Last Gasp Try Denies Lions Victory

The British and Irish Lions were denied victory in the horrendous conditions at Newlands, after a dramatic injury-time finale. Emerging Springboks substitute Willem de Waal kept his nerve as the rain sluiced down beneath Table Mountain, landing a magnificent touchline conversion of substitute Danwel Demas' try with the game's final kick to make the final score 13-13. It was no more than the Boks' second string deserved, after engaging in a full-blooded tussle.

Demas, who scored for the Cheetahs against the Lions 17 days ago, finished with a flourish from arguably the game's most flowing move. The elements did their utmost to blow both teams off course - combining rain, hail and gale-force winds. But a first-half try by full-back Keith Earls - plus a penalty and conversion from captain Ronan O'Gara - ensured that as in New Zealand four years ago, the Lions' midweek XV remained unbeaten.

Ian McGeechan was keen to accentuate the positives of a match played in horrendous conditions at Newlands. "It was a potential banana skin we have got through," said the Lions head coach. "It was a game we had to get out of. It was a million miles from what we want at the weekend. The conditions were always going to be a leveller. Not a lot of rugby was played there. It was disappointing to give a try away at the end, but I thought our attitude on the field was superb. It was a very strong defensive performance, if you take the last minute away."

The Lions management will now meet to finalise their team selection for the second Test against the Springboks in Pretoria. The conditions in Cape Town did not help those with genuine Test ambitions push their cases forward. O'Gara was one of them and he was effectively thrust into a fly-half face-off with Hook, who was introduced after just four minutes of the second half.

"The conditions were up there with the worst I have experienced," said Munster fly-half O'Gara. "We wanted to push management for selection for the weekend but we didn't really get that opportunity. We had to temper the gameplan. We needed to get one score further ahead. I don't think we felt under threat by this team tonight - but they came at us in the end. The mood is disappointed. There is a realisation some guys won't play again on this tour, and it will hurt."

Shane Williams was another of those who did not get a chance to push for Test selection this weekend, with Luke Fitzgerald the more eye-catching winger. Williams was named world player of the year in 2008 but has struggled for form this season - and he is yet to score a try on tour. "The hunger's still there. I worked hard enough in training and games. But it hasn't gone my way - and after last year, maybe that was the way it was going to go," he said. "We should have won. For them to have drawn in the last minute is quite a kick in teeth. Maybe the draw was what they deserved in the game."

Emerging Springboks captain Dewald Potgieter said: "I'm elated. We had only four training sessions and it was a great effort by a special group. "You all saw the celebrations on the field. It feels like we won the game."