of parity to the scrum and a lot dominance there too,” Dagg said.
Attention now turns to the next South Africa Test and the selection decisions that come with it.
Josh Lord’s injury has created uncertainty at lock, while Anton Segner’s absence also leaves a vacancy in the loose forwards.
The boys discussed whether Tupou Vaa’i could move back to lock, with another loose forward brought into the side, or whether the All Blacks could select an additional lock.
“If they do move him into the lock position to accompany Fabian Holland, then there's an opportunity to have a six,” Dagg said.
Simon Parker, Peter Lakai, Patrick Tuipulotu and Sam Darry were all discussed as possible options, while Wallace Sititi’s position also came under scrutiny.
“I just don't feel Wallace Sititi is quite where he would like to be,” Stevenson said.
“He doesn't seem to be making those impacts that he's been selected to make.”
Despite the defensive issues and selection headaches, the All Blacks’ ability to win while not at their best remains an encouraging sign.
“They scored 41 points. They conceded 35. They win the game.”
The next challenge will be proving they can improve on the performance, particularly in defence, while maintaining the composure and fight that helped them finish the match so strongly.
Listen to the full discussion below:
