British and Irish Lions vs South Africa A

• Kick-off at 7pm BST
• Conor Murray starts as captain for the Lions; Tom Curry and Taulupe Faletau start in the back row
• Lukhanyo Am captains South Africa A, Faf de Klerk and Willie le Roux both start
• Sbu Nkosi scores first try as South Africa A establish early lead

Lions vs South Africa A result

Given the nature of today’s game, you’d be surprised if too many of the Lions starting fifteen, certainly, are able to go again against the Stormers on Saturday. We should be hearing from Warren Gatland very soon about his thoughts on the game and much, much more.

Lions vs South Africa A result: South African pack and Faf de Klerk stand out

They’ve played just one game in the best part of two years and had Covid-19 severely impact their preparation yet South Africa look as well-drilled as ever. Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert were outstanding in the second row, and Faf de Klerk’s kicking game caused problems throughout. The scrum-half might have been a little lucky to stay on the pitch, however - the incident for which he was shown a yellow card late in the first half might have become a red had an angle been found that showed the apparent head contact clearly.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions

In terms of standouts for the Lions, Tom Curry and Maro Itoje both had strong games, and Wyn Jones too, though the player to gain most from this clash might have been Adam Beard. A very impressive showing from the lock off the bench.

The Lions (and indeed South Africa) will have plenty more to show, but a lack of imagination in attacking phase play against a fierce defence looks an early concern. When they were able to play wide, they looked dangerous, but it is very tough to do that against this South African defensive structure without your attack functioning perfectly. Plenty to be figured out.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 81 minutes

They nearly do! The ball is exceptionally untidy, but Damian Willemse puts his foot through the loose ball like a no-nonsense centre half and has just enough oomph behind it to power it over the touchline and send us to a close.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 80 minutes

Knocked on and that may seal it! Zander Fagerson claps his hands in frustration - a loose carry as he rounds the corner and the ball springs free from his grasp as he takes contact.

One scrum to survive for South Africa A - but they’ve got Jesse Kriel at number eight. Can the Lions force something dramatic?

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 79 minutes

Back to the maul but Adam Beard has nicked it! Brilliant from Beard, called up partly for his ability in that facet after Alun Wyn Jones, and winning a crucial turnover as time ticks away to give the Lions a final shot. South Africa A are offside at the next breakdown - territory gained and a lineout inside the opposition half for the Lions...

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 77 minutes

Whenever South Africa A have needed some time and territory they have gone to their maul today, and another rumbling juggernaut inside their own forces the Lions to softly concede a penalty that was probably unneccessary in that part of the field.

The penalty advantage allows Faf de Klerk to try something, and it nearly comes off for Herschel Jantjies! The replacement scrum-half has been stationed on the left wing and de Klerk finds him with the perfect cross-kick, but Elliot Daly somehow gets across and puts his shoulder right through Jantjies, thumping him into touch.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 76 minutes

That’s nearly very, very nice. South Africa kick high but Faf de Klerk’s box is too deep and Elliot Daly claims, and Owen Farrell has a little bit of space and time to consider his options.

He threads a diagonal grubber for Louis Rees-Zammit in space but the ball won’t quite sit up for him. Rees-Zammit thus tries to use the boot, as he so often does to fine effect, toeing it along past the defender, but not quite getting the curl right, and shouting in frustration as the ball pivots and spirals out of play with a clear run to the line on the mind.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 74 minutes

Right - Wiese appears to be unable to continue, and South Africa A have a man left on their bench. The issue is that it is tiny scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, who has to come on, but presumably won’t do so in a like-for-like manner.

We’ll see how South Africa A set up should we get a scrum, but first a chance to attack from the lineout. Two phases, and Morne Steyn is back in the pocket for a drop goal...it’s not there! Pulled to the left. The Lions kick the 22 dropout long.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 72 minutes

The Lions have largely handled Jasper Wiese really well today, but that’s not the right way to prevent him building up a head of steam - a no-armed lawndart of a tackle at his knees. Penalty to South Africa A.

