Wallabies vow no clean sweep by Lions after historic capitulation
Australia lost 29-26 at the MCG, having led 23-5 in the 35th minute.
The 18-point advantage is the biggest margin the Wallabies have let slip in the modern era, according to Fox Sports Stats, surpassing the 17-point leads they held against Argentina last year, and against the All Blacks in 2017.
Historians suggest an Australian side lost to NZ Maori 25-22 in 1922, having led 22-0, which would have been the largest ever lead they've given up, although records and details are scant and couldn't be confirmed.
The Lions have been cocky in their claims of winning the series 3-0 and leaving Australian shores unbeaten for the first time since 1904, yet they're 80 minutes away from achieving that with the third and final Test to be played in Sydney on Saturday.
But Wallabies winger Max Jorgensen is adamant the visitors will not prevail in their quest as the team looks to put aside their disappointment from last Saturday's defeat.
'You're playing a Test match for your country and especially against the Lions, I don't think it's a challenge to get up for, I think it's a very easy thing to get up for,' Jorgensen said.
'The series is gone.
'But we're not going to let them head home with a clean sweep.
'So we've got a massive job on our shoulders for this weekend.'
Australia is ruing their capitulation in Melbourne, well aware that an 18-point lead should never be chased down.
This team is now the sorry owner of two of the biggest leads blown in the professional era.
Last year, they led Argentina 20-3 in Sante Fe, before losing by a record margin to go down 67-27 in the early stages of Joe Schmidt's tenure as Wallabies coach.
In 2017, under coach Michael Cheika, the Wallabies led the All Blacks 17-0 at Forsyth Barr Stadium, before a last-gasp Beauden Barrett try sealed a stunning 35-29 win for New Zealand.
Jorgensen reflected his side's devastation at the loss to the Lions in front of 90,000 fans.
'It's something that you only do really once in your career,' Jorgensen said.
'I was absolutely gutted personally. I know everyone in the team was, and to have to wait another 12 years to have the chance of getting a series win is obviously devastating.
'You look at it and you go, 'What could have been, a decider this weekend'. How different it could have been.
'If we got some things in that game go right, and we improve on our game, it could have been so different. And to see them celebrate, it really does hurt.' Sport
City teams dominated a dramatic junior rugby showdown in Newcastle, with one Country captain playing through a suspected broken nose in a day of thrilling contests. Sport
There were big hits and some hair-raising action – literally – at the 2025 City v Country junior rugby tournament. Check out some of the top shots.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I want to protect my team': Why the Wallabies' wrecking ball is a force of nurture
The same first-half recipe must be the same (and last longer) on Saturday for the Wallabies to win, only this time Valetini won't be there due to injury. Skelton has a job on his massive hands. 'We saw that when we're physical from the off, we can score points, we can play our game,' Skelton says. 'We saw that in the first Test, that first 30, they dictated everything. And then we sort of switched it again, on the weekend [in Melbourne]. It'll be our job out there on Saturday to do the same. 'I just wanted to do my job [at the MCG], that was it. Try and get my hands on the ball, and I focus really hard on my set-piece. I'm very aware that if I do play, I'm not the best jumping option, so things around me change. So I try and make sure that I give as much as I can in other areas of the game. 'I thought I played OK. But I've got really high standards, too. I know I am going to be able to push out longer for the team this weekend as well.' After drawing criticism for not firing up in response to Tom Lynagh getting tackled midair in Brisbane, the Wallabies were far more combative in the second Test. And Skelton was right in the middle of most flare-ups, particularly when taking on Lions captain Maro Itoje. But it wasn't a deliberate focus, he said. 'That's just in the moment, mate,' Skelton says. 'I don't go out there thinking I'm trying to rough someone up. I want to protect my team, but if I'm not doing my job after that, then I shouldn't be doing that at all. 