Lions' clean sweep hopes washed away by Wallabies in stormy Sydney finale

The Guardian

2 days ago

So much for the British & Irish Lions' winner-takes-it-all ambitions. This was far from their finest hour and almost nothing went to plan on a filthy Sydney night. Instead, it was the Wallabies who concluded the series on a high, defying the wet conditions and a mid-game lightning storm delay to end visiting hopes of a 3-0 clean sweep.
The Lions also had to contend with an increasingly savage injury toll, losing their captain, Maro Itoje, Tommy Freeman and James Ryan to failed head injury assessments before the teams were instructed to leave the field as a safety precaution. The score was 8-0 in the hosts' favour when play was halted at 9.12pm local time and play was suspended for 38 minutes.
A 61st-minute try from Jac Morgan did give the Lions the faintest glimmer of hope, but it was the Wallabies who came away as the damp but delighted victors courtesy of an early try from Dylan Pietsch and second-half scores from Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott. Will Stuart's last-gasp score for the Lions was the slimmest of consolations and the series proved a rather closer contest than seemed likely at half-time in the first Test in Brisbane.
The Wallabies will now be kicking themselves afresh for allowing a 23-5 lead to slip away in Melbourne in the second Test. As well as handling the conditions better, Joe Schmidt's side were tactically smarter and at barely any stage did the Lions look like achieving their first clean sweep on a multi-Test Lions tour since 1927. Their kicking game was mixed, their depleted lineout fell apart and Australia's back-row ultimately had more dynamic energy with and without the ball.
This was the second time in two weeks that a Test has been halted for lightning, with Australia-Wales women's international in Brisbane having been similarly interrupted. The weather had been wild all day, turning the Manly ferry crossing into a rollercoaster ride and drenching spectators en route to the game.
Australia, though, were not to be distracted from the task at hand and had a try on the board after seven minutes, a no-look pass from Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii giving the eager Pietsch the chance to dive into the left corner.
As well as enjoying more territory and possession, the Wallabies were also looking to ruffle their opponents' composure, with both captains being instructed to control their players by the Georgia referee, Nika Amashukeli. The recalled Taniela Tupou was also enjoying some scrummaging success and the net result was a frustrating first half-hour for the visitors. When Fin Russell could not grasp a slippery ball and the Lions were again penalised at the ensuing scrum it summed up their problematic start.
The outlook was about to get even worse. Itoje never leaves the pitch without good reason so his departure for a head injury assessment was a setback in itself. When he failed to return, it left Ollie Chessum to hold the fort alongside Ryan with Dan Sheehan taking over the captaincy.
Australia were also forced into a reshuffle when Tom Lynagh, having stretched his side's lead by a further three points, copped a heavy hit from Sheehan and also failed his HIA. The trek to the medical room was increasingly becoming a procession, with Freeman also disappearing never to return.
The most wince-inducing blow of the lot, though, was the one suffered by Ryan, who stooped to tackle the massive Will Skelton and was rewarded with a knee to the head. Play was halted for a considerable period before Ryan was transferred to a medical cart and driven away.
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If the Lions were hoping the lightning break would alter the rhythm of the contest they were to be sadly mistaken. Twelve minutes after the restart, Owen Farrell and Blair Kinghorn sought to shovel the ball to the left wing, but it went to ground and the pacy Jorgensen, not for the first time in the series, showed his predatory qualities to beat the cover. Morgan's consolation did at least ensure the Lions were not kept scoreless for the first time since 1983, but a defiant Australia were not to be denied.
There was also some encouraging off-field news for the host nation, with the Lions chief executive, Ben Calverley, informing a pre-game roomful of top officials and VIPs that the touring team would definitely be returning to Australia.
Australia: Wright; Jorgensen (Kellaway 78), Suaalii, Ikitau, Pietsch; Lynagh (Donaldson 34), White (McDermott 59); Slipper (Bell 58), Pollard (Paenga-Amosa 73), Tupou (Nonggorr 61), Frost, Skelton (Williams 64), Hooper (Gleeson 78), McReight, Wilson.Tries: Pietsch, Jorgensen, McDermott. Cons: Donaldson 2. Pen: Lynagh.British & Irish Lions: Keenan; Freeman (Farrell 38), Jones, Aki, Kinghorn; Russell, Gibson-Park (Mitchell 72); Porter (Genge 43), Sheehan (Kelleher 58), Furlong (Stuart 58), Itoje (Chessum 28), Ryan (Morgan 43), Beirne, Curry (Sheehan 69), Conan (Earl 64).Tries: Morgan, Stuart. Con: Russell.Sin-bin: Kelleher 69.Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
The Wallabies can also now claim to have made some significant on-field progress since hitting rock bottom at the 2023 World Cup. Build on this morale-boosting result and they could yet be in half-decent shape by the time they host the next edition in 2027.
First, though, they have back-to-back Tests in South Africa to negotiate this month, starting in Johannesburg on 16 August. A big loss, should one materialise, would clearly put the overall outcome of this series into perspective, but maybe it is now the Springboks who may need to be watchful.
As for the Lions, this tour has at least further underscored the brand's enduring appeal. While the average age of the sea of red at every Test continues to rise, edging out Australia in any kind of sporting series never grows old. This final stumble, though, was not an occasion they will remember with any great affection.