Quade Cooper says Wallabies lost Test against Lions long before controversial Jac Morgan clean-out ruling

The final-minute shemozzle, in which a controversial clean-out by Jac Morgan on Wallaby Carlo Tizzano went uncalled, dominated headlines. But this is when the Wallabies really lost the Lions Test.

There’s been a lot of noise about the final-minute clean-out by Jac Morgan on Carlo Tizzano – and fair enough.

It was a high-stakes moment in a high-stakes Test. But if we’re honest with ourselves, the game never should’ve come down to that one call.

Rugby’s not a sport defined by a single play, no matter how dramatic.

It’s the accumulation of moments, decisions, and execution – and the truth is, we let this one slip long before the referee kept his whistle in his pocket.

Carlo Tizzano receives medical attention after the controversial contest in the final moments of the second test. Picture: Getty Images

For me, the real turning point came around the 65th minute. We had a strong scrum and launched a promising attack, made good metres, but instead of keeping the pressure on and continuing to play with that same tempo, we shifted into a piston-style attack – a more structured, conservative pattern used to close out games and then opted for a box kick – not a great one, but ironically, it bounced our way.

We regathered and immediately followed it up with a much better kick, pinning the Lions just inside their 22 metre line. It was a brilliant pressure play, forcing a long, scrambling exit. And that’s when Tom Wright – my man of the match – sparked a deep attack.

He tore into them on the counter from deep, where Max Jorgensen hit a nice kick to pin them five meters from their line and now suddenly we were holding all the cards – territory, momentum, pressure.

A clean lineout gave us a golden opportunity to reload, and we went right back at them.

But instead of continuing to play the kind of expansive, pressure-driven rugby that had worked for us, we shifted into a piston-style attack – a structure typically used to close out games again.

The issue was, there was still plenty of rugby left to play. That switch in mindset – from chasing the game to trying to shut it down – told a bigger story.

Skipper Harry Wilson and Jake Gordon react after losing the second test in Melbourne. Picture: AP Photo

We weren’t out of energy or out of ideas; we just started playing as though the clock was against us, when it really wasn’t. And that’s when we handed possession straight back.

From there, the Lions flipped the field with a scrum penalty, kicked to the corner, and launched an attack that had us retreating on our own line.

We managed to force a penalty, but then turned it over again at the lineout.

At that moment, I looked up and wished it was the 79th minute, not the 71st. Because everything about our energy and approach said we were trying to close the game, not win it outright.

And that’s the part that still stings.

Now imagine having Taniela Tupou’s explosive power and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto’s physical presence at that point.

Rob Valetini made a big difference for the Wallabies, despite the limited minutes. Picture: Getty Images

When you take off a player like Rob Valetini, you need to replace him with punch. That was the time to bring on firepower. We had the Lions pinned deep, and the most important scrum of the match was brewing – it cried out for Tupou.

As for that final-minute moment – the non-penalty – yes, it was significant. Yes, we wanted the call. And yes, it could’ve changed everything.

But we can’t hang the entire game on it. They reviewed it, made their decision, and play went on.

And before we point fingers at that, let’s remember both kickers missed relatively straightforward attempts earlier in the match.

If either of those had gone over, we’d be having a very different conversation. But that’s Test footy – full of sliding doors and “what if” moments.

What shouldn’t be lost in all of this is how well we played for the first 50 minutes. Some of our best rugby in recent years. We dictated the game: clean ball movement, excellent tactical kicking – like the 50-22 from Wright – and total control of field position and possession.

We held 65 per cent possession and 63 per cent territory in that first half. Everything we talked about pre-game was being executed.

Tom Curry dives over to score the Lions’ second try. Picture: Getty Images

But the Lions were more clinical.

They had seven entries into our 22 and scored five tries. That’s brutal efficiency.

We had five entries and scored three – and one of those was from outside the 22. So while we were working harder and playing more rugby, they were converting pressure into points with far less effort.

As the game wore on, that imbalance started to show. Possession evened out to 50-50, and territory swung 53-47 in their favour.

In the final 10 minutes, they held 80 per cent of the ball.

That’s when your bench needs to shift the momentum, and ours didn’t match theirs.

Losing Valetini, Allan Alaalatoa, and James Slipper at halftime, then Will Skelton by the 50th minute, drained us of impact. And we didn’t have the punch to replace it.

Which makes some of the bench decisions puzzling. No Tupou? That’s wild.

And with Harry Potter injured, we had Tate McDermott covering wing.

Maro Itoje and his Lions teammates celebrate the series victory. Picture: Getty Images

I thought we might see Wright pushed wide and Ben Donaldson slotted in at fullback – especially with how much kicking was happening.

But Donaldson never got on. He’s the kind of player who can crack open a tired defence, and that’s exactly what we needed late.

So yes, people will keep talking about that non-call at the end.

But the real story is in the mindset shift. We stopped playing to win and started playing not to lose.

It was a brilliant Test match – better than the first – and we were in control for long stretches. But we didn’t capitalise when it mattered.

That’s how we let it slip.

Originally published as Quade Cooper says Wallabies lost Test against Lions long before controversial Jac Morgan clean-out ruling