British and Irish Lions seal series against Wallabies with 29-26 win at MCG

The British & Irish Lions have broken Australian hearts in the final minute at the MCG, with the final try shrouded in controversy.

A controversial 80th-minute try has handed the British & Irish Lions the series against a gallant Wallabies side.

The Lions came back from 23-5 down to claim a thrilling 29-26 victory at the MCG.

But the winning try by fullback Hugo Keenan will be debated for years to come, after Jac Morgan’s cleanout of Carlo Tizzano – which led to the Aussie reeling backwards clutching his head – cleared by referee Andrea Piardi and television match official Eric Gauzens, who ruled there was no head contact.

“I’m probably not in the right emotion to speak about that,” Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson said of his discussions with the referee about the incident.

”So proud of this team. Written off . We came out here, we put the body on the line. And to lose like that.”

Predictably, former England World Cup winning skipper Martin Johnson claimed after the match the referee’s call was correct and the Lions didn’t deserve to have their victory taken away by a collision that happens “in every ruck”.

“I didn’t think there was enough there for a penalty to change the game,” Johnson said.

“I think you have to be very, very sure to change the game.

“I thought it wasn’t a penalty.”

Former Wallabies star Michael Hooper was adamant the referee failed to uphold the most basic rule of protecting the head of a player.

“That’s a penalty, that was deserved to be awarded,” Hooper said.

“Whether it’s minute one or minute 79, if you’re judging or refereeing by the letter of the law.”

The last-gasp win capped a heart-racing match in front of 90,307 fans, a new record attendance for an Australia vs Lions match.

But Australia will rue their inability to put the Lions away after holding such a big lead.

The Wallabies led 23-17 at the break, but were 23-5 up with just five minutes left in the first half.

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Two late tries to the Lions ensured the second stanza was set up for a comeback.

Returning backrower Rob Valetini was sublime in the first half, putting Australia on the front foot with his surging carries. But it was to be only a 40-minute cameo in his home town.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt made the triple change at the break, replacing Valetini with Langi Gleeson, and both starting props, James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa, with Angus Bell and Tom Robertson.

Tom Lynagh pushed Australia further ahead with a 54th minute, putting the hosts 26-17 up.

In the 55th minute, when Andy Farrell made a host of changes and brought on Morgan, the Welshman received the biggest cheer of the evening as the sole representative from his nation.

By the 60th the Lions had scored their fourth try, following a midfield burst by Bundee Aki. The ball shifted wide, and winger James Lowe fended off Len Ikitau before flicking a one-handed pass to Tadhg Beirne and the big backrower crashed over. Russell’s conversion made it 26-24.

Owen Farrell was then introduced into the contest.

A turnover penalty by skipper and man-of-the-match Maro Itjoe put the Lions deep into Australia’s territory, but just as they looked to score Tizzano produced a brilliant turnover penalty of his own.

The Lions kept hammering away and finally nailed the win with a backline spread that found Keenan free out wide, sealing a 2-0 series win heading to Sydney for the third and final Test.

“It’s well and truly not about me. It’s about the team,” Itoje said.

“We showed grit and determination. I’m just so proud of the whole squad.

“That was a team effort. The bench came on and one won the game for us.

“This is special. This is going to live long in the memory.”

It was an absorbing opening half, with Australia leading 6-5 before they unleashed a magical barrage.

Disaster had struck for the Wallabies just 20 minutes in, when winger Harry Potter was forced off with a leg injury. Replacement halfback Tate McDermott was brought on as cover on the wing.

But just three minutes later, they scored their first try through their most capped player, James Slipper, who barged through Jack Conan and Finn Russell from close range after a sustained raid on the Lions’ line.

Piardi had already warned the Lions about numerous infringements, and after the try sent winger Tommy Freeman to the sin-bin for offside.

With 90 per cent of possession with the one-man advantage, Australia lit up the MCG with a scintillating display of attacking rugby.

First, halfback Jake Gordon sliced through the Lions defence after 17 phases in their quarter.

Then from kick off, Suaalii made a clean break after stepping inside Bundee Aki, then unleashing Tom Wright outside for a brilliant try.

The 18-point lead had Australia in complete control, but the Lions forced their way back.

Flanker Tom Curry finished a play out wide, after smart work from halfback Jamison Gibson-Park opened up space. His ball to Conan was quickly passed on to Curry, who stepped inside Gordon for the try in the 35th minute.

They were over again in the 38th, this time a soft effort by the Aussie defence allowing centre Huw Jones to power through the tackles of Max Jorgensen and McDermott to touch down.

Australia had taken an early lead through a Lynagh penalty for offside in the fifth minute, then extended to 6-0 by the 11th for a breakdown infringement.

The Wallabies’ first scrum was pushed backwards in the 13th minute, leading to a Lions penalty in which they claimed a try to Conan.

But the Irishman had clearly knocked on as he went for the line in a Slipper tackle.

Piardi gave the Lions a penalty for offside, and from a quick tap Dan Sheehan burst over through soft goal line defence.

Originally published as British and Irish Lions seal series against Wallabies with 29-26 win at MCG