Wilkinson Saves Lions' Blushes With Last-minute Ki

[chuchok]

The Lions needed Jonny Wilkinson's reliable boot to stave off a potentially embarrassing loss to the Pumas this morning.

24.05.05

CARDIFF - The British and Irish Lions needed an injury-time penalty by Jonny Wilkinson to scrape a 25-25 draw with Argentina on Monday as the below-strength visitors threatened to gatecrash the going-away party.

The Lions, who depart for New Zealand on Wednesday and play the first of three tests on June 25, struggled throughout and only in a nail-biting finale when they piled on the pressure did they look the superior side.

However, they had to wait until the last kick of the match, six minutes into injury time, to prevent an embarrassing defeat.

Wilkinson performed well in his first international appearance since the 2003 World Cup final, landing six penalties and converting the Lions' only try scored in the first half by England centre Ollie Smith.

But he was matched all the way by his opposite number Federico Todeschini who also had six penalties and converted an early Jose Nunez Piossek try.

When the final whistle sounded the Pumas celebrated as if they had won the World Cup -- as well they might having performed superbly despite the absence of up to a dozen first team regulars.

The kick off was delayed to allow late-arriving fans to get in but before they had settled into their seats Argentina had raced into a 13-0 lead as the disorganized Lions looked exactly what they were -- a team of relative strangers playing together for the first time.

A sharp break by captain Felipe Contepomi opened the way for winger Piossek to score in the corner after six minutes and Todeschini's boot did the rest.

The Lions hit back after 16 minutes when Wilkinson cleverly delayed an inside pass out of the tackle to Smith and the fast-arriving centre dived over the line.

Wilkinson converted and added a penalty but his opposite number matched the master by sending over two more of his own as the Lions struggled to cope with some sharp passing by the visitors.

Wilkinson closed the gap to 16-19 at the break with two more penalties but it was not what the fans had come to see on this rare Lions appearance on home soil.

Argentina continued to look the more dangerous team in the early stages of the second half and though a Wilkinson penalty briefly leveled the scores, two more from Todeschini kept the Pumas deservedly ahead.

When the home side did eventually put together some good moves they were too often let down by poor handling and they had only another Wilkinson three pointer to show for their gradual dominance.

He had several opportunities to level the scores in the latter stages but each time went for the lineout.

The Pumas defended magnificently, however, and when the Lions were offered another penalty deep into injury time Wilkinson was left with no option but to kick.

Edited May 24, 2005 by chuchok