Wallabies v British & Irish Lions: Winners and losers including Andy Farrell’s ‘fairytale’ finish and its domino effect on Australia
Owen Farrell, Jack Conan and Hugo Keenan celebrate the latter's match-winning try and an inset of dejected Wallabies lock Nick Frost.
Following the British and Irish Lions’ epic 29-26 victory over the Wallabies, which sealed a glorious series triumph, here’s our key winners and losers from Melbourne.
Winners
Andy Farrell
Not since 2013 had the Lions won a series, when they beat the Wallabies 2-1 under Warren Gatland.
But Farrell has led his team to a victory with a Test to spare in his first tour since taking the job.
And what a way to do it with such a dramatic last-minute try from Hugo Keenan, who dived over the line inside the left channel to seal the most famous of wins.
As the Lions players celebrated like wild men at the end of the match, Farrell clenched both his fists in the coach’s box and roared his delight.
With good reason. Farrell called the finish to the game a fairytale.
That felt about right. That feels about right.
It has been a remarkable rise for the former Wigan rugby league star, who was one of the greatest players of his generation in the 13-a-side code.
Since crossing the great divide, first as a player and secondly as a coach, Farrell has proved himself one of the world’s great rugby brains.
There has been much to admire in his work with Ireland – but leading the Lions to a Test series victory as a head coach was his finest hour yet.
Yes, some of his selections have been questioned at times and that is the nature of professional sport.
But the fact that the Lions will head to Sydney for their final Test with a 3-0 whitewash in their sights says everything about Farrell’s undeniable coaching acumen.
The 50-year-old is still relatively young in coaching terms, and his star should continue to rise.
British and Irish Lions storm back to win series with dramatic victory over wonderful Wallabies
Tom Curry
What a player the Sale Sharks flanker is – undeniably world-class – and he showed it again here.
He had already proved his quality with a try and a superb display in the opening Test in Brisbane.
Curry was at it again today in Melbourne, showing impressive skill to touch down in the right corner after good work from Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Conan.
That score came at a crucial time as half-time approached and helped the Lions go in at the break with just a six-point deficit.
15 minutes into the second half, as Joseph Suaalii drove at the heart of the Lions’ defence and threatened a fourth Wallabies try, Curry did brilliantly to tackle the former Sydney Roosters rugby league star.
Curry is the very epitome of what a Lions player should be.
Maro Itoje
Big players come to the fore in big games and Lions skipper Itoje certainly proved his worth – and then some.
The Lions were on the ropes for much of the first half, but Itoje stood tall and never took a backwards step.
He was the player of the match and his efforts proved crucial in the Lions roaring back to win the Test – and the series.
This was the biggest-ever comeback from the Lions in a Test match – they trailed by 18 points at one point – and showed just how strong their collective desire is.
Now they head to Sydney aiming to wrap up a 3-0 series win.
Hugo Keenan
What a fantastic finish from Keenan to win the match – and the series – for the Lions.
As they battered the Wallabies late on, Keenan showed real class to dive over and secure a monumental win for his team.
Dublin-born Keenan, 29, impressed from start to finish at full-back and proved just how good he is.
What a dream moment for Keenan and the rest of his team-mates.
Lions fans who made it to Melbourne
This was Test match rugby at its finest and the huge contingent of Lions fans played their part in an enthralling spectacle at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The atmosphere was unbelievable as the Lions faced a date with destiny at the Colosseum of Australian cricket.
The MCG is a traditional graveyard of English Ashes cricket hopes but the Lions had never played a Test match at the 100,024-capacity sporting mecca in Victoria.
The last English sporting captain to win there was Andrew Strauss nearly 15 years ago.
Itoje had told his side to do what Strauss and his cricketers did and rise to the occasion down under – and that is exactly what they did.
The walkway to the Melbourne Cricket Ground is strewn with reminders of sporting giants.
Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee and Bill Ponsford all have statues on the concourse and history drips from every corner of the famous stadium.
But now Itoje and his team-mates have written their own piece of sporting folklore at this amazing venue.