Everyone will take a much-needed breather as a few players receive treatment. There are going to be some bruised bodies moving towards the first Test proper.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 71 minutes

The Lions waste little time in booting the ball back to the South African side, and Cheslin Kolbe is just about clung onto as he again spies a decisive kick return. South Africa A return to sender with another well-weighted box kick from Faf de Klerk, still fizzing about 70 minutes in.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 70 minutes

The change works! It’s not Beirne, but Adam Beard and Maro Itoje who do the demolition job, two long-levered gentlemen with particular prowess in that area, ripping bodies from their path as each races to the ball, locking their biceps around it and preventing it coming out with a little extra aid from Tom Curry to finish the job. Turnover ball - scrum feed for the Lions.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 69 minutes

South Africa A maul again from the lineout and the Lions are penalised for their attempts to stop it. Tadhg Beirne is sent for to try and destroy the South Africans’ next attempt from about 15 metres further on...

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 69 minutes

South Africa A maul again from the lineout and the Lions are penalised for their attempts to stop it. Tadhg Beirne is sent for to try and destroy the South Africans’ next attempt from about 15 metres further on...

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 67 minutes

Nearly for South Africa A! The Lions defend the initial carrying game brilliantly, winning the collisions to prevent any momentum being generated. Faf de Klerk’s option is thus to look to kick, lifting a delectable little boxed number over the head of Anthony Watson.

Watson makes a hash of his attempt to grasp it, and Elliot Daly is forced to scramble upon his teammates error and hurriedly hack away.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 66 minutes

Three men can’t shift Malcolm Marx! Chris Harris is chopped down by Damian Willemse (who appears to have remained in midfield with Jesse Kriel on the wing amd Cheslin Kolbe at full-back) and the hooker is limpet-like on the ball to earn a penalty.

Morne Steyn punts the ball down towards the Lions 22.

South Africa A 17- 13 Lions, 65 minutes

Charged down! Tom Curry gets his arms up to charge down club teammate Faf de Klerk after the scrum-half had tried to kick turnover ball downfield, and a better bounce would have allowed the flanker a clear run beneath the posts. As it is, the ball hops up invitingly for Damian Willemse to gather and Morne Steyn’s clearance is much more securely made.

Nico Janse van Rensburg replaces Marco van Staden. Another significant bit of two metre timber into the South African pack for the final 15 minutes.

Missed Penalty! South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 63 minutes

Steyn’s strike from wide on the right has the distance, some 48 metres or so on the angle, you’d say, but not the direction, starting to the right of the posts and never quite coming back enough.

That’s the cue for some changes - Zander Fagerson and Adam Beard on for Kyle Sinckler and Iain Henderson respectively.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 61 minutes

And that’s how you clear your lines. The lineout is won well and the maul gets moving, the Lions unable to stop developing momentum before it has advanced towards halfway.

Faf de Klerk’s high kick is sliced, a little, and thus doesn’t travel too far inside the Lions half, but bounces out of play off a hand attached to a red-shirted body, and a stray hand at the lineout earns South Africa A a penalty that Morne Steyn will direct towards the posts.

NO TRY! South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 59 minutes

No try! Another double movement! South Africa A’s defence had narrowed and Louis Rees-Zammit had beaten his man well, clung on to by Marco van Staden but moving ever closer to the line as Damian Willemse moved across to try and batter him out.

Rees-Zammit is short on his first placement, but is allowed a second, immediate place. There’s a gnat’s hair in it but the ball appears to be against a white-flecked blade of grass, but it is not conclusive and referee Jaco Peyper and TMO Marius Jonker decide that Rees-Zammit has infringed in then moving again. A penalty to South Africa A - they survive!

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 58 minutes

But what defence! Maro Itoje is hauled back by Eben Etzebeth from a metre out and eventually brought to floor some four metres back, and South Africa A push the Lions back further with freakish fringe defensive intensity.

To width, then, and Louis Rees-Zammit might just have got this down!