'That's probably what I used to do when I was a bit younger. Try and look for scraps which aren't there, and then I am not thinking about what I've got to do on the field. There is definitely a balance.' But in what many say what his best Test performance, the sight of Skelton at his best at the MCG was a double-edged sword for Wallabies fans. It served to remind how rarely the big man has been seen, in his prime, in a gold jersey across an 11-year Test career. Having departed Australia in 2017 to play in England, and now France, Skelton has just 34 Test caps - and only 16 as a starter. Since he debuted in 2014, Skelton has only played in 25 per cent of the 135 Wallabies Tests that have been staged. Skelton performs a delicate balance between club and country, trying to keep both mostly happy with partial presence. As such, he is likely to return to France and his club side La Rochelle, after the weekend and not carry on and play in The Rugby Championship. 'That's the plan, yeah. So I'll go back, have a few weeks off and then do a small pre-season were before I start again in Top 14,' he says. Skelton clarifies he still has some final discussions to come with Joe Schmidt, but with his small family currently camped up at his parents place in western Sydney, is a return to their home in France is likely, before a possible reunion with the Wallabies for the spring tour. Loading 'Hopefully, if I'm playing well enough,' Skelton says. 'Because they're coming to sort of my neck of the woods, too [the Wallabies play games in France and Italy]. I'm already there and like I said, if the body's right and I'm playing well, if I am in form, and I get picked, I'd love to play. 'I love playing for the Wallabies. It's always refreshing coming back into camp. I learn so much as well from the coaches and from the boys. You always want to be a part of it.' At 33, Skelton feels in great shape. Unlike in the grind of a Top 14 season, where the focus is to be fresh for games, the demands of Wallabies training always shocks Skelton.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
‘I want to protect my team': Why the Wallabies' wrecking ball is a force of nurture
The same first-half recipe must be the same (and last longer) on Saturday for the Wallabies to win, only this time Valetini won't be there due to injury. Skelton has a job on his massive hands. 'We saw that when we're physical from the off, we can score points, we can play our game,' Skelton says. 'We saw that in the first Test, that first 30, they dictated everything. And then we sort of switched it again, on the weekend [in Melbourne]. It'll be our job out there on Saturday to do the same. 'I just wanted to do my job [at the MCG], that was it. Try and get my hands on the ball, and I focus really hard on my set-piece. I'm very aware that if I do play, I'm not the best jumping option, so things around me change. So I try and make sure that I give as much as I can in other areas of the game. 'I thought I played OK. But I've got really high standards, too. I know I am going to be able to push out longer for the team this weekend as well.' After drawing criticism for not firing up in response to Tom Lynagh getting tackled midair in Brisbane, the Wallabies were far more combative in the second Test. And Skelton was right in the middle of most flare-ups, particularly when taking on Lions captain Maro Itoje. But it wasn't a deliberate focus, he said. 'That's just in the moment, mate,' Skelton says. 'I don't go out there thinking I'm trying to rough someone up. I want to protect my team, but if I'm not doing my job after that, then I shouldn't be doing that at all. 'That's probably what I used to do when I was a bit younger. Try and look for scraps which aren't there, and then I am not thinking about what I've got to do on the field. There is definitely a balance.' But in what many say what his best Test performance, the sight of Skelton at his best at the MCG was a double-edged sword for Wallabies fans. It served to remind how rarely the big man has been seen, in his prime, in a gold jersey across an 11-year Test career. Having departed Australia in 2017 to play in England, and now France, Skelton has just 34 Test caps - and only 16 as a starter. Since he debuted in 2014, Skelton has only played in 25 per cent of the 135 Wallabies Tests that have been staged. Skelton performs a delicate balance between club and country, trying to keep both mostly happy with partial presence. As such, he is likely to return to France and his club side La Rochelle, after the weekend and not carry on and play in The Rugby Championship. 'That's the plan, yeah. So I'll go back, have a few weeks off and then do a small pre-season were before I start again in Top 14,' he says. Skelton clarifies he still has some final discussions to come with Joe Schmidt, but with his small family currently camped up at his parents place in western Sydney, is a return to their home in France is likely, before a possible reunion with the Wallabies for the spring tour. Loading 'Hopefully, if I'm playing well enough,' Skelton says. 