Should the Wallabies have been given a penalty or did the Lions score a fair try?
But the Wallabies were adamant the try should not have been awarded, and the hearts of every player, coach, and the 90,307 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground briefly stopped as the television match official (TMO) checked a replay for foul play.
As Lions fans rejoiced when the referee declared the try was fair, the Wallabies were left gutted and believing victory had been unjustly stolen from them.
This is how the second Test between the Wallabies and Lions ended, and this is why it was so controversial.
Needing a win to keep the Test series alive, the Wallabies led at the MCG from the fifth minute, all the way to the 80th minute.
At one point in the first half, the Wallabies held a lead of 18 points, before the Lions began their comeback.
Leading by two points with less than 60 seconds on the clock, the Lions were attacking the Wallabies' goal line.
That's when the ball went wide to fullback Hugo Keenan, who charged over the line for the match-winning try, despite the best efforts of Wallaby centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
But the Wallabies protested to the referee that there was foul play in the build-up, which the officials checked.
With the fate of the Test on the line, the officials needed to decide if a Wallabies player had been the victim of foul play.
The controversial moment came in the ruck prior to Keenan's try.
Lions player James Ryan ran with the ball and was tackled 5 metres from the Wallabies' goal line.
Australian player Carlo Tizzano is the first player at the scene and tries to get his hands on the ball. He is low to the ground, and gets his hands on the ball.
If Tizzano can steal the ball, or if Ryan illegally holds onto it on the ground, the Wallabies will win the game.
Lions player Jac Morgan sprints in to clear Tizzano out of the ruck and retain possession.
Morgan lowers his body, hits Tizzano with his shoulder while wrapping his arms, and clears the Australian away from the ball.
Tizzano reels out of the ruck, clutching the back of his head.
The Lions retained the ball, and it was then passed out wide to Keenan, who scored.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson pleaded with the referee to have a look at the replay for foul play.
The Wallabies argued that Moran's shoulder, in the act of cleaning out, made contact with the back of Tizzano's head.
Wilson, and the Wallabies, argued there was foul play and they should be awarded a penalty, and the Lions' try should be disallowed.
These are the two crucial rules:
So, did the replays show Jac Morgan falling foul of either rule?
The replays showed Morgan driving backwards, wrapping his arms and not rolling, pulling or twisting.
Law 9.20 (d): Not Guilty.
But, his initial contact was around the upper back, and lower neck.
If the officials deemed Morgan had hit Tizzano around the shoulder blades, then that would be below the line of the shoulder.
After around 90 seconds of looking at replays, Italian referee Andrea Piardi decided there was no foul play.
Here is what he said into his microphone, which bellowed around the MCG, and through the televisions, computers and tablets around the world.
"Both of the players arrived at the same time.
"The player [Jac Morgan] is wrapping [his arms]. We don't see any foul play."
Piardi is correct that Morgan was wrapping his arms.
However, to say both players arrived at the same time would not be correct.
Tizzano had his hands on the ball before Morgan made the breakdown. If Piardi was arguing they both lowered themselves into the contest at the same time, that would be wrong.
Crucially, Piardi made no mention of where he thought Morgan had made contact on Tizzano.
If he believes the contact was on the upper back, then the clean-out is legal.
But if the officials believe the point of contact is on the neck, then players joining simultaneously would not excuse Morgan.
Opinions on the referee's decision were split across enemy lines.
