Australia 26 – 29 British & Irish Lions
The British & Irish Lions series wins are hard-fought and hard to come by. They lose more than they win. Since 1888, they’ve lost 21 of the 39 they’ve played, drawing three and winning just 15.
On Saturday at the gigantic Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of a record Lions crowd of more than 90,000 rugby fans, they clinched a thrilling series win over Australia.
Maro Itoje’s men led for only a few seconds of the 80 minutes after a last-minute try by Irish fullback Hugo Keenan. But they were the seconds that mattered.
That try took the score to 26-29 but the drama wasn’t over. A nerve-wracking few moments followed as slow-mo video footage of a ruck clear-out by replacement flanker Jac Morgan of Wales, which secured ball that led to the try, was examined by the third match official.
Controversy
Morgan’s work was given a clean bill of health and Keenan’s touchdown stood, sending Lions fans into reptures and triggering a tsunami of moaning from aggrieved Aussie fans who claimed Morgan made illegal contact with the head and neck of their man Carlo Tizzano.
It was a different Australia that stepped on the paddock at the MCG compared to a week earlier in Brisbane, where they were disposed of comparatively easily by the Lions.
The Aussies, bolstered by the stunning power of lock Will Skelton and back row Rob Valetini, gave the hosts go-forward at the breakdown that was all too absent at the Suncorp the previous weekend.
Record Lions comeback
Half an hour in and the Lions found themselves 23-5 down, with many then starting to look to the third test in Sydney as the series decider.
What followed was a stunning Lions comeback from a record 18-point deficit.
The Lions dug in, capitalising on rare Aussie errors leading to tries for superb English flanker Tom Curry and Scottish centre Huw Jones, sending the sides in at the break 23-17.
Wing James Lowe offloaded to his fellow countryman Tadhg Beirne, a menace at number six, who crossed for a try. Finn Russell, the best fly-half in the world right now, converted to move the score to 26-24 and the stage was set for Keenan’s 79th minute glory.
Have to feel for the Aussies
It’s not often Lions fans feel sorry for the Aussies but on this occasion, especially given their national side’s recent poor run of form, non-one could have argued with an Australian win. They were nothing short of brilliant.
Why did coach Joe Schmidt sub off Velatini and Skelton, arguably their most influential players, shortly after halt-time?
And why did the ARU only schedule one warm-up fixture for Austrlia, against Fiji, in the weeks before the first Lions test?
Two questions which need answering.
On the flipside, Lions coach Andy Farrell could do no wrong.
Coach Andy Farrell made all the right calls
All the changes Farrell made after the first test, including moving proper Ellis Genge to the bech after his monstrous performance in Brisbane, proved to be correct. A furious Genge bounced off the bench in Melbourne and was incredibly destructive in the final 15 minutes.
Now to Sydney for the final test of the three. Out of respect for the newly potent Australian team, Farrell must pick the strongest squad possible to try to secure a whitewash. Even if he does, after the heart-stopping scenes of the MCG, there’s no guarantee of it.
