'Bittersweet' feeling for player of the series Beirne
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Lions' clean sweep hopes washed away by Wallabies in stormy Sydney finale
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. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion 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, Pietsch, Jorgensen, McDermott. Cons: Donaldson 2. Pen: & 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: Kelleher 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.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Dan Sheehan cited over Tom Lynagh incident in third Lions Test
Dan Sheehan faces a disciplinary hearing after the British and Irish Lions hooker was cited for a potential incident of foul play involving Tom Lynagh in the third Test defeat to Australia. Sheehan appeared to make direct head contact with his shoulder to Lynagh as he entered a ruck at speed in an attempt to clear him out. His action appeared to go unspotted by the matchday officials, though the Wallabies fly half soon failed a head injury assessment (HIA), ending his involvement in Sydney before half time. The incident will now be considered by World Rugby 's on-duty Independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) on Sunday to determine if Sheehan's action merited sanction. The citing relates to Law 9.20 (a) – a player must not charge into a ruck or maul. 'I haven't watched that back,' Lions head coach Andy Farrell said of the Sheehan clearout. 'There are all sorts of rugby incidents that we can pull apart. I've seen quite a few more incidents as well. We'll always go through the right channels when that's concerned.' Australia boss Joe Schmidt also admitted that he had not seen the Sheehan incident live post-match. 'I've got massive respect for Dan,' he said. 'There's a few things like that that will happen in a really physical contest. 'For us with Tom, he is still a young kid and we'll try to look after him and make sure that he's fully fit on the back of getting that knock. But I had a good chat to him after the game and he's pretty resilient. 'In live, we didn't see [the] incident, and it was probably a little bit later that we got a glimpse of it, and that's all I've seen so far. 'I'd rather not comment on it until I've seen it but there's always a difficulty for a TMO, I guess. He's watching in the main, the TV broadcast and then if he doesn't pick it up there, then he doesn't access the other angles because everything's happening so quickly.' A 22-12 win on a chaotic night at Accor Stadium saw the Wallabies avoid a 3-0 series whitewash and salvage pride.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Andy Farrell backed to lead 2029 New Zealand tour despite Lions missing out on Test sweep in disappointing defeat by Australia
Andy Farrell opened the door to leading the Lions against New Zealand in 2029 despite the disappointing end to this tour of Australia. Farrell's first tour in charge saw the Lions lose the final Test and miss out on a clean sweep but the 50-year-old insisted he will fly home full of pride. He is favourite to lead the team again in four years, with senior players ready to throw their support behind him when the review begins. 'Everyone knows what I think about this concept,' said Farrell, when asked if he wants to lead the next tour. 'I love everything that the Lions is about and I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. 'There's always ups and downs but the inner circle is a special place to be. Read into that what you want but I suppose four years, there's a long time between drinks, isn't there?' The Lions were outmuscled in the final Test in Sydney, which was interrupted by a lightning storm that resulted in a 40-minute delay in the second half. His team were outsmarted in the wet conditions and Farrell said: 'There is going to be frustration there. We wanted to win every game but the best team won on the night. 'I said to the lads it might take one, it might take two beers but they will be unbelievably proud of what they achieved throughout this tour. 'We all know how hard it is to be successful on a Lions tour against a good side like Australia, and they are a good side, they proved that over the series so, when we get a bit of time to ourselves, we will be unbelievably proud of what we have achieved. 'The legacy for us is in that changing room, the togetherness, not just of the players. The whole group has been an absolute delight to work with. 'We have played some outstanding rugby and that has accumulated into a performance last week that was an unbelievably special moment that will stay with us for ever.'