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 57 minutes

Penalty to the Lions on the South African line! It’s a brilliant kick into the corner, pulling up just shy of the line and Louis Rees-Zammit just about clings on to the elastic Cheslin Kolbe by the shirt fibres to force him to ground a metre from his own whitewash.

South Africa A don’t have enough bodies there and the penalty comes for a breakdown infringement. The Lions tap quickly...

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 55 minutes

Anthony Watson falls awkwardly after leaping to try and claim a high ball, and stays down in a fair bit of pain. He’s had a major lower leg injury in the past and again it appears to be an ankle issue of some kind here. In actuality, it was the tackle of Rynhardt Elstadt that caused the issue, the big back-rower rolling over the top of his shin inadverdently and possibly damaging the ligaments. Watson will limp on, it seems, with only Gareth Davies left as a backs replacement on the bench.

On the opposite side of the field, Willie Le Roux is also down, but he won’t continue. Jesse Kriel on, which probably means the Willemse at 12 experiment lasted about two minutes - you’d think Kriel will step in to inside centre and Willemse may go to full-back.

South Africa A 17-13 Lions, 52 minutes

20:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s 15 against 15 again and the game settles back down into a more familiar pattern with an exchange of high kicks. Tom Curry and Chris Harris engulf Morne Steyn after he claims the latest, but to such an extent that when the jackaler arrives to win the ball, Curry is unable to roll away, and thus the turnover is unable to be rewarded. Penalty to the South Africans.

And here’s an intriguing change - Damian Willemse on at inside centre for Damian de Allende. A second distributor in the South African midfield is something they have been keen to look at as the versatile Willemse continues to develop into a 10/12/15 utility option.

PENALTY! South Africa A 17-13 LIONS (Owen Farrell penalty, 51 minutes)

Straight in front, 40 metres out - a good strike and three more points to Farrell and the Lions’ tally.

Luke Cowan-Dickie relieves Ken Owens, another to do plenty of close-in carrying in the Lions’ sustained assaults on the South African line.

South Africa A 17-10 Lions, 49 minutes

Biff! Chris Harris hands Cheslin Kolbe a chair and invites him to sit down with a forthright carry, bouncing away to continue charging onwards. Rynhardt Elstadt errs in tackling Anthony Watson off the ball to concede a penalty in an otherwise superb defensive set from the 14-man South African side, and then again concedes a penalty as he lazily rolls across a ruck after making a tackle.

South Africa A will now be restored to their full complement but Owen Farrell has a nice, straight kick to narrow the lead to four...

South Africa A 17-10 Lions, 48 minutes

The time ticks away on Faf de Klerk’s sin bin and the scrum-half should perhaps be back on already as we tick towards 48 and a half minutes, about when he was sin binned, though we played into the red for about two minutes at the end of the first 40.

Here he is now as a scrum goes down, and is reset by referee Jaco Peyper. The Lions have taken the opportunity to make a change - Sam Simmonds on, Taulupe Faletau off. Marco van Staden will be back on soon, too.

South Africa A 17-10 Lions, 46 minutes

That’s all she wrote for Jones - Mako Vunipola replaces the loosehead, who has had an active game. Competitive battle for the one shirt with Rory Sutherland excellent all tour.

South Africa A misthrow a lineout and there is a sniff of space again for the Lions, still playing with a two-man advantage, but it is all too easy for the defence to drift across. Some unimaginative passing, some angled running lines towards the touchline and eventually Elliot Daly is deposited over the touchline.

TRY! South Africa A 17-10 LIONS (Wyn Jones try, 44 minutes)

Finally the Lions profit from the pick and drive!

It was an initial break from Anthony Watson, fading to the outside on the pass and then arcing into the 22, stepping infield and darting to within about ten metres of the posts. Conor Murray hit Tom Curry on his shoulder and the South Africans were again offside to give the Lions a penalty advantage, one they will need after the next carrier is held up.

The quick tap is taken and two phases later Wyn Jones, busy in that regard all night, is able to squirm over, legally, on this occasion, having been denied at the end of the first half.

