Sam Warburton receives a hongi from a Maori Chief.
The rain finally stopped at Toll Stadium ahead of the game.Becoming a Lion suddenly became real when the players arrived in the dressing room.Tour captain Sam Warburton led out the side in Whangarei.And Johnny Sexton kicked the tourists ahead...... but New Zealand Provincial Barbarians struck for the opening try, through skipper Sam Anderson-Heather.Bryn Gatland, son of Warren, was superb.Anthony Watson settled some nerves when he crossed over for the Lions' first try of the tour.A sweet moment.Still the fans watched on anxiously as their team failed to put the underdogs away.The locals sensed an upset.The New Zealand Provincial Barbarians kept pushing.But the Lions held on. Relief, and an opening victory, in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
