SOME OF the cream of the young talent in South Africa could not match the experience and expertise embodied in the Lions team in the picturesque setting of the Boland Stadium in Wellington yesterday. For the second time in the tour the Lions broke the 50 points barrier to record the seventh win of the tour.

Having started with the force of a hurricane as they built up a 13-point lead by the 11th minute, the Lions hit a bit of a valley in the 15 minutes to the interval. At the break the Lions held a tenuous one point advantage, 15-16. The forwards were unable to exercise any control against the vibrant and at times vigorous approach of the home pack in that indifferent spell.

But a try five minutes into the second half was followed by another in the 57th minute, both scored by left wing Nick Beal and both converted by Tim Stimpson. The Lions went 30-15 ahead and that effectively broke the heart of the Springboks challenge.

Still, shortly after Beal's first try, the Lions had to withstand tremendous pressure on their line when stern defence was the need and the Lions met the requirements. The Springboks did score a try and conversion in the 63rd minute and that reduced their deficit to eight points, but the response was rapid and effective from the Lions, and they finished in style, scoring 21 points in the last 13 minutes.

It was a most productive afternoon for Stimpson, who scored 26 points with a try, six conversions and three penalty goals, and Beal got a hat trick of tries. Maybe timely reminders to the Lions selectors as they contemplate the composition of the side for the first Test, but perhaps not sufficient in Stimpson's case to edge Neil Jenkins out of the Test team or, in Beal's, to see off other challengers for the left wing. The right wing will be Ieuan Evans' preserve.

Despite the margin of the win and the fact that 51 points were scored, such was the general tenor of the performance that few in the Lions side will have substantially enhanced their Test claims.

It was an important match for Jeremy Davidson as he sought to give the kind of display that would gain him preference over Simon Shaw for the Test berth. Davidson did quite well, made some fine lineout catches, but the performance may not have had sufficient depth to win him the Test place.

Nor did the all England front row of Graham Rowntree, Martin Regan and Jason Leonard impose the kind of authority to revise the belief that all three could lose out on Saturday. And while Beal scored three tries, it was John Bentley, who did not score at all, who may have offered the bigger prompt, but suspicion remains over his defence.

Bentley it was who scored that superb try against Gauteng a week previously. Yesterday he ignited the scene yet again with a magnificent run through the heart of the Springboks defence to make the try for Beal five minutes after the interval.

When the Lions moved the ball wide they always threatened to make the breakthrough, and invariably Neil Back was out in support. They had the home defence in a tangle and the Springboks found it extremely difficult to read the moves and paid the price.

But the Lions were vulnerable at times, notably in that period before the interval when the Springboks attacked off the fringes of the forward exchanges. However, in that period of Springboks pressure, and in the early stages of the second half when a try would have been so beneficial in tangible as well psychological terms, the Lions defence stood firm. It was an important element.

The early indications were that the Lions would win without any difficulty as they swept into that 13-point lead with a penalty from Stimpson, a try from Rowntree, and a conversion and a second penalty from Stimpson.

But to their credit the Springboks came hack and Warren Brosnihan, among their best forwards, got a try and it was converted by full back M J Smith. He moved to outside-half when Louis van Rensberg was injured and played with greater authority, before he, in turn, had to be replaced. The Springboks used all six replacements, the Lions used none.

When Stimpson kicked his third penalty in the 28th minute, the Lions had moved 16-7 in front. But then Smith kicked a penalty for the home team and the Lions advantage was cut to a point when another replacement, Marius Goosen, who moved to full back when Smith went to outside-half, got a try in the left corner three minutes before the interval.

The second half was to prove memorable for Beal, who a fortnight ago looked as if he might have to go home as he was troubled by shin splints.

Bentley's tour de force gave Beal the first of his hat-trick of tries, and good work by Mike Catt opened the way for the second in the 57th minute.

In between those scores was sandwiched that intense period of Springboks pressure. They also lost a great chance to score a try when centre McNeill Hendricks lost the ball with the line open.

A try from left wing Paul Treu, converted by Percy Montgomery, gave the Springboks slight hope of a comeback in the 63rd minute.

But then came the Lions devastating finish as they scored three tries between the 67th and 79th minutes, one by Beal, one by Stimpson and one by Catt. Stimpson converted all three.