Nothing much in rugby tastes sweeter than victory in a British & Irish Lions series. It is the rarity value that makes it extra special and, before kick-off, just one touring side since 1997 had enjoyed the ultimate buzz. Hence the massed roars of pent-up joy and relief at the final whistle when Maro Itoje’s squad officially secured their lofty status in Lions history.
While there is still one last Test to be played, in Sydney next Saturday, the Lions hold an unassailable 2-0 lead and can for ever bask in a collective golden glow. But those bare facts do not remotely tell the full story of a memorable contest in front of a record crowd for a Lions Test of just over 90,000, mostly red-clad, spectators.
At one stage the Lions were trailing 23-5, stunned by three Wallaby tries inside nine minutes. For a moment they resembled tourists caught in a rip tide with the safety of the beach fast receding as Australia, almost unrecognisable from the previous week, pounded relentlessly away at them and exposed previously unseen frailties.
Shaken and very much stirred, the Lions responded with a try double of their own through Tom Curry and Huw Jones and, just before the hour mark, Tadhg Beirne scored his team’s fourth and Finn Russell slotted the conversion to drag the scoreline back to 26-24.
It was now simply a case of who could land the killer blow. The answer was Hugo Keenan, the unassuming Ireland full-back who sent the red sections of the crowd wild with delight by diving over in the 79th minute, the try being upheld after a check on a clear-out by Jac Morgan on Carlo Tizzano. With nerves on both sides seriously jangling, the Italian referee, Andrea Piardi, decided there was insufficient reason not to award the try.
In some ways it was tough on the Wallabies, who had given absolutely everything. But they could not quite sustain the best of themselves and, tellingly, the Lions won the contest’s final hour 24-3 and ended up scoring five tries. It is 28 years since the Lions last won the first two Tests of a series, while they have won all eight of their matches on Australian soil.
Not everyone seemed to be feeling the tension before kick-off. Even with AC/DC blasting out at full volume and the massive stadium fizzing, Russell could be seen nonchalantly juggling the ball as if he were about to kick off a charity sevens tournament. But the Wallabies, despite being delayed by heavy traffic en route to the stadium, were also looking much more eager in Brisbane and were quickly 6-0 up courtesy of two Tom Lynagh penalties.
A response was urgently needed and after Jack Conan had spilt one potential try-scoring opportunity as he drove for the line his Ireland team-mate Dan Sheehan rectified that omission by blasting over directly from a quick tapped penalty. Russell’s conversion hit the upright, but the Lions seemed to have weathered the early storm.
Not so, it swiftly emerged. With theLions conceding penalties the Wallabies had the field position and possession they had lacked the previous week, plus the extra ballast to make it pay. The Lions were losing some crucial collisions and it was not the biggest surprise when James Slipper rumbled over from close range after a prolonged spell of pressure.
Australia Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Potter (McDermott 19); Lynagh, Gordon; Slipper (Bell 41), Porecki (Pollard 56), Alaalatoa (Robertson 41), Frost, Skelton (Williams 47), Valetini (Gleeson 41), McReight (Tizzano 60), Wilson (capt). Tries Slipper, Gordon, Wright Cons Lynagh Pens Lynagh 3.
British & Irish Lions Keenan; Freeman, Jones (Kinghorn 60), Aki, Lowe (Farrell 60); Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter (Genge 54), Sheehan (Kelleher 64), Furlong (Stuart 64), Itoje (capt), Chessum (Ryan 54), Beirne, Curry (Morgan 54), Conan. Tries Sheehan, Curry, Jones, Beirne, Keenan Cons Russell 2 Sin-bin Freeman 23.
Referee Andrea Piardi (Italy)
To compound the damage the Lions also lost Tommy Freeman to the sin bin and the Wallabies took ruthless advantage. First, Jake Gordon cleverly accelerated past a flat-footed defence for a cracking score, before the hosts’ gifted backline orchestra combined brilliantly three minutes later to send the athletic Tom Wright galloping clear for his side’s third try.
In cricket parlance, the ball was suddenly disappearing to the boundary with ominous regularity, even with Tate McDermott pressed into emergency service on the wing after a hamstring injury to Harry Potter. Having been restored to 15, however, the Lions were suddenly roused. Jamison Gibson-Park and Conan worked an ecstatic Curry over in the right corner before Keenan’s deft little pass released Jones to score a couple of minutes before half-time.
Now it was 23-17 and anyone’s game. The Wallabies, who had enjoyed 62% possession in the opening 40 minutes, responded by making three changes with the powerful Rob Valetini and both starting props all exiting stage left. The drama, though, was only just beginning.
Another Lynagh penalty stretched Australia’s lead and only a brave tackle from Curry prevented Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii from breaking clear with the visiting defence splintering. The Lions summoned their own replacements, with Wales’s Morgan being given a particularly loud welcome, and rolled up their sleeves once more on a still Victorian evening.
They were rewarded just before the hour when a scything midfield break from Bundee Aki supplied crucial momentum and James Lowe slipped a killer pass to Beirne, who scored in the corner. Russell nailed the tricky conversion to make it a two-point ballgame and propel the contest towards Keenan’s dramatic final act.
Regardless of the final outcome, however, the closeness of the contest made it a significant day for Australian rugby. The next Lions series here is due to take place in 2037, but there are siren voices advocating a series in France instead. Cheaper for younger fans – the average age of the biggest official Lions tour group followers is 57 – and potentially more consistently competitive.
Then again, Lions tours are supposed to be odysseys to locations slightly further south than Paris and Marseille. Right now, though, the Lions would happily play the Wallabies every week. This game was a breathless advert for retaining the status quo.
