The series is lost.

The Lions' £10million bid to make history faltered in Wellington as New Zealand produced a rampant display of attacking rugby to score five tries and win 48-18.

The margin of victory was greater than in the first Test and yet the painful irony is that the Lions produced a far more intense, competitive performance.

Here, we analyse what went right and wrong in the Lions' defeat.

TACTICS

After 12 months of exhaustive planning had backfired in Christchurch last week, Woodward took a brand new approach. He named a young side full of attacking ambition and urged them to match New Zealand's intensity and dazzle them positive intent. Josh Lewsey was returned to his most devastating position at full-back, Shane Williams started on the wing and Gavin Henson was in the centres alongside new captain Gareth Thomas. The Lions needed to dominate up front so Woodward revamped the back row with Lewis Moody and Simon Easterby flanking Ryan Jones. Steve Thompson took over as hooker and Donncha O'Callaghan was drafted in to sure up the lineout. The plan was to win quality ball and then attack New Zealand.

LEADERSHIP: Gareth Thomas gave breast-beating speeches throughout the week, raising a passion in his players that had been missing in Christchurch. The Welshman, who took over from Brian O'Driscoll as skipper and outside centre, inspired from the front. He was involved heavily as the Lions made a blistering start and finished his try brilliantly inside the first two minutes. He was also ubiquitous in defence, making crucial tackles. He spoke with referee Andrew Cole so passionately that at times Thompson, the vice-captain, had to pull him away.

KICKING: Jonny Wilkinson slotted a conversion and two penalties to keep the Lions in touch during the first half, but he also hit the post with one penalty and missed an eminently kickable drop-goal. Wilkinson is not the same player and he eventually shuffled off centre-stage nursing an injured shoulder. His tactical kicking was inferior to that of All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, who dictated the game both with the ball in hand and with the boot. The Lions had to dispense with their cross-kick tactic after naming two diminutive wingers in Jason Robinson and Shane Williams.

FORWARDS: The Lions' revamped pack gave a much better display in the set-piece. Thompson was in excellent control of the Lions lineout and produced a dynamic display in the loose. The Lions managed to win a scrum against the head that could have led to a try. Despite the excellent display of the loose-forward trio - Jones, Easterby and Moody were tireless - the Lions again struggled to shunt themselves onto the front foot. New Zealand's defence was quick-moving. The All Blacks swamped every breakdown as the Lions were again guilty of committing too few at the tackle area.

ATTACK: The Lions looked a far more threatening unit this week, with the athletic forwards particularly penetrating. But apart from dominating the first 10 minutes, when Robinson was like a livewire and Thomas finished off a brilliant try, the All Blacks' mobile defence gave them little space to move. Gavin Henson was nullified. Shane Williams, so devastating given a yard of room, was swallowed by a black cloak every time he got the ball. The Lions' best attacking opportunities came from a smoothly-functioning lineout, the driving maul and through the forwards. Easterby's try was fully deserved for an immense all-round performance.

DEFENCE: The most reliable aspect of the Lions' game all tour was compromised slightly as Sir Clive Woodward moved away from the conservative approach. Still, it took a counter-attack and a wonderfully instinctive backs move for the All Blacks to score their first two tries. Thomas put in a captain's performance in defence and Wilkinson was typically committed until two mistimed tackles forced him off with an injured shoulder. Easterby and Jones were both powerful defenders. But the Lions had tried to match New Zealand's fast-paced game early on and paid the price for all the tackling as they tired towards the end, allowing the All Blacks to finish with five tries.