Former England captain Martin Johnson thought the refs made the correct decision:
Australia's most capped captain Michael Hooper believes the Wallabies should have been given the penalty:
Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui was furious while commentating for Channel Nine:
Lions player Owen Farrell, who was on the field, believed his team scored a fair try:
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was crestfallen and thought his men were hard done by:
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ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
Australian relay teams win gold on day one of world swimming championships
The Australian swimming team has had an outstanding start to the World Aquatics Championships, winning two gold and a silver to open the competition. Australia's men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relay teams both claimed gold, while Sam Short won silver in the men's 400 metre freestyle. The all-conquering women's 4x100m freestyle relay team won gold ahead the US in second and the Netherlands in third, to extend a major championship winning run that began with a world record set at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast. The Australian men's team followed up just minutes later with a stunning come-from-behind win anchored by veteran Kyle Chalmers to set a championship record of 3:08.07 ahead of Italy, with the US favourites in third. Chalmers dived in with Australia in third place after earlier legs by Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor and Maximilliam Giuliani, but stormed home in 46.53 seconds to secure the victory. "It's so good to be part of a relay team that's so young and hungry and eager to have success in LA like I am," Chalmers said. "We've won bronze, bronze, silver, I really desperately want to win a gold medal in a few years' time." Southam said the goal for himself, Taylor and Giuliani "was just to give Kyle a punter's hope". "And we all did our job extraordinarily well, but we came together and represented the country, so there's no greater honour, I think, and to do it in a relay is so much more special than an individual event," Southam said. Giuliani said the result, on the first day of the swimming competition in Singapore, was "unbelievable". "We spoke about it the first day we came together on staging … and to deliver on that in great fashion — I mean championship record [and] we weren't too far off the world record," he said. "I think we've got a whole lot of potential in this team." The women's race was equally dramatic. Mollie O'Callaghan led out and established a lead by the first change, which was extended in the following two legs swum by Meg Harris and Milla Jansen. In the final leg, Olivia Wunsch was chased down by Olympic relay gold medallist Torri Huske, who turned at the 350m mark in first place. But Wunsch turned on the afterburners to reclaim first place, touching the wall in 3:30.6 seconds. "I just wanted to power home and give it all I had and it's really exciting to be able to stand up with a gold medal today," Wunsch said. "I love racing, and I love anchoring a relay so that was really exciting. O'Callaghan said the team was "very nervous leading up to this". "I thought I've just got to try my best for these three girls and especially the girls in the heat," she said. "It's nice to know that we have a strong set-up for LA and Brisbane and, yeah, I'm very confident in these girls and it's going to be a great week." The US team had been rocked by a case of gastroenteritis that has gone through the team after a staging camp in Thailand. Just minutes before the final, multiple Olympic relay gold medallist, Gretchen Walsh pulled out of the team. But Huske said the team wasn't making excuses. "I don't want to speak to how much it's affected us necessarily," she said. "We've done a really good job in staying resilient." Earlier in the night, Sam Short fell agonisingly short of a gold medal, losing by just 0.02 seconds to German world record holder Lukas Martens. Short's time of 3:42.37 was 0.3 seconds slower than the time he swam in the morning's heats. But rather than express disappointment, Short said he was pleased to be back on a world championship podium after previously taking gold at the 2023 championships in Fukuoka. "So happy to be back on the podium," he said. "It was a pleasure to race the Olympic champion, world record holder and now world champion, so I knew he was going to be a tough opponent. "I'm really proud of how hard I pushed myself and you know, .02, it's not the end of the world, silver medal, I get to get back on the podium and long meet to come." He said the result was some consolation after a disappointing campaign at the Paris Olympic Games, where