All Blacks captain Kieran Read offloads a pass, during the 1st test match between the All Blacks and the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park. Photo / Brett Phibbs.
It took a try described as coming "from the end of the earth" to help France beat the All Blacks the last time they lost at Eden Park in 1994, and there was a hint of that in Sean O'Brien's try for the Lions last night, Liam Williams the instigator
from near his own try-line.
But for halfback Aaron Smith, the offload under pressure by skipper and No8 Kieran Read which set up Rieko Ioane's response for the All Blacks after halftime was so unexpected it might have been "from Mars".
It took several looks from television match official George Ayoub to give the try the all-clear as it looked like Read may have knocked the ball on from the back of the scrum before he picked it up and popped the pass to Smith, who kept the back-peddling defence interested enough to give the 20-year-old Ioane room on the left.
Smith said he was running on instinct at the time, and it was only while watching the replay on the big screen that he realised what Read, inspirational on his return from a broken thumb, actually did.
"It was from Mars mate," Smith said. "I was happy, we knew with a midfield scrum their loosies might come off and there was a chance for us to [put pressure on]. They [forwards] said to me before the scrum, 'Nuggy, leave it in if it's going good'. I was happy we got a penalty - that's test match rugby - build and get three points, try to do what they like to do, but Reado's pass... I think it was a reaction and catch.
