IAN McGEECHAN insists the British and Irish Lions "avoided a banana skin" in Cape Town last night, despite being held to a last-gasp 13-13 draw by the Emerging Springboks.

The Lions led 10-0 with a try from the impressive Keith Earls and then 13-6 after James Hook had added one penalty to two from Ronan O’Gara. But Cheetahs winger Danwel Demas ruined an otherwise impressive Lions defensive performance by scoring in the corner with the final attack of the match.

Then Willem de Waal, who had helped Western Province push the Lions close at Newlands earlier in the tour, sealed a famous result for the Emerging Springboks with a brilliant touchline conversion.

But McGeechan was keen to accentuate the positives of a match played in horrendous conditions at Newlands.

"It was a potential banana skin we have got through," said the Lions head coach. "It was a game we had to get out of. It was a million miles from what we want at the weekend. The conditions were always going to be a leveller. Not a lot of rugby was played there.

"It was disappointing to give a try away at the end, but I thought our attitude on the field was superb.

"It was a very strong defensive performance, if you take the last minute away."

The Lions management will meet today to finalise their team selection for Saturday’s second Test against the Springboks in Pretoria.

The conditions in Cape Town did not help those with genuine Test ambitions push their cases forward.