Ihaia West on winning try that sunk the Lions - I knew Sonny Bill would get ball free

Blues 1st-five Ihaia West dives over to score his try. Photo . Brett Phibbs

Ihaia West, the little Blues first-five who sprinted his way into history with his stunning late try against the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park, says he sensed his opportunity as soon as Sonny Bill Williams made his break.

His main goal, once loose forward Steven Luatua slipped his offload to Williams, was to get as close as he could to the midfielder because another offload from the big No12 was almost inevitable.

"Obviously it was all started by Steven and then when Sonny made the break I just tried to get up there as quickly as I could because I knew he would be able to get the ball free," said West. "I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

"I think he saw me. I wasn't calling, I was just trying to get there as quickly as I could. I think I managed to get eye contact."

West's converted try with six minutes remaining put the Blues six points ahead but they were forced to dig deep during the final stages with the Lions hot on attack. Tana Umaga's side have made an art-form of the late defeat this season but not this time.

They conceded a late penalty for a defensive lineout, but on the whole their discipline and attention to detail was excellent. And that, as much as anything, was the key to their success.

"We've been there are thereabouts in most of our games this season, we just haven't been able to close out games," West, who swapped jerseys with Johnny Sexton afterwards, said.

"Being in a similar position tonight and being able to finish will probably give the boys a bit of confidence.

"All of us boys watched the 2005 [Lions] tour [to New Zealand] so it was something we were pretty excited about. We thought we had nothing to lose playing against a team like that."

Named on the reserves bench behind 19-year-old Stephen Perofeta, West has an uncertain future at the Blues. Otere Black, Beauden Barrett's back-up at the Hurricanes, is said to have agreed to join Umaga's men next season, and it remains to be seen whether West will stick it out in Auckland or perhaps move to Wellington as Black's replacement.

But whatever happens, nothing can take away his moment in the spotlight which helped secure a famous scalp, the first time a Super Rugby side has beaten the Lions.

One of the men confident West could go the whole way once he got the ball from 40m out was Rieko Ioane, excellent himself on the left wing, a player who scored the opening try and had two more disallowed.

Ioane was picking himself up on the halfway line when he saw West take Williams' offload, and said afterwards: "I soon as I saw him put the gas pedal down, [I thought] no one can stop that little fast fella."