Late Ihaia West try helps Blues claim 22 - 16 win

Blues 22-16 British and Irish Lions, Eden Park
Scorecard

A 74th minute converted try from Blues' replacement fly-half Ihaia West consigned the British and Irish Lions to a 22-16 loss at Eden Park on Wednesday.

All Blacks talisman Sonny Bill Williams' one moment of magic was all it took for the hosts to sink the Lions. Williams' tight line and offload allowed West to scoot home for the late try.

Coach Warren Gatland's men have suffered their first loss of the 10-match tour of New Zealand in just their second game.

Only two points separated the two sides at the half-time interval with the Blues scoring one converted and one unconverted try while the Lions managing a converted try and a penalty kick.

Rieko Loane scored the opening try of the game on the seventh minute following a cross field kick from Stephen Perofeta, who later missed out on the conversion.

The TMO disallowed a try from Jared Payne on the 11th minute after finding out in the replays that Payne's foot grazed the touchline in the corner.

After a Lions lineout drive was brought down on the 17th minute with Rhys Webb getting held up inches short of the try line, CJ Stander managed to cross over a minute later followed by Leigh Halfpenny's conversion.

On 24th minute the Lions opted for points after winning a penalty at the scrum which allowed Halfpenny to put three more points in his team's account.

In the extra time added to the first half, Perofeta hit the upright to find Sonny Bill Williams, who latched onto it to score a crucial try which was awarded to the Blues after a TMO review for earlier knock-on by a Blues player.

Perofeta's conversion gave the Blues a two-point lead at the break.

Loane got his second try of the match on the 44th minute however the TMO referral found that a pass from Augustine Pulu hit the deck.

On the 52nd minute the Blues marched into the Lions 22 and earned a penalty as skipper James Parsons opted for the posts with West, who had just replaced Perofeta scoring a three-pointer as the hosts took a five-point lead over the visitors.

Liam Williams was sin-binned due to repeated infringement on the 57th minute following an "in-air" contest with Matthew Duffie.

The Lions opted for a penalty kick on the 65th minute following SBW's crucial spot tackle on Robbie Henshaw as Halfpenny reduced the deficit to two points.

A monster scrum on the 70th minute by the Lions earned them a crucial penalty as Halfpenny's another three-pointer gave them a slender one-point lead with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Jonny Sexton went for the sky only to find Michael Collins as Steven Luatua with a lovely offload to Sonny Bill Williams set up West's game-changing 75th minute try.

West then went on to convert the try giving the Blues a six points crucial lead which they managed to safeguard over the next six minutes.

A late 80th minute opportunity did walk up to Gatland's men when Sexton put one penalty right in the corner only for Rory Best to botch with the throw-in.

The loss has now put enormous pressure on Gatland and his men with the Blues being the last ranked out of the five New Zealand franchises in Super Rugby.