Final Score: Bay of Plenty 20 Lions 34

80mins: Final whistle in Rotorua and the Lions take a gritty opening victory. They started superbly but were in disarray after losing Dallaglio and that 17-0 lead. The second half was much better and they really regained the upper hand well to take the win.

79mins: Counting down now and the Lions have come back well after surrendering that 17-0 first-half lead. Lewsey in particular has had a very impressive opening to this tour.

78mins: TRY D'ARCY - Wonderful try from the Lions and that is game, set and match. Lewsey comes bursting into the line and carves his way through the BoP defence. He gives a simple pass to D'Arcy who goes over from a few yards out. O'Gara kicks the conversion and it's now 34-20.

77mins: Matt Dawson is on for the final four minutes.

76mins: Peel finds O'Gara and he goes for the drop goal - but it's wide. The home crowd boo.

76mins: Into the final five minutes of a fascinating game and Kay rumbles forward just five metres out.

75mins: Paul O'Connell steals a lineout and O'Driscoll finds touch - again deep in Bay of Plenty territory.

75mins: Now it's the turn of the Lions to be penalised and Murray Williams clears his lines.

74mins: Again O'Gara goes for touch and the Lions are camped inside that Bay of Plenty 22.

73mins: Bay of Plenty penalised for pulling down.

72mins: Bay of Plenty are penalised for offside and O'Gara again finds touch deep in BoP territory.

71mins: TRY PEEL - That could clinch victory as the Welsh scrum-half takes the ball from Corry at a scrum, sidesteps one tackle and dances over for a simple try. O'Gara misses the conversion and the lead is only seven points with nine minutes remaining. It's now 27-20.

70mins: Henson is replaced by Gordon D'Arcy - the Welshman has had a mixed evening but has shown glimpses of his undoubted class.

69mins: O'Gara switches play and again his tactical kick is perfection - just a couple of metres from the Bay of Plenty line.

68mins: Murray Williams booms a kick into touch on halfway, but it gives the Lions a chance to take a quick lineout.

67mins: O'Driscoll shows his brilliance for virtually the first time tonight, making a sensational break. With options inside and out he takes the wrong one and his pass intended for Lewsey is forward. Great chance of a try wasted.

66mins: Williams dissects Shanklin and Lewsey with a superb deep kick. The Welshman goes back to pick up and clears his lines.

65mins: Steve Thompson and Andrew Sheridan are now on for the Lions.

65mins: Now O'Driscoll tries to inject some pace before O'Gara tries to dart through. He's stopped and then the Lions turn it over to Senio.

64mins: Corry rampages through and then Peel makes it a dart. Good handling from the Lions and they're turning up the heat inside the Bay of Plenty 22.

63mins: Lions have the lineout and eventually they find Henson and then O'Driscoll in midfield. He sets it up but the ball squirms out.

62mins: Another fine tactical kick from O'Gara who takes place deep inside BoP territory.

61mins: Knock-on by Bay of Plenty after a poor pass from Murray Williams to Cashmore. Scrum to the Lions.

61mins: Senio tries to make a break just outside the Lions 22 but Hill is in low to bring him down.

60mins: Henson kicks for touch but slices it horribly. He's disgusted with himself.

60mins: Now Murray Williams finds a good touch deep in Lions territory and this game is once again in the balance.

59mins: PENALTY WILLIAMS - Easy for the fly-half and Bay of Plenty now only trail 22-20. His personal haul is now 15 points.

58mins: Martyn Williams penalised and Murray Williams has a simple chance to cut the gap to two points.

57mins: Textbook scrum from the Lions near their own line and O'Gara finds touch outside his own 22. The Irishman applauds his pack.

57mins: Danger for the Lions as Anthony Tahana almost breaks through their defence. Eventually O'Gara and O'Driscoll team up to put him down.

56mins: Knock-on by O'Gara inside the Lions half. Scrum to the home side.

55mins: Massive kick from Grant McQuoid relieves the pressure on the home side.

54mins: Half-time obviously came just in time for the Lions. They've really recovered their poise since the interval and now look to be gaining the ascendancy again.

