The conditions were savagely difficult, from the free-scoring wonder of Melbourne to a serious scrap in Sydney. Every inch was hard won, every collision brutal. The rain might have been a great leveller if it hadn’t been for the demonic intensity of the Wallabies.
Will Skelton typified it. While he’s been on the field in this series, the Lions have had no answer to him. How different things might have been deemed fit enough to play in the first Test in Brisbane. He was close.
Taniela Tupou was playing for the first time in this series and the prop was immense. They lost the series last week but if their spirit was broken by that late drama in Melbourne then nobody told the Wallabies. In the deluge, there was a battle and the hosts won it hands-down in a total grind of an opening half.
They scored after just five minutes when a Tom Wright grubber was carried over his own line by Hugo Keenan. Scrum, Australia. Phases, Australia. Try, Australia.
Joseph Suaalii’s work to hold the Lions defence – Freeman was caught in no-man’s land – before offloading to Pietsch was outstanding, the winger’s acrobatic finish quite brilliant in the conditions.
Pietsch, parachuted into the team after playing zero minutes in the series so far, was like a man possessed, hitting hard and often. All of the Wallabies were similarly driven.
When it wasn’t a kicking contest, it was attrition all the way. Aggravation was everywhere. A couple of melees broke out. An element of badness existed. Dead rubber? Some chance.
The Lions could get nothing going, their much-praised scrum getting pulverised now that Taniela Tupou was back in the front-row. How Joe Schmidt must rue some of the selection decisions he has made in this series.
What was worse for the Lions was Itoje’s failed HIA and then Freeman’s failed HIA, with Huw Jones now switching to the wing. Lynagh also failed an HIA and here there will be recriminations. Lynagh looked to have taken a shoulder to the head from Dan Sheehan, now the Lions captain in Itjoje’s absence.
Before he left, the fly-half put the Wallabies 8-0 ahead in a half of continuing dominance. Even when the Lions got decent field position, the power of the Wallabies snuffed them out. Tom Hooper ransacked Jack Conan in the Wallabies 22 and Stadium Australia went berserk in delight.
Early in the new half there was the sickening sight of Ryan taking a Skelton knee to the head and being knocked unconscious. A total accident, but an awful spectacle as Ryan treated on the pitch for some time before being removed on a stretcher.
What possessed the stadium ‘entertainment’ people to play Sweet Caroline as Ryan was being tended to boggles the mind.
More drama followed immediately after Ryan was taken away. Lightning in the area. Players removed from the pitch. Supporters told to clear out from the exposed seats nearest to the field. Only 43 minutes had been played. A sense of foreboding hung in the Sydney air.
News came through that the players would not reappear until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike and when they did run out again the Wallabies just picked up where they left off.
Nick Frost pilfered two Lions lineouts as they turned the screw. The Lions got themselves in a terrible muddle when to launch an attack, Owen Farrell, Blair Kinghorn and Bundee Aki moving right to left. Aki over-ran Kinghorn’s pass, fumbled and Jorgensen gathered and sprinted away to score. Ben Donaldson, on for Lynagh, made it 15-0 with the boot.
Morgan gave the visitors some hope when close-range blasts saw him go over. Russell narrowed the gap to eight with plenty of time left to play.
The Wallabies weren’t for capitulating, though. A high tackle from Morgan put them in trouble inside their own 22. Then, Ronan Kelleher came up offside and got binned. While he was away, McDermott darted over with Donaldson converting for 22-7.
Stuart scored right at the end for possibly the least celebrated try in Lions history. The series has been won, but this was a dreadful finale by the Lions and a rousing sign that Wallaby rugby might – just might – be heading for much brighter days.
