Wallabies restore pride with consolation victory over Lions

The Wallabies restored some pride by finally producing an 80-minute performance to beat the British & Irish Lions 22-12 in a weather-disrupted third test on Saturday, handing the visitors their only loss of their nine-match tour of Australia.

Dylan Pietsch and Max Jorgensen scored tries either side of a 40-minute delay for a lightning warning, and Tate McDermott added a third late on to ensure Australia would not be swept 3-0 by the Lions for the first time since 1904.

Australia coach Joe Schmidt said the victory was all the sweeter given how crushed his players had been after losing the second test, and the series, to a late try in Melbourne last week.

“I think they really earned what they got tonight,” he told reporters.

“That’s the longest test match I’ve ever been involved in, with a big hiatus, but I couldn’t be a lot prouder of the way the players rebounded after last week, after the feeling of disappointment that they had, it was deep.”

The Lions, who had late tries from Jac Morgan and Will Stuart, had already secured series honours for the first time since their last visit to Australia in 2013 but were disappointed not to secure the sweep.

“There’s going to be frustration because we didn’t do what we wanted to do in the end, but the best team won today,” said Lions coach Andy Farrell.

Rain had been pouring down all day and the match started in front of a crowd of 80,213 in conditions more familiar to the nine Irishmen in the Lions team than the Wallabies.

It was the home side who struck first in the eighth minute, however, when winger Pietsch scored in the corner after the Lions had repelled the Australian forwards under the posts.

The Lions got back down the other end after a raking kick to touch from Finn Russell in the 12th minute but chose to tap a penalty under the posts and the Wallabies snuffed out the danger.

Given the rain, territory was always going to be at a premium and kicking duels studded the next period of play until the Wallabies got some continuity off the pick-and-go to put more pressure on the Lions’ try line.

A rolling maul from an attacking lineout was neutered and several other thrusts pushed back before the Wallabies elected to kick a penalty in the 34th minute, flyhalf Tom Lynagh converting in his last act before going off with concussion.

Lions lock James Ryan had to be carted off the field on a stretcher early in the second half and the lengthy delay for that was extended by a longer suspension of play for lightning, causing the players to head back to the dressing rooms and the evacuation of the lower tiers of the stands.

Australia were better after the delay with prop Taniela Tupou charging towards the try line only to drop the ball and then compound his error by being penalised at the subsequent scrum.

He and lock Will Skelton brought huge physicality to the Wallabies pack, however, which was maintained this week by the replacements after they went off.

Winger Jorgensen has been outstanding throughout the series and he extended the lead to 15-0 when he pounced on a loose ball in the 55th minute and tip-toed down the touchline to score.

The Lions had trailed 23-5 after half an hour in Melbourne before coming back to win with a last-minute try, so the massed ranks of Lions fans were not giving up on their team just yet.

Wales captain Morgan got them on the scoreboard with a try from close range in the 62nd minute after the Lions had again turned down three points in front of the posts.

The Wallabies charged down the other end, though, and scrumhalf McDermott forced his way over the line in the 71st minute to take the lead out to 22-7 soon after Lions hooker Ronan Kelleher had been sent to the sin bin.

The Lions had promised to empty the tank in their final match and they had the final word in the series with replacement prop Stuart forcing his way over the line in the final seconds.

Agencies