53mins: O'Gara misses the conversion and the Lions lead 22-17.

52mins: TRY SHANKLIN - Hill finds a yard and steps into space before the Lions spin it out wide. Eventually they find Shanklin and his second effort takes him over the line. The tourists are back in front with the conversion to come from O'Gara.

51mins: The home side go long at the lineout to Latu but Williams' kick is poor and now here come the Lions with O'Driscoll going on a dangerous-looking run.

50mins: Lions now turning the screw and O'Gara prods the ball deep into the BoP 22 to find touch a couple of metres from the line.

49mins: Bay of Plenty have it just inside their own 22 and Senio boots it up to halfway where Cueto takes and returns it.

48mins: Lewsey brings the ball out of defence and makes his way up to the halfway line.

47mins: Much better now from the Lions as Henson produces a masterly pickup in midfield but eventually the home side repel the tourists and Williams clears up towards halfway.

46mins: Peel tries to find touch deep inside the BoP 22 but Adrian Cashmore does really well to keep the ball in and clear his lines. Fine play from the full-back.

45mins: Great chance wasted for the Lions. BoP turn it over to Martyn Williams. He finds O'Driscoll who in turn feeds Henson. He delays the pass and when he does spin it wide he can't find Shanklin with the try line beckoning.

44mins: Scrappy play just outside the Lions 22 as Bay of Plenty put the pressure on. Now the Lions turn it over though and O'Gara finds a superb touch inside the home 22.

43mins: Now it's Bay of Plenty with the ball. They get it out to Lutui but he juggles the ball and can't keep his pace up near the line.

42mins: Promising move from the Lions who get the ball out wide to Lewsey, but he's put into touch.

41mins: Murray Williams gets the second half under way and this could be a pivotal 40 minutes for the Lions - even this early in the tour. The tourists have an early penalty.

40mins: TV reports suggest Dallaglio has gone to hospital with his leg in a splint.

40mins: The half-time whistle goes and the Lions head for the dressing room not knowing what's hit them. They led 17-0 just over 10 minutes in, but since then it's been all Bay of Plenty. The injury to Dallaglio appeared to change the whole complexion of the game. Sir Clive Woodward will really earn his corn now with this half-time teamtalk.

39mins: We're approaching the interval here in Rotorua. Martyn Williams meanwhile gets a stern lecture for an indiscretion in that fracas.

38mins: It's all Bay of Plenty as the whistle goes and the first scrap of the day breaks out.

37mins: Lions penalised again and Bay of Plenty have a scrum on halfway.

36mins: Lions try to gather themselves after a disastrous period which has seen them concede 17 unanswered points and lose Dallaglio to injury.

35mins: TRY WILLIAMS - That handling move eventually brings rich dividends as the fly-half jinks past limited Lions defence to score from close range. Williams adds the conversion and from 17-0 down Bay of Plenty are now level at 17-17. The momentum is all theirs and these are worrying moments for the Lions.

34mins: Wonderful handling move from Bay of Plenty takes them to the brink of the Lions line.

33mins: Bunting makes a sensational break through the middle and Shanklin comes in from the wing to make a half-tackle. Crucial stop and Bay of Plenty are penalised for a forward pass. O'Gara missed a tackle on Bunting - second one of the night for him and this time he's lucky it didn't cost the Lions another try.

33mins: Now Henson is penalised and BoP have a scrum on halfway.

32mins: Corry is penalised for offside in the Bay of Plenty 22 and it allows the home side to clear their lines.

31mins: PENALTY WILLIAMS - The fly-half duly kicks a simple penalty and now the Lions lead is cut to 17-10.

30mins: Lions penalised for hands in the ruck and the home side have a penalty virtually in front of the posts. Surely they'll take the three points here.

30mins: Bay of Plenty spin it out and Shanklin comes in off his wing to make an important tackle.

29mins: Bay of Plenty have the scrum about five metres from the Lions line.

28mins: Now Ormond tries to dive over - only desperate defence from the Lions is keeping the home side out. Now the whistle blows.

28mins: Brave tackle from Cueto out wide stops Aleki Lutui near the Lions line.