he was a chance to win the gold medal in the 400m freestyle but narrowly missed bronze in the final. He then missed the finals of the 800m and 1500m and dubbed his Olympic Games "a failure". As to why he swam slower in the evening than his morning time, which would have won gold, he said in hindsight he could have gone slower in his heat swim. "I felt comfortable this morning, I actually felt I could have gone 3:40 this morning," he said. "So, you know just a high-pressure environment, backing that up, small turnaround and also a great field as well. "When I was with him with 100 to go, I knew it was going to be a dogfight — he's a pretty good level, he's the world record holder. "I knew I wasn't going to be pulling away and I was hurting as well. "I've got a good finish on me, and it wasn't quite good enough today." Short still has swims in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay. In the women's 400m freestyle final, Lani Pallister was in second until the 250m mark, but faded to finish fourth behind world record holder Summer McIntosh. China's Bingjie Li was second, with US veteran Katie Ledecky in third. McIntosh's campaign to claim five individual gold medals at a world championships is on track and while her time of 3:56.26 is more than two seconds slower than the world record she set earlier this year, it was still two seconds faster than Li. Pallister's time of 3:58.87 was a personal best. "I think fourth is a bit shit, but if it's fourth and a PB you can't really ask for more," Pallister said. Pallister said a young girl from Singapore had given her a pin with a picture of her when she was five. She said she was looking at the pin as she made her way into the pool on Sunday night. "That little girl would think that I was like the coolest person in the world, to be standing in that final, let alone being fourth," she said. Another Australian, Pallister's lifelong friend Jamie Perkins, was sixth in a personal best time of 4:03.2. Perkins said she was "pretty disappointed", despite the personal best time, but said she was learning. "I'm still young, so see what we get moving forward," Perkins said.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Green helps Aussies put on a Big Show for 4-0 T20 lead
Glenn Maxwell lived up to his Big Show nickname and Cameron Green and Josh Inglis continued their hot form, as Australia swept to a 4-0 lead in the T20I cricket series against West Indies in St Kitts. Chasing the home team's 9-205, Australia reached their target with three wickets and four balls to spare. They looked to be cruising at 2-129 at the halfway stage, after taking 21 off the 10th over, but lost 3-5. Green (55 not out off 35 balls) and the recalled Aaron Hardie (23 off 16) added 61, and the loss of two late wickets wasn't significant. Green, who scored his third half-century of the series, Inglis (51 off 30) and Maxwell (47 off 18) produced the batting fireworks. Maxwell, named man of the match, thrashed six sixes, including a trademark helicopter flick and a one-handed swipe over long-on. The Australian catching was exceptional, with Maxwell going low and leaping high to take two excellent efforts at mid-off in the powerplay, and Mitchell Owen taking a diving snare at deep backward point. Maxwell's excellent athleticism shone again late in the innings, when he took a high catch at long-on, and before falling over the boundary line he flicked the ball back to Green to complete the dismissal. "I put a lot of emphasis on my fielding, I think it's one of the things I've always held a high regard for," Maxwell told broadcaster ESPN. The West Indies innings was full of brief explosive batting cameos, with Sherfane Rutherford (31 off 15), Romario Shepherd (28 off 18), Rovman Powell (28 off 22) and Jason Holder (26 off 16) unable to push on. Wickets fell at regular intervals, but the home side maintained a strong run rate, smashing 21 fours and 12 sixes. Nathan Ellis (0-21 off four overs) and Hardie (2-24 off four) both bowled tidily on a small ground with short boundaries. Xavier Bartlett finished with 2-39 off his four overs. Paceman Sean Abbott (2-61 off 4) and legspinner Adam Zampa (3-54 off four) bore the brunt of the assault. Captain Mitchell Marsh was given out lbw for a second-ball duck, though technology showed he erred in not reviewing the decision, because the ball pitched outside leg stump. Inglis, who scored 78 not out in the second game, smashed the ball all around the ground. He added a six to 10 fours, one of which was an audacious reverse pull. Maxwell was largely a spectator in the first five overs, facing just three balls and scoring only one of Australia's first 49 runs off the bat, while Inglis tore into the West Indies bowlers. Inglis's pyrotechnics came to an end