Ferocious, brave, fierce - and even.
The All Blacks and British and Irish Lions have tied their three-rugby Test series 1-1, with nothing between them in Saturday night's helter-skelter 15-15 draw.
It was a Test for the ages in Auckland as an adventurous Lions outfit mimicked their 1971 forebears by eking out a final-Test tie at Eden Park.
Yet unlike that legendary side, the draw wasn't enough to secure a series victory after the All Blacks won the first Test and the Lions the second.
However, despite throwing the ball around with a zest that few expected upon their arrival in New Zealand six weeks ago, the Warren Gatland-coached Lions can count themselves a little lucky to finish the Test with honours even.
An unusually wasteful All Blacks wasted a host of first-half opportunities, despite scoring two through Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett.
They almost got off the hook for that profligacy, going ahead 15-12 in the 68th minute through the boot of Beauden Barrett, until Lions playmaker Owen Farrell knocked over his fifth three-pointer with two minutes left.
A late-match decision to hand the Lions an attacking scrum instead of penalty for a Ken Owens offside then saw the match draw to a close in confusion, with the All Blacks unable to score a late winner via their scrum.
In something of a bizarre sight, both captains - Kieran Read for the All Blacks, and Sam Warburton for the Lions - lifted the trophy together.
Kiwi head coach Steve Hansen said his side's execution had let them down but a draw was perhaps fair.
If he was upset by referee Romain Poite's late decision, he declined to let loose, saying simply that referees had tough jobs.
"We've had a few things not go our way with injuries and stuff like that. We haven't quibbled about it. The boys have got on, worked hard," Hansen said.
"We gave ourselves a big chance tonight. Probably didn't score the points when we created the opportunities. It's something for us to look back on."
The moment in contention immediately followed Farrell's fifth penalty, with the All Blacks' resulting kick-off being knocked forward and Owens, in an offside position, touching the ball.
A penalty was immediately awarded.
However, after consultation with his assistant referees, Poite decided the touch was unintentional and walked back the decision, leaving Read perplexed.
Gatland described Warburton's questioning of Poite as "smart and astute", while the skipper said his chances of getting the referee's agreement was helped by not having questioned many earlier rulings.
Gatland was the happier of the two coaches, even though he felt his team could have played better.
The Test, he said, was dominated by defence and dotted with mistakes.
"Given the schedule, given how tough the tour was, to come to New Zealand and draw the series, you've got to be pretty proud of that," he said.