South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 42 minutes

Brilliant counter-attack! South Africa A are cut apart for the first time, down a man in the outside channels as the Lions play nicely to the left, Taulupe Faletau out-sprinting Franco Mostert after a midfield slip had opened a little bit of space for the Lions to capitalise on.

Louis Rees-Zammit and Tom Curry combine to move the ball onwards and Curry appears set to power over the top of Willie Le Roux, but the full-back somehow clings on. Cheslin Kolbe wrestles Rees-Zammit to the floor after the Welshman takes the offload, and Am defuses the danger by claiming Owen Farrell’s slightly curious crossfield kick.

Bad news for South Africa A, though - Pieter-Steph du Toit is picked up as having suffered a blow to the head in tackling Elliot Daly. He’ll need a head injury assessement, so Rynhardt Elstadt is on.

South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 41 minutes

Cheslin Kolbe is currently stepping in at scrum-half while Faf de Klerk serves the remainder of his ten minutes. His pass is a little loopy but Morne Steyn is still able to lift a high bomb that Lukhanyo Am claims brilliantly.

KICK OFF!

The second half has begun.

South Africa A 17-3 Lions

The Lions certainly can’t complain about not having a proper test in the warm-ups. This has been a properly physical encounter, and remarkably reminiscent of the World Cup Final, actually - South Africa defensively dominant and pouncing on their opportunities. You’d think the Lions will need to make this next ten minutes count while Faf de Klerk and Marco van Staden are off the pitch.

It looks like Vincent Koch is on for Trevor Nyakane as the second half begins.

Lions vs South Africa A Live: Pictures from the first half

South Africa A 17-3 Lions

South African yellow cards in consecutive defensive movements at the end of the half does leave Rassie Erasmus’ side down to 13 for most of the first ten minutes of the second 40, but that final defensive stand will give them plenty of confidence. The Lions have probably played into their hands in trying to confront them physically around the fringes - although South Africa have barely played in nearly two years, this defence looks as frighteningly powerful as ever. It’s a collisions game, and the A-team are winning them.

South Africa A 17-3 Lions

It had been dubbed an unofficial fourth Test and thus far this game has lived up to its billing. That first half very much resembled a proper international fixture, plenty of intensity in the collision, plenty of mess to sift through at the breakdown, and plenty of kicking, too.

South Africa ‘A’ have been the better side, just, in all three facets, sticking to a familiar and mightily effective gameplan to take a 14-point half-time lead. One loose moment from Owen Farrell allowed Sbu Nkosi a breakaway try before a moment of magic from Cheslin Kolbe set up captain Lukhanyo Am for a second score.

HALF TIME! SOUTH AFRICA A 17-3 BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS

No TRY! South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 41 minutes

Has Wyn Jones got there? Jaco Peyper has seen a grounding on-field, but we are going upstairs for a look.

Jones has two burly blokes with him and is tackled just short, but appears to get the ball down eventually. Is that a double movement? His momentum is stopped and the prop then propels himself twice forward...

It is! Marius Jonker and Jaco Peyper are clear in their explanation, and there was no advantage pending for the Lions - that’ll end the opening 40 minutes. 13-man South Africa somehow hold out to the half.

YELLOW CARD Marco van Staden is sent to the sin bin (South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 40 minutes)

And now Faf de Klek has company! Marco van Staden infringes close to his own line, and Jaco Peyper has no hestitation in returning to his pocket to again retrieve the yelllow card despite South African protests.

South Africa A drop to 13 players, and the Lions tap quickly once more...

YELLOW CARD! Faf de Klerk is sent to the sin bin (South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 39 minutes)

Now then - it’s the actions of Faf de Klerk that TMO Marius Jonker is interested in. He hasn’t wrapped his arms as he has lended his weight to a three-man South African tackle trying to quell the combined might of Wyn Jones and Josh Navidi, and de Klerk could well be in trouble here.

Jonker and Jaco Peyper have a chat about the contact point - it looks like it might be the head of ball-carrier Jones, but it can’t clearly be seen. This will be just a yellow, then, and de Klerk is sent for a ten-minute sit-down either side of half-time.

