TWELVE years on, Morné Steyn returned to haunt the Lions in South Africa as the world champions edged the series in Cape Town.
The veteran out-half nailed the kick to claim victory in Pretoria in 2009 and, after a five-year international hiatus, he was sent on to nail the winner and send the tourists home with a bag full of regrets.
For an hour, it looked like it might be Finn Russell’s night as the Scot came on early for the injured Dan Biggar and infused a drab series with life.
But, the Lions couldn’t make their dominance pay, passing up clear try scoring opportunities before half-time and when the Springbok surge came after the break their scrum creaked and they didn’t have enough of an advantage.
Before he went off, Biggar missed a kickable penalty and when the Lions’ out-half went down and Russell trotted on, Handre Pollard made it 3-0 but a strong scrum earned the Scot a chance to level and he obliged.
After that, Russel control and the tourists looked emboldened by the Scottish No 22 who was taking risks with passing unseen in the previous two games.
Offloads followed, linebreaks appeared and their best phase of attack led to a penalty. Russell kicked it to touch and Ken Owens found Maro Itoje before joining the back of a dominant maul to score.
With referee Mathieu Raynal insisting the game be played at a high tempo the Lions responded with some high-quality phase-play that led to a penalty and might have been more had Liam Williams found the free Josh Adams on his shoulder.
Russell found the corner, but this time Tom Curry got himself offside at the maul and the ‘Boks could breathe a sigh of relief.
The Lions were on top, but they couldn’t make their dominance count. Alun-Wyn Jones found Itoje on his shoulder, but Damian de Allende scrambled back and won a brilliant penalty to relieve the pressure.
The Lions coughed up a freekick at a lineout, Adams knocked on Pollard’s bomb and Wyn Jones collapsed the scrum. Just like that, the Springbok out-half made it a four-point game.
Alun-Wyn Jones turned down a chance to cancel that out after Tom Curry won a big penalty from the kick-off and the decision back-fired as Eben Etzebeth got in front of the captain to pilfer the lineout. A knock-on gave them a reprieve, but Siya Kolisi won another breakdown turnover to leave the Lions with nothing for their endeavour.
It was a four-point game at half-time and when Wyn Jones collapsed a scrum in kickable range the ‘Boks changed tack and Pollard went to the corner but this time the Lions held firm and Ali Price got a foot in to clear.
The out-half hit the post when they decided to go for the points at the next opportunity right in front, and when Russell kicked badly to Cheslin Kolbe and then went high on the winger the Springbok out-half missed a tougher chance to make it a one-point game.
The ‘Boks lost their influential lock Lood de Jager, but a moment of brilliance from Cheslin Kolbe put the world champions in front.
Ali Price put up an up and under and Jasper Wiese spilled backwards under pressure from Duhan van der Merwe; Lukanyo Am pounced to find Willie le Roux who drew Jack Conan and once the wing wonder was in space he worked his magic.
This time, Pollard nailed the kick to extend the lead to three but, after Kyle Sinckler turned the tide with a scrum penalty, Russell levelled after Wiese hit him with a late tackle.
On came Steyn and within seconds he was nudging his side in front from a difficult angle.
Again, it swung. Itoje won a turnover, Russell started to pull the strings and when the Springboks conceded a penalty Conor Murray – now the captain – went to the corner. It didn’t come off initially as Mako Vunipola was held up over the line.
The consolation was a scrum just to the left of the posts, but they never got to play from it as Sinckler collapsed and the ‘Boks could breathe.
Still, the Lions came and a Herschel Jantjes mistake handed Robbie Henshaw the chance to surge forward and, when Am played Murray from an offside position, Russell levelled the series.
Back came the ‘Boks; Russell knocked on and when Lawes was pinned on the wrong side of the ruck, Steyn made no mistake once again.
Henshaw claimed the kick-off to give his side one final chance, but it came at a scrum and the ‘Bok front-row licked their lips and won one last penalty to close it out.
Scorers: South Africa: C Kolbe try, H Pollard 2 pens, con, M Steyn 2 pens;
Lions: K Owens try, F Russell 3 pens, con
SOUTH AFRICA – W le Roux (D Willemse 79); C Kolbe, L Am, D de Allende, M Mapimpi; H Pollard (M Steyn 65), C Reinach (H Jantjies 64); S Kitschoff (T Nyakane 61), B Mbonambi (M Marx 56), F Malherbe (V Koch 56); E Etzebeth, L de Jager (K Smith 54); S Kolisi (capt) (M van Staden 56), J Wiese (Kolisi 63), F Mostert.
LIONS – L Williams; J Adams, R Henshaw, B Aki, D van der Merwe; D Biggar (F Russell 11), A Price (C Murray 59); W Jones (M Vunipola 43), K Owens (L Cowan-Dickie 53), T Furlong (K Sinckler 59); M Itoje, AW Jones (capt) (A Beard 61); C Lawes, T Curry, J Conan (S Simmonds 64).
Ref: M Raynal (France)