one ball after the powerplay when he hit a full toss to deep backward square leg. Maxwell was out first ball after the mid-innings break, swatting the ball to long-on, and Owen and Cooper Connolly fell cheaply to catches off left-arm quick Jediah Blades (3-29 off four). West Indies dropped three catches and bowled 16 wides as they extended their record for the most unsuccessful T20I defences of scores of over 200 to seven times. Captain Shai Hope rated their fielding across the seven tour matches, including three Tests, as "sub par". Australia can compete an eight-match winning sweep of the tour by taking out the final T20I in St Kitts on Tuesday. Glenn Maxwell lived up to his Big Show nickname and Cameron Green and Josh Inglis continued their hot form, as Australia swept to a 4-0 lead in the T20I cricket series against West Indies in St Kitts. Chasing the home team's 9-205, Australia reached their target with three wickets and four balls to spare. They looked to be cruising at 2-129 at the halfway stage, after taking 21 off the 10th over, but lost 3-5. Green (55 not out off 35 balls) and the recalled Aaron Hardie (23 off 16) added 61, and the loss of two late wickets wasn't significant. Green, who scored his third half-century of the series, Inglis (51 off 30) and Maxwell (47 off 18) produced the batting fireworks. Maxwell, named man of the match, thrashed six sixes, including a trademark helicopter flick and a one-handed swipe over long-on. The Australian catching was exceptional, with Maxwell going low and leaping high to take two excellent efforts at mid-off in the powerplay, and Mitchell Owen taking a diving snare at deep backward point. Maxwell's excellent athleticism shone again late in the innings, when he took a high catch at long-on, and before falling over the boundary line he flicked the ball back to Green to complete the dismissal. "I put a lot of emphasis on my fielding, I think it's one of the things I've always held a high regard for," Maxwell told broadcaster ESPN. The West Indies innings was full of brief explosive batting cameos, with Sherfane Rutherford (31 off 15), Romario Shepherd (28 off 18), Rovman Powell (28 off 22) and Jason Holder (26 off 16) unable to push on. Wickets fell at regular intervals, but the home side maintained a strong run rate, smashing 21 fours and 12 sixes. Nathan Ellis (0-21 off four overs) and Hardie (2-24 off four) both bowled tidily on a small ground with short boundaries. Xavier Bartlett finished with 2-39 off his four overs. Paceman Sean Abbott (2-61 off 4) and legspinner Adam Zampa (3-54 off four) bore the brunt of the assault. Captain Mitchell Marsh was given out lbw for a second-ball duck, though technology showed he erred in not reviewing the decision, because the ball pitched outside leg stump. Inglis, who scored 78 not out in the second game, smashed the ball all around the ground. He added a six to 10 fours, one of which was an audacious reverse pull. Maxwell was largely a spectator in the first five overs, facing just three balls and scoring only one of Australia's first 49 runs off the bat, while Inglis tore into the West Indies bowlers. Inglis's pyrotechnics came to an end one ball after the powerplay when he hit a full toss to deep backward square leg. Maxwell was out first ball after the mid-innings break, swatting the ball to long-on, and Owen and Cooper Connolly fell cheaply to catches off left-arm quick Jediah Blades (3-29 off four). West Indies dropped three catches and bowled 16 wides as they extended their record for the most unsuccessful T20I defences of scores of over 200 to seven times. Captain Shai Hope rated their fielding across the seven tour matches, including three Tests, as "sub par". Australia can compete an eight-match winning sweep of the tour by taking out the final T20I in St Kitts on Tuesday. Glenn Maxwell lived up to his Big Show nickname and Cameron Green and Josh Inglis continued their hot form, as Australia swept to a 4-0 lead in the T20I cricket series against West Indies in St Kitts. Chasing the home team's 9-205, Australia reached their target with three wickets and four balls to spare. They looked to be cruising at 2-129 at the halfway stage, after taking 21 off the 10th over, but lost 3-5. Green (55 not out off 35 balls) and the recalled Aaron Hardie (23 off 16) added 61, and the loss of two late wickets wasn't significant. Green, who scored his third half-century of the series, Inglis (51 off 30) and Maxwell (47 off 18) produced the batting fireworks. Maxwell, named man of the match, thrashed six sixes, including a trademark helicopter flick and a one-handed swipe over long-on. The Australian catching was exceptional, with Maxwell going low and leaping high to take two excellent efforts at mid-off in the powerplay, and