241 Pizza

In the uncontested scrums, Shaw became the tallest prop in the world game but the lock was quite remarkable in everything he did: he won lineouts, he mauled so well that the Springboks drive never came on, he carried, he tackled and he finished on the losing side.

“I’m gutted, I’d almost rather have been taken off at half-time for playing poorly and then seen us win the game,” Shaw said. “Going to uncontested scrums was a huge turning point, it enable them to regroup.”

But Shaw acknowledged, as did Paul O’Connell, his captain, that the Lions lost their way in the third quarter. They were lured into a kicking game, giving away possession, even before the loss of their centres. They allowed South Africa a training-ground try in the first half and the Springboks attacked the midfield after Brian O’Driscoll was concussed, springing Bryan Habana into space with just a hint of obstruction.

That is what the good sides do, and this is a Springboks side better than good. Their part in one of the great international matches must not be ignored, but how sad, how infinitely sad, one feels for the losers.

Scorers: South Africa: Tries: Pietersen (12min), Habana (63), Fourie (74). Conversions: M Steyn 2. Penalty goals: F Steyn (40+1), M Steyn 2 (68, 80+1). Lions: Try: Kearney (7). Conversion: S Jones. Penalty goals: S Jones 5 (3, 15, 61, 70, 77). Dropped goal: S Jones (36).

Scoring sequence (South Africa first): 0-3, 0-10, 5-10, 5-13, 5-16, 8-16 (half-time), 8-19, 15-19, 18-19, 18-22, 25-22, 25-25, 28-25.

South Africa: F Steyn (Sharks); JP Pietersen (Sharks), A Jacobs (Sharks), J de Villiers (Stormers; rep: J Fourie, Golden Lions, 56), B Habana (Bulls); R Pienaar (Sharks; rep: M Steyn, Bulls, 61), F du Preez (Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), B du Plessis (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks, captain), J Botha (Bulls; rep: A Bekker, Stormers, 59), V Matfield (Bulls), S Burger (Stormers; sin-bin 1-11), J Smith (Cheetahs; rep: D Rossouw, Bulls, 59; rep: H Brüssow, Cheetahs, 62), P Spies (Bulls).

Lions: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster; rep: S Williams, Ospreys, 63), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues; rep: R O’Gara, Munster, 67), L Fitzgerald (Leinster); S Jones (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues; rep: A Sheridan, Sale Sharks, 22-31, 46), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys; rep: A W Jones, Ospreys, 46), S Shaw (London Wasps), P O’Connell (Munster, captain), T Croft (Leicester), D Wallace (Munster; rep: M Williams, Cardiff Blues, 68), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Referee: C Berdos (France).

Attendance: 52,511