Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt has slammed the officials for letting Jac Morgan’s final-minute clearout go unpunished — claiming it flies in the face of rugby’s "big player safety push."
The British & Irish Lions pulled off a stunning 29-26 win at the death in Melbourne, with Hugo Keenan diving over for a last-gasp try to clinch their first series win since 2013.
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But the drama wasn’t over.
The TMO reviewed Morgan’s clearout on Carlo Tizzano in the crucial ruck before the try — and backed referee Andrea Piardi’s call to let play continue.
Schmidt wasn’t having it.
"I think everyone can make their own decision on that," the Wallabies head coach said.
"Players make errors, match officials make errors."
"Our perspective is we felt it was a decision that doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they're talking about."
"You cannot hit someone above the level of their shoulders and there's no bind with the left arm, the hand's on the ground."
"That’s what we’ve seen. We’ve watched a number of replays from different angles."
"It is what it is. We just have to accept it."
The moment split fans — and even legends of the game.
, backed the decision and praised the officials’ feel for the game.
“There was a deluge of noise at the MCG,” Barnes said.
“And there was also a sense of relief on my sofa.”
Dan Biggar asked on commentary:
“Where could he go?”
While Ronan O’Gara quipped:
“Very little.”
Barnes agreed.
“Rugby is a dynamic game with lots of moving parts and yes, player safety is at the heart of everything... but these things happen.”
“Every time there is head contact, it does not mean that there is foul play.”
He even referenced Tadhg Furlong’s controversial first Test cleanout — which was penalised — as a learning moment for the officiating team.
“Refs, like players, learn from their previous decisions too.”
As for the clearout on Tizzano?
“Some fans think the Aussie milked it. Some say he dived.”
“I’m not going to pretend to know what being cleared out by a 100kg man feels like.”
“But I thought it was a decision that showed these three officials have a wonderful feel for the game.”
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Four Changes Andy Farrell Must Make for Lions’ Third Test vs Australia
Now, all eyes turn to the third Test. Here are four changes the Lions must make to finish the job in style.
#1. JAMES LOWE
Despite a classy offload for Beirne's try and some composed moments, Lowe was error-prone under the high ball and defensively vulnerable once again. A mixed bag leaning heavily toward underperformance.
BALLS 5/10: "One good flicked offload to Gibson-Park. Spilled a high ball, early in the second half. Composed take and footwork, on 57 minutes. Great step and offload for Beirne's try. His best, and last, contribution of the game."
Planet Rugby 4/10: "His try assist was the highlight of an otherwise poor performance from the winger who missed three of his seven tackle attempts, conceded a penalty and struggled in the air. He is a big moments player and produced that with a brutal fend and offload, but far from a complete performance."
Telegraph 3/10: "Lovely offload to put Beirne over but was another disappointing display. A liability once again in defence and several handling errors."
RUCK 4/10: "Lowe has looked off the tempo in both tests and today was another story of that. He never got going and was exposed hugely in defence. In attack he was nothing to fear for the Wallabies apart from his assist for Beirne."
Replacement: Duhan van der Merwe
#2. BUNDEE AKI
Grew into the game and made a crucial carry in the lead-up to Beirne’s try, but defensive lapses and an avoidable penalty undermined his overall contribution.
Express 5/10: "Not the huge carrier he is with Ireland, ineffective apart from one second half charge"
Telegraph 5/10: "Grew into the game and his carry set the platform for Beirne’s try. Suaalii slipped past him for Wright’s try and gave up a really dumb penalty."
Planet Rugby 3/10: " Caught out defensively by both Jake Gordon and Joseph Suaalii and conceded a penalty that Lynagh duly slotted. He made an incredible break which led to Tadhg Beirne’s try, but it was rather mystifying that he went the full 80 minutes today as he was a long way off his best."
Replacement: Sione Tuipulotu
#3. OLLIE CHESSUM
Busy but largely ineffective, Chessum struggled with the physicality of Australia’s second row and couldn’t spark the partnership with Itoje. Lions missed McCarthy’s bite.
Planet Rugby 5/10: "Quietly went about his performance but was accurate and efficient in doing so. He stayed on the right side of the referee’s whistle but was guilty of four missed tackles and conceded a turnover. Replaced on 55 minutes."
RUCK 5/10: "Chessum was mainly a passenger and struggled heavily against Skelton and Frost in both physicality and tempo of the game. The Itoje and Chessum partnership just didn’t seem to click the way the Lions would’ve hoped."
BALLS 5/10: "Was kept busy, mainly in defence, in the first half. Solid lineout option. Made 13 tackles but missed four."
Telegraph 5/10: "Was busy without being particularly eye-catching. Felt that the Lions missed McCarthy’s physical strength in the exchanges with Skelton."
Replacement: Joe McCarthy (If fit)
#4. ANDREW PORTER
Anchored a dominant scrum and worked hard in defence, but key missed tackles leading to tries exposed costly defensive frailties.
RUCK 5/10: "The Lion’s scrum was mighty, and more often than not, Porter was the first to show that to referee Andrea Piardi, he looked okay in attack but looked better defensively, but was caught short for Gordon’s darting try."
Telegraph 5/10: "Targeted by Australia in defence with both Gordon and Suaalii slipping through his grasp for tries. Still made 16 tackles, but misses were big black marks."
Planet Rugby 4/10: "Beaten for two of the Wallabies’ tries in the first half as he watched Gordon sprint past him before missing a tap tackle on Suaalii in the build-up to Tom Wright’s try. Conceded a penalty, and while his work-rate was top tier, his mistakes were costly. He was fortunate not to be penalised at scrum time too."
Replacement: Ellis Genge