Mitchell Owen taking a diving snare at deep backward point. Maxwell's excellent athleticism shone again late in the innings, when he took a high catch at long-on, and before falling over the boundary line he flicked the ball back to Green to complete the dismissal. "I put a lot of emphasis on my fielding, I think it's one of the things I've always held a high regard for," Maxwell told broadcaster ESPN. The West Indies innings was full of brief explosive batting cameos, with Sherfane Rutherford (31 off 15), Romario Shepherd (28 off 18), Rovman Powell (28 off 22) and Jason Holder (26 off 16) unable to push on. Wickets fell at regular intervals, but the home side maintained a strong run rate, smashing 21 fours and 12 sixes. Nathan Ellis (0-21 off four overs) and Hardie (2-24 off four) both bowled tidily on a small ground with short boundaries. Xavier Bartlett finished with 2-39 off his four overs. Paceman Sean Abbott (2-61 off 4) and legspinner Adam Zampa (3-54 off four) bore the brunt of the assault. Captain Mitchell Marsh was given out lbw for a second-ball duck, though technology showed he erred in not reviewing the decision, because the ball pitched outside leg stump. Inglis, who scored 78 not out in the second game, smashed the ball all around the ground. He added a six to 10 fours, one of which was an audacious reverse pull. Maxwell was largely a spectator in the first five overs, facing just three balls and scoring only one of Australia's first 49 runs off the bat, while Inglis tore into the West Indies bowlers. Inglis's pyrotechnics came to an end one ball after the powerplay when he hit a full toss to deep backward square leg. Maxwell was out first ball after the mid-innings break, swatting the ball to long-on, and Owen and Cooper Connolly fell cheaply to catches off left-arm quick Jediah Blades (3-29 off four). West Indies dropped three catches and bowled 16 wides as they extended their record for the most unsuccessful T20I defences of scores of over 200 to seven times. Captain Shai Hope rated their fielding across the seven tour matches, including three Tests, as "sub par". Australia can compete an eight-match winning sweep of the tour by taking out the final T20I in St Kitts on Tuesday.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Giants' double injury blow as AFL finals race heats up
GWS have suffered a double-blow in their AFL finals bid after key pair Josh Kelly and Jack Buckley were ruled out for the rest of the home-and-away season through injuries. Kelly was substituted out of the Giants' 44-point win over Sydney on Friday night and scans have since confirmed a calf strain. The 30-year-old midfielder was also managed earlier this month with a hip issue. Tall defender Buckley also has a calf strain out of the Sydney derby and faces multiple weeks on the sidelines. The pair are among three big names to miss the Giants' huge clash with the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night, with captain Toby Greene suspended. GWS (13-6) sit sixth, two wins clear of the ninth-placed Dogs (11-8) but with an inferior percentage. Meanwhile, Collingwood are hopeful midfielder Lachie Sullivan has avoided serious damage with a posterior cruciate ligament injury that could end his season. Sullivan was subbed out of the Magpies' 36-point win over Richmond on Sunday, while Scott Pendlebury was a late withdrawal because of soreness. Pendlebury is expected to be fit to face Brisbane in an MCG blockbuster on Saturday night, but Sullivan may not feature again in the Pies' premiership push. "It's a PCL. Scans will determine how long," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said of Pendlebury's injury. "We'll just wait and see on that before making too many comments around it. "But unfortunately for the young lad he had an impact into the ground which caused the PCL (injury)." Richmond expect star midfielder Tim Taranto will be fit in round 21 after he was a late withdrawal against Collingwood with a calf injury. St Kilda youngster Lance Collard faces a stint on the sidelines after he was subbed out of the epic six-point comeback win over Melbourne on Sunday with a foot injury and ended the day on crutches. West Coast young gun Harley Reid will be hoping for a positive outcome from his scans on an injured right ankle, amid fears of a syndesmosis injury. Reid was helped off the field by two trainers in the dying stages of the Eagles' 49-point loss to Fremantle on Saturday. "I just chatted to him - he's hurt his ankle," West Coast coach Andrew McQualter said post-match. "I probably don't have much more information than that. "You can see Harley put no weight on it as he was coming off, and then he was able to walk off. "We'll go away, scan it and see." GWS have suffered a double-blow in their