And as the scrum-half makes his way from the field Ken Owens has the ball ready for another tap and go.

South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 39 minutes

Held up! Just! South Africa hold firm for now. The Lions had looked to have finally found the final couple of metres they needed to score but there’s a South African body under the ball.

That’s cue for Joseph Dweba to depart - Malcolm Marx is an outstanding replacement, of course, but that feels a touch early to remove the hooker on debut. Marx readies himself for the scrum, but we are going to have a TMO check first...

South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 37 minutes

Another advantage is coming as the South Africans infringe at the maul from the lineout. Owen Farrell goes to the boot...and finds a leaping Anthony Watson with his crosskick! The wing can’t quite squirm over though as Willie Le Roux forces him on to his back.

What a tackle from Franco Mostert! Josh Navidi is somehow denied from close range! Another penalty, tapped quickly, and then another soon after. The same drill - Ken Owens taps, goes, and the Lions line up another series of batterings against a firm South African door...

South Africa A 17-3 Lions, 35 minutes

19:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right - can the Lions find an answer before half-time? That’s more like it for Warren Gatland’s side, efficiently working the ball to the edge on the right with delightfully quick handling, and drawing another penalty advantage.

To the corner they go when Jaco Peyper whistles.

TRY! SOUTH AFRICA A 17-3 Lions (Lukhanyo Am try, 32 minutes)

Cheslin Kolbe that is obscene footwork!

He is a simply magnificent broken-field runner and Kolbe has just provided the game’s first moment of genuine magic. It’s a loose clearance from Elliot Daly, kicked with neither sufficient distance, height or direction to force Kolbe into difficulty and allowing him clear run at the Lions chasers.

The chase is apparently well structured, the backs numbered up nicely, but that matters little to a man of Kolbe’s ability, Chris Harris squared up with a shuffle and then duly stepped and accelerated past as a dummy sends Louis Rees-Zammit scrambling in the wrong direction.

Daly hares across to end Kolbe’s run but Lukhanyo Am is inside in support to take a simple offload and trot the remaining 20 yards or so for South Africa A’s second score. Morne Steyn again converts.

South Africa A 10-3 Lions, 31 minutes

Morne Steyn is going to the boot virtually every time he gets the ball, but is varying his kick-type cleverly to ask different questions of the Lions backfield defence, this time a jabbed nine-iron that pitches and checks in space, though the Lions just about gather and clear.

South Africa A 10-3 Lions, 29 minutes

Tom Curry has largely been engaged in breakdown nitty-gritty so far but there’s a first sighter of the flanker in slightly more open pasture, a lovely tip-on pass of the line from Maro Itoje setting him free, and Curry showing impressive acceleration to get away from a pair of chasing South Africans.

Lukhanyo Am brilliantly turns him over, though, to end the attack. Fast and loose at the breakdown in this first half-hour.

PENALTY! South Africa A 10-3 LIONS (Owen Farrell penalty, 28 minutes)

A very similar first attempt for Owen Farrell as to the penalty Morne Steyn knocked over earlier, and the fly-half makes no error. The Lions are on the board.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 26 minutes

South Africa A are forced into difficult in coffin corner deep in their own territory on the left, Willie Le Roux hooking an improvised clearance away, but straight to Elliot Daly a yard over the touchline.

Daly flings a pass infield and Taulupe Faletau bursts away on an angled run, eventually dragged down inside the South African 22. A South Africa A player fails to roll away at a ruck - a penalty to the Lions and this time they’ll look to get their scoring started.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 25 minutes

This is a very street wise South African side, few more so than Faf de Klerk, one of the game’s great pests at his best but just the wrong side of the line as he eases a chasing Lions player out of the way as the ball is again sent skywards. A penalty against him and attacking lineout ball for the Lions.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 24 minutes

Slaps on the back for the front row - the Lions have the penalty! The South Africans aren’t keen to play, trying to make an emphatic statement at the scrum, and the ball is left in second row purgatory with Joseph Dweba’s hook not quite sufficiently strong.

