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Crossbar challenge? Rock, paper, scissors? How should Lions series have been settled?
A controversial end to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand saw the third Test – and the series – end in a draw after the All Blacks were denied a chance to kick at goal in the dying moments at Eden Park.
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After Owen Farrell’s 78th-minute three-pointer had levelled the score, the Lions were dramatically penalised from the restart when Liam Williams knocked on under pressure and team-mate Ken Owens collected the ball in front of him.
However, after initially awarding a penalty, referee Romain Poite changed his mind following a TMO review and instead deemed Owens guilty of accidental offside, meaning the All Blacks were only given a scrum.
The Lions held on to secure a 15-15 draw, but there was a sense of anti-climax at the final whistle as the reality of a tied series hit home.
Helpfully, Twitter was full of suggestions for how the teams could be separated.
Rugby league star Sam Tomkins wrote: “Nobody wants a draw. It should go cross bar challenge, 1 shot for every player from the 22m line, most hits wins the tour. #LionsNZ0217.”
Nobody wants a draw. It should go cross bar challenge, 1 shot for every player from the 22m line, most hits wins the tour. #LionsNZ0217
— sam tomkins (@samtomkins1) July 8, 2017
Former England back Andy Goode cheekily made the case for the Lions to be declared series winners, tweeting: “Do we win overall as we won the unofficial 4th test against the Maori’s?!”
https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/883625952886104068
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Two Lions tourists from 2009 jokingly called for the tour to continue. Rob Kearney posted: “Let’s have a 4th Test!!!”
Let's have a 4th Test!!!
— Rob Kearney (@KearneyRob) July 8, 2017
And Ugo Monye echoed that view, tweeting: “Test match next week by any chance?!!! Can’t be a draw!!!
Test match next wk by any chance?!!! Can't be a draw!!! ??
— Ugo Monye (@ugomonye) July 8, 2017
Bath fly-half Freddie Burns had an alternative option. He wrote: “Rock Paper Scissors?? Anything! We need a winner”
Rock Paper Scissors ?? Anything! We need a winner ?????
— Freddie Burns (@FreddieBurns) July 8, 2017
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