AFL finals bid after key pair Josh Kelly and Jack Buckley were ruled out for the rest of the home-and-away season through injuries. Kelly was substituted out of the Giants' 44-point win over Sydney on Friday night and scans have since confirmed a calf strain. The 30-year-old midfielder was also managed earlier this month with a hip issue. Tall defender Buckley also has a calf strain out of the Sydney derby and faces multiple weeks on the sidelines. The pair are among three big names to miss the Giants' huge clash with the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night, with captain Toby Greene suspended. GWS (13-6) sit sixth, two wins clear of the ninth-placed Dogs (11-8) but with an inferior percentage. Meanwhile, Collingwood are hopeful midfielder Lachie Sullivan has avoided serious damage with a posterior cruciate ligament injury that could end his season. Sullivan was subbed out of the Magpies' 36-point win over Richmond on Sunday, while Scott Pendlebury was a late withdrawal because of soreness. Pendlebury is expected to be fit to face Brisbane in an MCG blockbuster on Saturday night, but Sullivan may not feature again in the Pies' premiership push. "It's a PCL. Scans will determine how long," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said of Pendlebury's injury. "We'll just wait and see on that before making too many comments around it. "But unfortunately for the young lad he had an impact into the ground which caused the PCL (injury)." Richmond expect star midfielder Tim Taranto will be fit in round 21 after he was a late withdrawal against Collingwood with a calf injury. St Kilda youngster Lance Collard faces a stint on the sidelines after he was subbed out of the epic six-point comeback win over Melbourne on Sunday with a foot injury and ended the day on crutches. West Coast young gun Harley Reid will be hoping for a positive outcome from his scans on an injured right ankle, amid fears of a syndesmosis injury. Reid was helped off the field by two trainers in the dying stages of the Eagles' 49-point loss to Fremantle on Saturday. "I just chatted to him - he's hurt his ankle," West Coast coach Andrew McQualter said post-match. "I probably don't have much more information than that. "You can see Harley put no weight on it as he was coming off, and then he was able to walk off. "We'll go away, scan it and see." GWS have suffered a double-blow in their AFL finals bid after key pair Josh Kelly and Jack Buckley were ruled out for the rest of the home-and-away season through injuries. Kelly was substituted out of the Giants' 44-point win over Sydney on Friday night and scans have since confirmed a calf strain. The 30-year-old midfielder was also managed earlier this month with a hip issue. Tall defender Buckley also has a calf strain out of the Sydney derby and faces multiple weeks on the sidelines. The pair are among three big names to miss the Giants' huge clash with the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night, with captain Toby Greene suspended. GWS (13-6) sit sixth, two wins clear of the ninth-placed Dogs (11-8) but with an inferior percentage. Meanwhile, Collingwood are hopeful midfielder Lachie Sullivan has avoided serious damage with a posterior cruciate ligament injury that could end his season. Sullivan was subbed out of the Magpies' 36-point win over Richmond on Sunday, while Scott Pendlebury was a late withdrawal because of soreness. Pendlebury is expected to be fit to face Brisbane in an MCG blockbuster on Saturday night, but Sullivan may not feature again in the Pies' premiership push. "It's a PCL. Scans will determine how long," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said of Pendlebury's injury. "We'll just wait and see on that before making too many comments around it. "But unfortunately for the young lad he had an impact into the ground which caused the PCL (injury)." Richmond expect star midfielder Tim Taranto will be fit in round 21 after he was a late withdrawal against Collingwood with a calf injury. St Kilda youngster Lance Collard faces a stint on the sidelines after he was subbed out of the epic six-point comeback win over Melbourne on Sunday with a foot injury and ended the day on crutches. West Coast young gun Harley Reid will be hoping for a positive outcome from his scans on an injured right ankle, amid fears of a syndesmosis injury. Reid was helped off the field by two trainers in the dying stages of the Eagles' 49-point loss to Fremantle on Saturday. "I just chatted to him - he's hurt his ankle," West Coast coach Andrew McQualter said post-match. "I probably don't have much more information than that. "You can see Harley put no weight on it as he was coming off, and then he was able to walk off. "We'll go away, scan it and see."
