Australia win a weather delayed third test 22-12 to show the fighting quality that is a hall mark of sport not alone Australian sport. Australia are fully deserving of the win in the third test and like last week, the win can be attested to Joe Schmidt and his ability to fire up a team and give them a game plan that is hard working and you need to be extremely clear in how to execute the game plan.
Men like Nick White, Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou led from the front from minute 1 and got stuck in and that defiantly upset the Lions rhythm and when Dan Sheehan began to lose his momentum at the line out and Tupou was winning his battle with Andrew Porter at the scrum.
All those little moments led to Australia getting in front and not surrendering the lead at any point and although the score line reads 22-14 at full time, Australia will know they left a couple of chances behind them. You can say the Lions minds were already on the beach given they had snuck a late win in the 2nd Test last weekend but knowing how Andy Farrell likes to do things, he would have wanted to win the series 3-0.
Australia manged to dig a well-earned win out and can go into the opening round of the Rugby Championship in 2 weeks’ time against South Africa with a shot of confidence. They were very close to winning last week’s 2nd test and only for the late intervention of Hugo Keenan to get over and seal a late 29-26 win, this win today could have had a very different meaning.
The weather delay at the start of the second half had the desired did not overly affect either side, it saw Ellis Genge in to replace Andrew Porter and that had the desired effect on the scrum that saw a slight reversal in fortunes and a number of penalties going to the Lions.
The Lions started to slowly build into the game without a functioning line out that had trouble before Maro Itoje went off but did continue to struggle as the game went on. Australia for there part kept moving the ball around and kept things flowing and allowing themselves through their own good play as well as Lions indiscipline to keep them on the front foot.
Today again showed that top level sport really is only a game of inches and if your only even a small bit off it how it can effect things in an overall sense. From an Australian point of view they can take today’s complete performance and refer back to it over the next few weeks.
They will have a new forwards coach as Geoff Parling now moves on to take the top job at Leicester Tigers, they will also have Les Kiss most likely beginning to put his stamp on the team heading into the Rugby Championship.
Joe Schmidt although they didn’t win the series, they won in a test game and the manner in which they saw it through will do no harm. They do have a base to work from and now they need to get things sorted upstairs in ARU HQ.
There may be bumpy days ahead but the wheel might slowly begin to turn now and it is up to all involved in Australian rugby to put the shoulder to the wheel and move forward together.
For the Lions, it is a first series win since Australia in 2013 and they can bask in the glory of the achievement. Maro Itoje has led the Lions to a series win.
Andy Farrell has guided the Lions to series win. He has had such an impact on the whole organisation since his announcement last year, he and his coaching staff will look back on a job well done. They didn’t win the series 3-0 but if you gave Farrell a test series win he would have taken your hand off…
They can enjoy a few days in each other’s company now to celebrate and take stock of what has been achieved. These players will now get some well-earned and deserved time off to celebrate with family and friends and then they can all just switch off from rugby for a couple of weeks.
The stated aim of a series win has been secured and Australia provided a win and close fought series. While the Lions brand will continue to be questioned and it’s place in the modern day game will also be spoken about, they provide vital revenue for the competing union, namely Australia on this occasion and New Zealand is next up in 2029…