WHAT A BOK LASH!

The courageous Lions fell agonisingly short of an historic win here yesterday, finally beaten by the bruised but unbowed Boks.

A remarkable comeback attempt fell just short despite another Matt Dawson wonder try.

Just in case anyone forgets, the series had already been won.

Fran Cotton's men will return to Britain as conquering heroes despite yesterday's reverse, only the second of a gruelling seven- week tour.

And the anguished Boks, having avoided their first home whitewash this century, at last have something to cheer about.

Meaningless? It was never that. From the moment the balloons went up - dozens of them in the team colours as the two sides ran out - you knew it was a Test match, whether the series had been decided or not.

The 60,000 packed into Ellis Park, where the World Cup was won two short years ago, weren't here to watch a non-event.

The first big moment came after just four minutes when Springbok fly- half Jannie de Beer, the man brought in to solve the kicking crisis by coach Carel Du Plessis, was offered his first chance.

The penalty was about 30 yards out and it sailed between the posts for a 3-0 lead. After just four minutes he had succeeded where three kickers failed, crucially, during the second Test.

Having lost Tim Rodber with gastric flu just before kick-off, the Lions looked like they all needed treatment in the opening period.

De Beer snapped up his second penalty - his granny could have kicked it - from only 15 yards out and it was 6-0 with the Boks dominant, as they have been throughout so much of the series. This time, though, they threatened to score the points which come with such possession.

Wayne Erickson, the Aussie referee, awarded yet another Bok penalty after 12 minutes but this time De Beer fell short from near the halfway line.

But it was only a matter of time. In the 16th minute Percival (yes, they call rugby players Percy here) Montgomery charged over in the corner and De Beer made no mistake with a tricky conversion.

It was 13-0, 17 minutes played, and for the first time in the series a real gap had opened between the sides.

Neil Jenkins finally put the Lions on the board in the 19th minute, booting his 102nd point of the tour from 40 yards. That was the signal for the Lions to show a bit of bite at last.

First a John Bentley break - remember his try here against Gauteng - followed by a couple of tremendous rolling movements across the park opened the way for another Jenkins penalty. No mistake, 24 minutes, 13-6.

There were still 12 minutes left of the first half when Tony Underwood was carried off injured. Full-back Tim Stimpson was drafted in on the wing, but for Underwood, who waited until the final Test for his big break, it was a a dreadful moment.

Two of the Boks - locks Krynauw Otto and Hannes Strydom - were warned for foul play as again nastiness threatened but never really materialised.

Two ugly fist fights broke out between the forwards, but referee Erickson completely ignored the incidents - featuring infamous Bok hooker James Dalton and the giant Os Du Randt, who received a caution for his troubles.

Jenkins, pelted by fans throwing fruit, made them pay in the only way he knows - with a sensational penalty from near the touchline 40 yards out. Suddenly the gap was down to just four and the Boks were getting that nasty feeling of deja vu.

But when half-time came the Boks were 13-9 up - in front at the break for the first time in the series.

A green and gold flash called Joost van der Westhuizen danced past Bentley, replacement Allan Bateman and Jenkins to score brilliantly in the corner early in the second half, reasserting his claims on the title of the world's best scrum half. De Beer kicked a tough conversion and after 47 minutes the Lions trailed 20-9 - another miracle was needed.

Referee Erickson's maddening whistle added to the Lions' end-of- tour woes with yet another penalty on 59 minutes. De Beer made no mistake and at 23-9 it looked all over.

But then Dawson, scorer of that unforgettable try in the first Test, turned on the magic again, sidestepping two Bok challenges to cross the line. Jenkins converted to make it 23-16, and all of a sudden the miracle was back on.

That was until the Boks produced their own magic move late on to tear open the Lions, and Andre Snyman touched down for an unconverted try that made the game safe.

Pieter Roussow added another try in the dying seconds. Henry Honiball converted for a scoreline that flattered the home side.

SOUTH AFRICA

R Bennett; A Snyman, D van Schalwyk, P Montgomery (H Honiball), P Rossouw, J de Beer, J van der Westhuizen, O du Randt, J Dalton (N Drotske), D Theron, H Strydom, K Otto, J Erasmus, G Teichmann (capt), A Venter.

SCORERS: Tries: Montgomery, Van der Westhuizen, Snyman, Rossouw; Pens: de Beer (3); Cons: de Beer (2), Honiball

BRITISH LIONS

N Jenkins, J Bentley, S Gibbs, J Guscott (A Bateman), T Underwood (T Stimpson), M Catt, M Dawson, T Smith, M Regan, P Wallace, M Johnson (capt), J Davidson, R Wainwright, L Dallaglio, N Back. SCORERS: Tries: Dawson; Pens: Jenkins (3), Cons Jenkins

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