After a nailbiting result in the first Test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions – with the Lions winning 23-21, this game was a nail-destroyer.
An absolute war of attrition was fought tonight between two sides desperate to win, and both out on their feet at the end of the match.
The two sides exchanged penalties, with both sides infringing equally at the scrummage. The Wallabies committed numerous handling errors to release pressure from the Lions – who started the match with huge power and enthusiasm in attack and defense.
The Lions went ahead by three points as the halftime siren sounded, with the only points scored via penalties – 12-9 over the Wallabies.
Watching from the UK, I was treated to the usual biased monologues of Stuart Barnes who assured everyone that every scrummage should have resulted in a penalty against Australia.
As the second half began, the game looked no more like opening up and we waited until the 62nd minute for the score to change – Halfpenny slotting another penalty – putting the Lions ahead by six points, 15-9.
The Wallabies’ first half handling demons were still present with the men in gold not being able to string together enough phases to challenge the British and Irish representative side.
The Wallabies tried and tried valiantly but it was a story of the ball being lost forward or stolen by the Lions, who’d defense looked impregnable.
We thought all was lost when Kurtley Beale knocked on a simple – yet crucial – catch while attacking the line deep in the Lions half, and hair was pulled out when Israel Folau did the same moments later from a set-play which wasn’t quite timed.
But in a moment that will go down in the books with James O’Connor finally justifying his flyhalf ’10’ jersey, the baby-faced assassin struck back as he hit Adam Ashley-Cooper with a flat ball that sent the durable centre in for a memorable try.
If Mike Hussey is ‘Mr Cricket’ then surely this man is the ‘Mr Rugby’ equivalent. Ashley-Cooper’s try put the Wallabies within one point – the scores 15-14 – and it was down to a man who for all intents and purposes was on his Test debut after being stretchered from the field one minute in the opening match of the series.
Christian Lealiifano stepped up, looking as cool as ever, and calmly slotted the vital kick from out-wide. 16-14 Australia.
The game was not yet won – the Wallabies again lost the ball after the ball was alleged to have been carried back in to the 22 metre area by Genia, with the clearing kick going out on the full by O’Connor.
It was a rookie error moment – but the Wallabies were rescued with a catch that could have come from Ricky Ponting in the slips as substitute Liam Gill plucked the ball out of the air one handed – whilst falling!
The spectacular take secured the ball for the Wallabies – surely we thought, it must be over now! Yet Benn Robinson ignored match referee Craig Joubert’s calls to release the ball to give a penalty to the Lions and the most consistent goal kicker of recent memory a chance at the sticks from halfway.
The young Welshman, Leigh Halfpenny, stepped up for the men in red. He calmly struck the ball (without slipping) in what seemed inevitable winning fashion – but the ball fell cruelly short for the Lions.
The Wallabies players and fans erupted in sheer joy as the series was drawn 1-1. Bring on Sydney!
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