British and Irish Lions 31 Hurricanes 31: Tommy Seymour crosses twice as Test hopefuls are pegged back in Wellington
Courtney Lawes and Iain Henderson were exceptional at lock until the Irisman's spear tackle dented his hopes
IAIN HENDERSON dented his Lions Test hunt with a nasty spear-tackle that cost his side the win in Wellington.
The Ireland lock was having a stormer against the Hurricanes before he picked up and dumped Jordie Barrett into the turf.
French ref Romain Poite sin-binned the Ulster ace and the wheels came well and truly off at for the Lions who were 31-17 up.
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Flying Scotsman Tommy Seymour opened the scoring with his excellent breakaway - sparked by Greig Laidlaw's interception and initial 30m dash.
That try which was made in Scotland, was converted by Wales fly-half Dan Biggar who ended the night with 16 points off the tee.
When centre Robbie Henshaw had to come off injured it looked to really wreck the Lions' plans.
Warren Gatland's controversial 'Geography Six' call-ups stayed rooted to the bench - even though Scotland fly-half Finn Russell would have been much more suited to playing at 12.
The refusal to play these guys seems odd, Gatland clearly doesn't want them to have a Lions squad number, but they all go home tomorrow and will be forgotten men quickly. At least that's what Gatland hopes.
North shifted to centre and he was finally getting the touches of the ball that his boss wanted.
But soon after Callum Gibbins crashed over from close-range as the Hurricanes knocked on the door as the Lions took time to regroup.
Jordie Barrett, brother of All Blacks star Beauden, converted the kick for the Canes and was bang on target when he was called on again after the break.
Ngani Laumape's superb try in the corner was no problem for baby Barrett to kick and all of a sudden the gap was down to nine.
The Lions found their second wind though and thanks to Henderson and Lawes punching huge holes in attack they were in the red zone again.
Seymour was the man who turned on the gas when Leigh Halfpenny picked him out from close range.
But Straight after Henderson's yellow Wes Goosen ran in an easy score as Barrett knocked the two over to bring it to a seven-point game. Then All Black Vaea Fifita bashed over from short range to level the scores.
The Lions were cooked. And Gatland is starting to look like a dead duck for his stubbornness to not empty the bench to help his side get the win.
Don't worry, it's only back here on Saturday to face the All Blacks.