Jasper Wiese is of no mind to pluck it from there as he lends his weight to the push, but when the scrum eventually goes to floor, Trevor Nyakane is the man picked out as the cause. The Lions survive.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 22 minutes

This time the Lions get their defence spot-on, and they do superbly to harrass Faf de Klerk just as he looks to put a forward through a gap around the corner. South Africa just about cling on to the ball.

Willie Le Roux inserts himself as a ball-handler, as is his wont in this part of the field, and shifts it on quickly to give Cheslin Kolbe best opportunity to capitalise on what space there might be to the outside. There is but a phone box, but that’s often enough for Kolbe, and if not for a clever little combined arm-and-leg trip from Louis Rees-Zammit the South African might have got over.

The ball springs free at the breakdown but it is a Lions knock-on. A scrum for Sotuh Africa about seven metres in from the right touchline, five metres from the try line...

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 20 minutes

This is becoming a proper statement of a first quarter from this South Africa ‘A’ side. Their maul is not stalled, set up perfectly with Faf de Klerk barking orders and Joseph Dweba guiding it, and the Lions are forced to again infringe to prevent it making further progress towards their line.

Captain Lukhanyo Am points to the corner, and Morne Steyn gives his forwards another chance to set up a rumble.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 19 minutes

As stable as one could imagine at the scrum with neither side giving even an inch. South Africa A’s tactics are clear, and to the boot again goes Morne Steyn, forcing Elliot Daly to scramble across to his left.

Daly ships the ball on to Louis Rees-Zammit as a fine outside chase from the South Africans forces some quick handling, and that’s another bad moment for Warren Gatland’s team - sliced into touch on the full. South Africa A will have the throw in strong attacking position.

South Africa A 10-0 Lions, 16 minutes

Not the wisest meander from Louis Rees-Zammit, running into the great dam that is Pieter-Steph du Toit as he twists and turns his way across field, cut in half comprehensively by the blindside and ending any possibility of a circuitous counter-attacking charge.

The Lions compete well in the air and earn another breakdown penalty (the ruck has been rather messy so far) but keep having more loose moments: touch missed from the penalty, and the ball hops dead to give South Africa a scrum near midfield.

Liam Wiliams has been forced off, by the way, possibly for an HIA. Elliot Daly is patrolling the backfield as South Africa take the scrum option after another set-piece free-kick.

TRY! SOUTH AFRICA A 10-0 Lions (Sbu Nkosi try, 13 minutes)

Charged down and Sbu Nkosi races away!

Joseph Dweba gets his lineout all-wrong and dummies his throw, duly free kicked and this time the Lions play quickly. Kyle Sinckler initially carries well but the Lions lose two collisions in succession to stall their momentum on the edge of South Africa A’s 22.

Owen Farrell tries to kick for the corner but the ball is slow and Eben Etzebeth’s hulking figure is right on top of him, leaping to accentuate his considerable length and blocking the kick with one of his enormous biceps. The ball is transferred to the quickest man in the line in Nkosi, and some clever (and just about legal) shielding from Damian de Allende allows him to canter over in relative comfort. Morne Steyn converts brilliantly, and that isn’t the first time an error in possession has stung the Lions on this tour.

South Africa A 3-0 Lions, 11 minutes

Destructive defence from Franco Mostert. He’s a fine operator at the maul and forces his way through it to the ball, eventually causing the Lions to break away into a group of his mates, who effectively deal with the carrier and then again attack the breakdown to win another turnover penalty.

South Africa A 3-0 Lions, 10 minutes

19:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A straight-arm penalty this time! A similar sort of issue with the scrum going down before Conor Murray can insert the ball, and this time Peyper’s call is for a penalty. Owen Farrell finds touch about ten metres out.

South Africa A 3-0 Lions, 9 minutes

And almost inevitably it is unsteady and Jaco Peyper is forced to first reset, and then award the Lions a free-kick...

Which they will take the scrum option for. Back into battle go the front rows. A very Test match sort of start to this game.

