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Lancaster Park, the scene of bitter memories for Lions

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) For the British and Irish Lions, most memories of Christchurch’s Lancaster Park are bitter ones.

From their first appearance there in 1930, when they lost 13-10, to their most-recent in 2005, when they beaten 21-3, the 38,000 stadium in the east of the South Island city was seldom a venue of success.

The Lions have won only one of nine tests against the All Blacks in Christchurch; in 1977 when their 13-9 victory could not prevent a 3-1 series defeat.

Not even the 1971 squad, which remains the only Lions team to have beaten New Zealand in a test series in New Zealand, could not win at Lancaster Park, losing 22-12 before winning the four-test series 2-1.