It's 3.16am here. I've just watched the match after getting back from photographing a wedding.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!

Lions 28 - 9 Springboks

Will be getting things up to date tomorrow and in the coming days, but to the Lions right now, I have to offer my thanks for a wonderful set of performances and, despite the series loss, the most incredible, awe inspiring summer of rugby.

It's been a pleasure lads, and I'll be winding things down over the coming week or two with some retrospective analysis and some roundup videos.

We'll have a full match report tomorrow.

The British & Irish Lions had to settle for a 13 all draw at Newlands this evening as the Emerging Boks recovered from a slow start to tie a game which the Lions consistently failed to close out. In the dying moments, Bok replacement Demas went over in the corner to leave Willem De Waal a massive pressure kick from the right touch line to pull the Boks level. In the wind and rain, the young Western Province man stepped up on his home ground and slotted it to leave it 13-13 and the game finished.

After an impressive start in horrendous conditions the Lions applied the pressure before Keith Earls crossed on 14 mins. A nice step checked the Boks defence and the fullback darted through for the score. From this point on however, the Lions went 52 mins without adding to their score despite making a number of positive forays into Springbok territory.

Throughout the game the Springboks grew and grew into the game and with the addition of De Waal the South African kicking game thoroughly outclassed the Lions. It was an impressive display of we weather rugby from the Boks but at the same time, given opportunities, the Lions simply failed to close out the match. Earl Rose chipped away at the Lions lead via penalties and at 49mins with the score 6-10 in the Lions favour the tourists seemed to forget that they were only four points to the good.

It was a frustrating display for Lions fans as the tourists squandered good attacking ball repeatedly and time and again visited the Boks red-zone and returned empty handed. No opportunity was manufactured to drop a goal and instead the Lions seemed content to kick aimlessly at times. Keith Earls at fullback was constantly peppered with perfectly weighted high-balls from De Waal, Kirchner and Rose and deserves commending for his calm perseverance.

Finally, on 76mins the Lions won a penalty and Hook converted to push them 13-6 ahead. However the Boks refused to be beaten and changed their kicking game for a running game. Pushing the Lions back into their 22 they took the opportunity as soon as it was provided and worked space for Demas in the corner. For such a youthful team the Emerging Boks game management was considerably better than the Lions and despite decent individual play at times, the tourists lacked nous throughout.

O'Gara substitution on 45 mins only compounded the issue. Clearly the management wanted to give James Hook some field time following his absence with injury, but you've got to question the decision making from a team that's crying out for an injection of momentum. O'Gara had been playing the kind of controlled tactical game the Lions needed, firing balls high into the lashing rain, pinning the corners and grubbering through and given the situation it was an interesting, though clearly pre-determined, call to sub him.

Credit must go to the Emerging Boks however. It was a hugely patient performance from a young side who thanks to a dominant kicking game and a solid second half defence found the opportunity late on to level the contest.

The Lions head to Pretoria and Loftus Versfeld short on confidence and low on momentum. They've got it all to do.

The British & Irish Lions scrapped to victory this afternoon against a very determined Cheetahs side.

After an awesome start where the Lions went 20-0 up, the Lions dropped off the pace as the Cheetahs bared their own claws and fought their way back into the match. This was undoubtedly the first real test for the Lions team and there was a notable lack of creativity and power in the back line. Likewise the back-row unit did not go hugely well as Andy Powell, despite carrying a huge amount of ball, looked somewhat one dimensional.

A close kicking duel was won by the Lions as James Hook slotted all 6 efforts. Opposite number Jacques Louis-Potgieter missed with two efforts and Strydom missed a late drop goal. Frankly Hook proved the difference between the sides.

Heinrich Brussow looked awesome for the Cheetahs and the unlucky excluded Springbok looked clean to prove PdV wrong. After Keith Earls and Stephen Ferris got the Lions off the mark with two excellent tries, the Cheetahs proved they weren't planning on being walked over. Ferris was yellow carded on 21 mins and the Cheetahs went on a scoring spree with tries from winger Demas and prop du Preez.

The second half was a terse scrappy affair and while the Lions put themselves in scoring territory for much of the time, they couldn't find the cutting edge to split a sharp Cheetahs defence. At 26-17 with the Lions looking like they might close out the game, Shane Williams, looking desperate to impress forced the pass and handed it to Uys for him to run the length of the pitch to score. Strydom converted to leave the Cheetahs just two point behind at 26-24.

A tense finished, marked by an un-characteristic drop from Lee Byrne that looked to have included a painful ball on the end of an outstretched finger and a missed all-or-nothing drop goal by Strydom to win the game.

Finally with ball in hand and a chance to finish it with a second drop goal attempt, the Cheetahs infringed at the breakdown in the final phase of play to let the Lions off the hook.

The Lions have certainly had their first real test. We'll have more coverage with player ratings late tonight and a full match analysis tomorrow.

Scoring Summary

British and Irish Lions (23) 26
Tries: Ferris, Earls Cons: Hook 2
Pens: Hook 4

Cheetahs (14) 24
Tries: Dumas, Du Preez, Uys
Cons: Louis-Potgieter 2, Strydom
Pen: Louis-Potgieter