28mins: Williams again goes for touch and Bay of Plenty win the lineout. The home side again drive for the line and then scrum-half Kevin Senio makes a dangerous break that almost takes him clear.

27mins: Bay of Plenty build inside the Lions half until the tourists are penalised. O'Driscoll argues for a moment.

26mins: Williams finds a great touch on halfway from behind his own try line. Relieves the pressure on Bay of Plenty.

25mins: 53 per cent possession so far for the Lions but they lead courtesy of a great start and a real cutting edge. We still await news on the injury to Dallaglio.

24mins: The excellent Lewsey finds a great touch near the Bay of Plenty line with a searching kick.

23mins: Martin Corry is on for Dallaglio and he gets in an important tackle immediately.

22mins: Bay of Plenty penalised for crossing and O'Gara relieves the pressure momentarily.

21mins: Play about to restart near the Lions line.

20mins: Dallaglio is stretchered off for now - let's hope he's back shortly.

20mins: A stretcher is being brought on for Dallaglio, looks like he might have got a knock on the knee.

19mins: Again the home side get the ball out wide and again Bourke darts towards the line. This time he's stopped. Meanwhile Dallaglio is down and injured - worrying moments for the Lions.

17mins: Bay of Plenty are really warming to the task as Latu raids towards the Lions line.

15mins: TRY BOURKE - The home side are on the board. Poor tackle from O'Gara allows Nili Latu to get the pass out to Colin Bourke, who dives over in the corner. Williams adds the conversion and it's 17-7 Lions. Just a reminder that despite that great start this one is far from over.

13mins: Bay of Plenty have a spell of concerted pressure but Henson produces a blockbusting tackle to dump Allan Bunting on the deck.

12mins: First bit of encouragement for the home side as Cueto is tackled into touch near the Lions line. Bay of Plenty get a penalty, find touch a few metres out and will go for the lineout.

11mins: TRY CUETO - Brilliant try for the Lions. After Shanklin is stopped short of the line Peel finds O'Gara and his brilliant crossfield kick is easy meat for Mark Cueto, who touches down in the corner. Superb try and they're cutting Bay of Plenty to pieces. This time O'Gara does add the extras and it's 17-0 Lions with a little over 10 minutes played.

10mins: Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio hustle superbly in midfield and the Lions get it out wide to Tom Shanklin, who goes on a Lomu-like run towards the line.

9mins: Henson produces a mighty kick deep into Bay of Plenty territory but it's returned with interest to O'Gara and he clears his lines and finds touch.

8mins: Bay of Plenty skipper Wayne Ormond tries to rampage through in midfield but the Lions have the ball back and O'Gara again clears his lines.

7mins: O'Gara finds another touch and the Irish fly-half has made a very confident start - encouraging start for Sir Clive Woodward's team.

6mins: TRY LEWSEY - Another score for the England star and it's dreamland for the Lions. He dives over in the corner and after review the try is given. Again O'Gara misses the conversion but it's 10-0 Lions.

5mins: O'Driscoll keeps the ball alive early and they move it right across the pitch.

4mins: O'Gara sets the Lions moving again inside the Bay of Plenty half but Gavin Henson is strongly tackled.

3mins: Ben Castle is penalised for offside and the Lions have a penalty. Very encouraging start for the tourists. O'Gara finds touch deep in Bay of Plenty territory.

2mins: TRY LEWSEY - magnificent start for the Lions, who are ahead already. A concerted spell of pressure ends with Dwayne Peel pushing the ball out wide, Brian O'Driscoll providing a decoy run and Josh Lewsey crashing over from close range. O'Gara misses the conversion but the Lions hold an early 5-0 lead.

1mins: Ronan O'Gara gets this Lions tour under way and Bay of Plenty fly-half Murray Williams finds his first touch of the day midway inside his own half.

Pre-Match: The atmosphere is volcanic - just like the surroundings. The Lions are about to get their tour under way in front of a 30,000 sell-out crowd in Rotorua. They go into a huddle now the anthems have been sung, and we're ready to rumble. Bay of Plenty should provide stern opposition here.