'Because they're coming to sort of my neck of the woods, too [the Wallabies play games in France and Italy]. I'm already there and like I said, if the body's right and I'm playing well, if I am in form, and I get picked, I'd love to play. 'I love playing for the Wallabies. It's always refreshing coming back into camp. I learn so much as well from the coaches and from the boys. You always want to be a part of it.' At 33, Skelton feels in great shape. Unlike in the grind of a Top 14 season, where the focus is to be fresh for games, the demands of Wallabies training always shocks Skelton.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Rugby League 26 video game developer hits back at criticism from players who 'should know better'
The boss of video game developer Big Ant Studios has hit back at criticism of the newly launched Rugby League 26 game, following high-profile players slamming the release. Some players, including Sydney Roosters prop Millie Elliott and State of Origin star Kennedy Cherrington, have criticised their likeness in the game, while issues with the gameplay and the inability to use players in their real-world positions have also caused backlash. Issues ranged from retired players being highly rated, to stadiums being in the wrong cities, while gameplay was also highlighted on social media. Ross Symons, chief executive of Big Ant Studios, hit back at the criticism of likenesses in Rugby League 26. "The ones that are talking should know better because, frankly, they've made statements that really are reasonably outrageous, because we have gone around the world, even to the north of England, just to scan women in game," he told the ABC. "Eighty per cent of our sponsorship money goes to women's sport. We take it extraordinarily seriously. "We actually travelled to capture NRLW players specifically in captures up to Townsville and everywhere. "They were told, 'Please, please be at the shoot because if you're not at the shoot, you won't look like you'. We were very clear. Symons said Big Ant Studios would be attending the NRLW Magic Round to conduct more facial scans to add to the game. "We have offered to capture as many players who would like to sit in the chair. And sitting in the chair takes 45 seconds," he said. Rugby League 26 was highly anticipated, as it came eight years after the last iteration, Rugby League Live 4. Cherrington described the game as "half-finished", while social media was flooded with gamers reporting glitches and errors. Symons said some of the issues stemmed from a compressed rollout timeline, which required the developers to submit the game for disc printing two months before the launch date. He also said that despite calls from the public, delaying was "not an option we were given" and that online multiplayer feature issues were temporary. "Then the product we want people to have is ready with a day one patch, because things change," he said "Even in sport itself, just the nature of sport where things change, where rosters change, injuries occur, ratings change." Big Ant was also criticised for its inability to manage demand on its servers, which locked players out for hours. Symons said the demand for the game was six times higher than expected, and said it had outsold video game franchise members Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Donkey Kong Bananza. "It is number one by a margin and our servers also had that problem." Despite the backlash about Rugby League 26 from users, the fact there is a game for a code played predominantly in just three countries is noteworthy. A large part of that, and the reason for an eight-year hiatus, was the commercial viability of making a game for a relatively small market. Big Ant Studios was the recipient of the Digital Games Tax Offset (DGTO), introduced in 2023 to encourage local game development studio investment in Australia, which allows companies to claim back 30 per cent of qualified Australian expenditure. This funding model is similar to other schemes designed to encourage local filmmaking, and Symons says this program "allows us to take risks that we otherwise couldn't take". "The world would call the AFL, the same with NRL and to some extent cricket, a niche sport. It's our lifeblood and we love it, but no one else wants to make these sports games. "That's where the DGTO really, really does help, it enables to tell Australian stories and in particular, Australian sport because I don't think Australian sport gets a title if it's not for things like the DGTO because it just becomes not commercially viable." Big Ant Studios also made the AFL and cricket video games, as well as a tennis game based around the Australian Open. The Sydney Roosters were approached for comment but did not respond before publication.