And how the Lions fans who made up so many of the 90,037 crowd – a record for a Lions Test match – celebrated long into the night.
Losers
Joe Schmidt
This was perhaps Australia’s best performance under Schmidt; full of aggression, grit and desire, and no little skill either.
It was quite a contrast to their disappointing display in last week’s first Test in Brisbane.
Sadly for the Wallabies, despite their huge improvement, it was not enough.
Nevertheless, it was Test match rugby at its finest as the hosts produced a blockbusting first-half display which encouraged hopes of a home victory.
This is a young Wallabies team and half-backs Jake Gordon and Tom Lynagh performed admirably – so much better than last week.
Suaalii also showed why he is rated as one of the greatest talents in world rugby.
But Schmidt’s men could not hold on as Keenan dived over for the late, match-winning try.
Will Skelton and Rob Valetini
Schmidt recalled his premier forward Valetini and 140kg lock Skelton to add much-needed muscle to the home pack – and it showed.
The pair were absolutely outstanding in laying an early platform for the hosts as they won two early penalties, which Lynagh kicked to put Australia 6-0 ahead inside 10 minutes.
It was the carries, aggression and desire of Skelton and Valetini which set the tempo as both made huge metres with some big carries.
They dominated the collision and really took it to the Lions’ pack.
Australia were easily overpowered in the first half of the opening Test in Brisbane last week and this was a sharp contrast.
Valetini started at blindside flanker after overcoming a calf injury in a huge boost for the hosts and he certainly showed his worth.
So too did Skelton, who is 6ft 8in, weighs 23st and wears size 19 boots.
He could not last the distance, being forced off after 47 minutes, but he certainly played his part.
Despite the defeat, both Wallabies forwards played their part in a full-blooded, classic encounter and deserve a mention for Australia’s gallant losers.
Wallabies’ fans and the neutrals
While the spectacle today was nothing short of an epic, the final result means that next week will be nothing more than a dead rubber. It’s the first time since 2003 that the final Test won’t decide the series, and frankly, that’s a real shame.
Australia were great value today, really gave it to the Lions and would have been deserving winners had Keenan been blasted into touch instead of forcing his way over the line.
Rugby Australia
The inability to stop the Irish full-back has an impact beyond just the series, as Rugby Australia continues its fight for the Australian public’s attention. A win today would have turned some heads and driven up the interest from next week, perhaps swaying some league and AFL fans’ eyes.
But it was not to be and guttingly so, with the Rugby World Cup in 2027 fast-approaching. Hosting rugby’s two biggest events means that the coffers will be replenished, but that matters little if they still can’t capture the public’s interest.
Unfortunately, the Aussie public wants winners and today, the Wallabies weren’t that.
Bundee Aki
It will matter little to him at the end of the day as he celebrates a series victory with his British and Irish Lions teammates, but it was a poor day at the office for Bundee Aki.
The midfielder was at fault for two of the Wallabies’ tries and conceded a penalty that led to a further three points. He made a telling carry in the build-up to one of the Lions’ tries, but today he showed his age. Perhaps it was just the effects of a long, long season for the centre or the start of a decline in performance. He ended up going the distance, but if Sione Tuipulotu is fit for the third Test, surely he comes into the starting XV or even Owen Farrell, who impressed off the bench.
Match officials
It’s a tough gig officiating a match of this magnitude in front of over 90,000 fans and many, many more sitting at home with every single decision jeered and cheered depending on the colour tint of the glasses.
On the whole, Andrea Piardi and his team got the big calls correct, and despite the outcries from those Down Under, today’s game wasn’t won or lost by the decisions of the officials.
The Wallabies bossed the gainline in the early exchanges but allowed the Lions a route back into the game with their bench not nearly as effective. Schmidt also made the early call to take off the top performers in his pack, which certainly did not help.
While the officials will do their review tomorrow, today they can go to sleep with the knowledge that a wonderful game of rugby was produced and wasn’t overrun by the whistle, but they will do well to avoid social media.