South Africa A 3-0 Lions, 7 minutes

South Africa A are just starting to win the aerial battle. Cheslin Kolbe mistimes his jump but manages to occupy the space and win back the high box kick after the kick-off, and back to the boot they go as Morne Steyn opts for something more adventurous across the field.

Sbu Nkosi is after it and leaps highest, but fails to quite grasp it as he collides with the leaping Lion. A knock-on and a first chance to look at how the two packs fare at scrum-time.

PENALTY! SOUTH AFRICA A 3-0 Lions (Morne Steyn penalty, 6 minutes)

No mistake from the tee from one of the most consistent kickers of the last decade-and-a-half or so. Bread and butter for Morne Steyn from left of centre, and South Africa A take three points and an early lead.

South Africa A 0-0 Lions, 5 minutes

Is Sbu Nkosi in? South Africa had maintained possession well and Faf de Klerk had kept the tempo high, eventually drawing a penalty advantage as he darts around the corner.

De Klerk spots the opportunity to loop a lovely miss pass to his left wing Nkosi, who has a sliver of space into which to surge before attempting to ground in the corner.

But’s he’s just about been forced into touch! Anthony Watson has done magnificently to get across to Nkosi and drive him out. Back for the penalty

South Africa A 0-0 Lions, 4 minutes

This time it is the Lions who pilfer the ball, ripped from the carrying South African’s hands and then kicked downfield.

And that’s superb from the A-team. Another breakdown turnover, and Faf de Klerk brilliantly finds the corner with a box kick over Anthony Watson’s head. Lineout stolen! South Africa play inside the Lions’ 22...

South Africa A 0-0 Lions, 2 minutes

A little bit lazy from South Africa - Faf de Klerk returns with interest after Rees-Zammit had kicked long but Pieter-Steph du Toit had failed to retreat before trotting off in pursuit of his scrum-half’s kick. Penalty to the Lions.

But, equally, that’s all a bit rickety from the Lions. A little bit slow at the breakdown, a little bit out of kilter with the passing, and Joseph Dweba’s jackal is excellent to win a turnover penalty.

South Africa A 0-0 Lions, 1 minute

It’s a shorter one from Owen Farrell and beautifully flighted, Saracens teammate Maro Itoje able to rise highest to tap back but only able to find Pieter-Steph du Toit with his backwards slap.

And this is a worry for the Lions. Liam Williams is down and receiving some attention after taking a blow to the head from Eben Etzebeth after claiming a high kick brilliantly.

Looks like he’ll be alright, and he’s ready to chase after Louis Rees-Zammit’s punt after the wing claims a mark.

KICK OFF! South Africa 0-0 Lions

Lions vs South Africa A

As this is officially a South Africa A side, there is no national anthem to be heard, so it is straight into action in their rather nice deep green kit.

Jaco Peyper has the whistle in his hands as he coughs out some of the smoke left by the flamethrowers and fireworks. Compatriot Marius Jonker is the TMO.

Owen Farrell has the ball in his hands - off we go!

Lions vs South Africa A

The familiar vista from the corner stadium camera of empty seats and bright floodlights against the night Cape Town sky as we get a final reminder of the tweaked Lions team.

Rassie Erasmus had initally named an expanded 25-man squad for this clash while he decided what to do with his bench. The Lions have gone with a 6-2 forwards-backs split, but South Africa have gone more conventional - Kwagga Smith and Elton Jantjies are the two potential replacements not upon a 5-3 bench.

Lions vs South Africa A: Defence to be unlocked

South Africa were forced, in many ways, to go so strong for this game having lost their second warm-up game against Georgia after Covid issues in both camps, but it will give the Lions a first crack at unlocking an almost fully-equipped South African defence. Jacques Nienaber’s structure so dismantled England’s attack in the World Cup final, predicated on a hard outside blitz from Am and then a cavalcade of forward tacklers to win the collisions around the fringes. We’ll get a first look at what ideas attack coach Gregor Townsend, who had been unable to guide the Lions in person while in isolation after their own Covid issues but is now back with the squad, has for finding fissures in the South African wall.

