Wounded Wallabies vow to rebound for third Lions Test
At one stage up by 18 points at the MCG, the fired-up Australians were controversially denied victory with the Lions scoring in the final minute of play to take the lead for the first time in the match.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was left fuming that a clean-out on Carlo Tizzano in the lead-up wasn't deemed illegal despite Lions flanker Jac Morgan hitting him high, off his feet, and without wrapping; the Welshman with one hand on the ground.
A penalty would have seen the try by fullback Hugo Keenan disallowed, with the Wallabies then heading to Sydney for the third Test next Saturday on level terms with the Lions.
Instead they will have to watch the tourists lift the Tom Richards Cup regardless of the outcome at Accor Stadium.
Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa insisted his team still had plenty to play for.
"Massively; the boys were gutted that we didn't come away with that win, but overall like we can look back at it and still know that as a team we're growing and the performance that we put in was a massive step forward in comparison to last week," he said.
"That disappointment that we have now, we definitely want to be using that to feed us throughout the whole week - the Australian way is that you never back down.
"We're still going out there wearing the Wallabies jersey, representing our country and our family and we want a performance everyone is proud of."
Alaalatoa said the growth in the team over the past year under Schmidt was evident, and they wanted to continue to put respect back into the gold jersey after the side hit an all-time low at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
"That was probably the most pleasing part for me, seeing the way that we were playing," he said.
"Especially with how we started - there's probably been moments in the past where we've struggled just to put that on the field from the get-go.
"We hope, if anything, that the fans are proud of that performance and, understand that we're a threat to be reckoned with and continue to support us moving forward throughout the year."
The home side will be without winger Harry Potter, who suffered a first-half hamstring injury while there could be other forced changes.
Alaalatoa suffered a shoulder/pectoral injury which forced him off the field at halftime while Tizzano was complaining of neck soreness after the late hit.
Damaging flanker Rob Valetini is also under an injury cloud.
Sitting out the first Test with a calf injury, ball carrier Valetini starred with his punch through the middle but he also left the field at halftime, which was less time than Schmidt hoped to get from him.
Giant lock Will Skelton also made a huge impact in his first Test of the year, skittling the Lions before his departure after 47 minutes and the Wallabies missed the pair as the Lions roared back.
"He just was tightening up," Schmidt said of Valetini's early exit.
"You saw Rob make an impression - he's been a bit of a talisman for us so losing him, losing a couple of front-rowers, just probably destabilised us a little bit.
"There's inevitably a few walking wounded after a Test match of that intensity.
"We've got a fair few bumps and bruises including obviously some fallout from the last action of the game.
"We'll get players checked out and we'll see how they come through."
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