Rugby-Wallabies coach Schmidt slams match officials over late call in loss to Lions

The Star

26-07-2025

Rugby Union - Australia v British and Irish Lions - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia - July 26, 2025 British and Irish Lions' Owen Farrell celebrates with teammates after the match James Ross/AAP Image via REUTERS
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australia coach Joe Schmidt said match officials had failed to uphold player safety and hit out at a late clear-out decision that ensured the British & Irish Lions clinched a series-sealing victory on Saturday.
Fullback Hugo Keenan's last-minute try put the Lions 29-26 up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but the Wallabies players cried foul after Jac Morgan cleared out Carlo Tizzano in the buildup.
After a lengthy pause as the TV match official assessed multiple angles of the incident, the try was allowed to stand, giving the Lions victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Citing rugby's Law 9.20, which says head contact and clear-outs around the neck should be penalised, an incensed Schmidt said the officials had got the decision wrong.
"Because they're human, match officials make errors," he said at the post-match press conference.
"We felt it was a decision that doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they're (World Rugby) talking about.
"You cannot hit someone above ... the shoulders.
"But that's what we've seen and we've watched a number of replays from different angles so it is what it is and we just have to accept it."
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson was also convinced his team were hard done by.
"Obviously I saw shoulder to the neck. Carlo was pretty sore about it," he said.
Lions coach Andy Farrell had a different view.
"I thought it was a brilliant clear-out," he said.
"Honestly, it depends which side of the fence you come from, I would have thought.
"I can understand people's opinions, but I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on -- and so were the rest of the bench."
Schmidt said he was proud of his players but gutted by the final result after the Wallabies had taken a 23-5 lead near the half-hour mark.
While the Wallabies were bitterly disappointed that the clear-out decision had gone against them, they did not need to use it as motivation for the dead rubber in Sydney next Saturday.
"You can't get more motivated than what the players showed tonight," he added.
"You've got to keep resolve and keep going forward.
"We're not going to wallow in self-pity."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)