Neither side will play their full hand, though, you’d think. Plenty to be gained, or lost, in a psychological sense ten days before the first Test, and kick-off is less than ten minutes away...

Lions vs South Africa A: Aki and Harris midfield gets opportunity

18:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Still perhaps the toughest position group to decipher for the Lions is the centre partnership. Robbie Henshaw’s untimely injury has prevented his involvement in the last couple of fixtures, which means Chris Harris backs up his start at inside centre on Saturday with another tonight, this time with 13 on his back.

Elliot Daly was impressive in both games against the Sharks and will be in the mix but this pairing compares nicely with the Springboks’ well-established duo, with Harris and Lukhanyo Am similarly skilled defensive lynchpins and Damian de Allende and Aki each able to do the hard straight carrying, and a lot more, too. That could be a key battle tonight.

Lions vs South Africa A: Ronan Kelleher call-up confirmed

The Lions have now double stamped the news on Ronan Kelleher’s call-up, and specified that there are no injury issues among the three hookers already in South Africa. After Marcus Smith’s call-up and Alun Wyn Jones’ return, it’s been a good week for the Lions’ tally of airline points.

“I’m delighted to announce Ronan will join up with the squad,” said Lions Head Coach, Warren Gatland. “There’s no injuries to the three hookers out here, but we think it’s prudent to bring in cover in that position ahead of the Test series.”

Warren Gatland speaks to Sky Sports

On Alun Wyn Jones, who will not be in contention for Saturday’s fixture against the Stormers: “He wouldn’t be coming out here if he wasn’t going to play. We’ll have a conversation with Alun Wyn and Conor and talk about that [tour captaincy]. There is a good chance that Alun Wyn will resume the tour captaincy and I think Conor will be happy with that.”

On Josh Adams: “His wife is fully dilated and ready to push. We gave him until half past six and then he probably would have played but this is so important to him. This is just another challenge. Hopefully everything works out.”

On Dan Biggar: “He could have played tonight but we didn’t want to risk it.”

Lions vs South Africa A: Jasper Wiese a danger

As, effectively, a team of World Cup holders, it is little surprise that this South Africa side is chock full of threats, but perhaps chief among them is a number eight perhaps with a place of his own to push for.

One of this South African side who wasn’t involved at the World Cup is Jasper Wiese, though his place in this side will come as no surprise to those who watched him tear up trees at Welford Road after joining Leicester last summer. A freakishly powerful carrier, with Duane Vermeulen seemingly struggling to have major involvement in the Test series, Wiese might be the favourite to start at the back of the scrum.

He does have a slightly too regular habit of putting himself in disciplinary hot water, but there are few who can generate consistent go-forward in such a destructive maner. He’ll fancy a statement showing in his first start in a South African jersey.

Lions vs South Africa A: More breaking news

More breaking news, as rumoured heavily over the last few days but now all but confirmed by Sky Sports - Ronan Kelleher has been called up to the British and Irish Lions squad.

The Irishman was heavily involved in the pre-Tour Jersey training camp, covering for Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George while they completed their club business, though never officially part of the squad, but will now travel to South Africa to give Warren Gatland another option at hooker.

Lions vs South Africa A: Rassie Erasmus speaks to Sky Sports

On a tough couple of weeks: “Although there are things are going wrong, the only thing we can control is putting smiles on people’s faces. There are things that have happened that we can’t change. The players see it as an opportunity.”

On his former Munster charge and tonight’s Lions captain Conor Murray: “I’m big friends with Conor. He was always the quiet one with the plans, and a wonderful player.”

Lions vs South Africa A: Civil unrest continues

Concerning reports cotinue to emerge from South Africa at the moment, with violence and rioting across large parts of the nation after the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma last week and wider issues related to inequality, excacerbated by the pandemic.

There have been mixed messages about whether this Tour will now remain entirely in Cape Town, as Warren Gatland has stated, or return to Gauteng for the final two Tests, as South Africa have emphasised remains the plan, but the news of widespread looting in Johannesburg makes for an increasingly distressing backdrop.