Key events
76 mins. A creative exit from the Wallabies after McDermott shapes to kick, dummies and throws infield to Donaldson to find the opposite touchline. The Lions lineout is won off the top to Mitchell but he’s swamped by gold defenders and penalised for not releasing.
That decision brings the biggest cheer of the game from the gold forwards, who remain hugely up for this despite victory being already assured in the match.
73 mins. It’s the proverbial or bust for the Lions now as they start to chuck the ball about. They bring to to the left to Sheehan who battles forward and offloads to Morgan who can’t hold it.
It ends up in touch for a Lions lineout, and in a summing of the game Williams steals it for the Wallabies.
TRY! Australia 22 – 7 Lions (Tate McDermott)
71 mins. More Australian drives to the line are repelled by a now understaffed defence, but eventually the hinges come off the door as McDermott smashes up then reaches one-handed to ground it.
Extras added. Game over, probably.
YELLOW CARD! Ronan Kelleher (Lions)
69 mins. There was a warning in the last attack that another penalty down here was going to be a card, and it’s Kelleher who is offside on the next attack.
68 mins. As has been the story all match from Australia, a tidy lineout is won. This is moved to Ikitau who darts for the line, but the effforts of Kelleher and Chessum stop him inches short. The next few phases have the Lions offside.
66 mins. The Wallabies were looking to force a penalty from a tiring defence, and Morgan obliges by gripping McDermott around the neck in the tackle. The ball is in touch for an attacking 5m lineout.
65 mins. Oh dear, the Lions issues with restarts from early in the tour resurface when a mix up about inside/outside the 22 means Keenan puts a kick directly to touch that he wasn’t allowed to. This puts Australia on the ball in the 22 via a lineout.
They work carry after carry to eat up the clock and Lions energy. It’s not travelling far, but that’s a lesser aim at this stage of the match.
TRY! Australia 15 – 7 Lions (Jac Morgan)
63 mins. The tap-and-go option is taken by Kelleher and then Morgan muscles up to within inches. The balls is recycled a couple of times before Morgan has another carry that this time takes him over the line.
Russell converts it.
61 mins. Keenan chases and claims a kick in the Wallaby half and for the first time in a while the Lions have phases in the opposition 22. Genge has a go before more carries come from the forwards and force Australia offside.
59 mins. A plague of hands like feet breaks out as neither team can catch a kick for a few minutes.
Nic White leaves the field in his last Test, one that he’s had his usual impact on. There’s a huge ovation as he high fives his replacement, Tate McDermott.
57 mins. The Lions attempt to claw their way back, this time from possession on the Aus 10m line. There is a nice pattern run via Farrell looping run, but again the timing is off and the ball is on the ground from a knock-on.
TRY! Australia 15 – 0 Lions (Max Jorgensen)
55 mins. It’s a familiar story for the Lions as they win a lineout and run through some passes in the backs before the ball is lost, this time by Aki overrunning the ball. This time the first to the fumble on the touchline is Jorgensen who scoops it up and races to the line.
Conversion added
52 mins. Wilson has a strong run with the ball in the Lions half, but he’s a little exposed and that is all the chance Morgan needs to clamp on and win a penalty. Sheehan finds Chessum in the lineout but the ball is lost in midfield as more handling errors creep in.
49 mins. The ball breaks to Russell just inside his own half. He’s surrounded by defenders and quick as a flash spots Jones on the right touchline and finds him with a diagonal chip. A wonderful kick.
Jones moves forward and puts a chip of his own directly into touch. A not so wonderful kick.
47 mins. There is some territory for the Lions after they win a scrum penalty and dispatch it to touch on the Aus 22. However the inconsistent success at the lineout is evident again, with Nick Frost getting up in the air to steal it for his side to clear the pressure.
45 mins. The ball finds Tupou in midfield who opens up his legs and crashes forward like a re-animated oil rig to carry 20 metres into the 22. Kinghorn does just enough to stop him and the big prop drops the ball forward in the tackle! That’s a huge moment for the Lions as that felt like try coming on the next phase.
PLAY RESUMES!
43 mins. Lynagh puts the penalty in touch to get us back underway
Ellis Genge (and his new skinhead) has replaced Andrew Porter.
PLAY WILL RESUME AT 21:50 (Aus), 12:50 (UK)
The players are returning the field. The rain looks to have stopped entirely for now.
To remind you where we left it, Australia had been awarded a penalty for Porter getting involved in some shoving around a ruck. It had all been started, inevitably, by Nic White who Jedi mind-tricked Ref Amashukeli into blaming someone else,
Sky Sports have just told us that the players will return to the pitch at 21:40 local time, which is in approximately five minutes. Which means, I conclude, that there’s been no more lightning since the first incident that took the players off the field.
Mark Philp, matchday manager for Rugby Australia is talking to Sky Sports
“We’re keeping an eye on the weather, and we have to wait 30 mins after the last thunder and lightning. If this lasts 55-60 mins or so then a decision is kicked up much higher than me to consider an abandonment and given it’s the second half the result would stand. But we’re not there yet and we all want to get the game resumed for the players and the fans.”
“I was at a Sydney FC game a year or two ago and we had a lightning stoppage.” Leo Bajzert informs us, “I think it lasted 90 mins or so. Not sure exactly, because they kept the bar open.”
Sounds like that turned into a good day.
It is very interesting to observe how each player deals with this delay back in the changing rooms. Lots are pacing as they try to keep warm, some are having a rub down, Owen Farrell is standing still with hands on hips clearly trying to keep his mentality right.
Finn Russell, meanwhile, is sitting with his feet up scrolling though his phone. Never change, Finn.
Liam S Murray emails
“Very different to last week, but gripping in its own way, with Tom Curry the pick of the Lions so far. Will Skelton in the middle of everything, inevitably, but James Ryan was facing up to him quite well, so very disappointed that he’s had to go off. But man oh man, what is wrong with that public address announcer/DJ? He’s a bigger villain that Skelton.”
Yes, can we all focus on the real enemy here, please?
What a game so far, though, in terms of the full cornucopia of narrative.
We’ve had Australia dominating, a load of fights, injuries galore, weather selections from God’s tombola of disruption and Sweet Caroline soundtracking a serious head injury.
So what happens now, I sense you asking?
The players have left the field and returned to the sheds. Play will be suspended until at least 30 minutes after the last thunder or lightning is observed.
Talk amongst yourselves.
PLAY SUSPENDED FOR LIGHTNING WARNING!
42’39”. Ref Amashukeli lets the players know that play is suspended due to the conditions overhead.
The tannoy is blasting Sweet Caroline as Ryan receives treatment. Imagine lying there having had your head rattled by a giant’s leg and that utter dreck is piping into your ears. Horrific.
A break in play after Ryan gets his head the wrong side of a tackle on Skelton and it leads to him taking a knee to the head. That will be the end of the Irishman’s game and the medical staff rightly take their time to sort him out.
Jac Morgan replaces him, which will move Beirne to the second row.
42 mins. An early lineout is won by Beirne for Russell to launch a high kick towards Wright. It’s too deep and the fullback can mark it then tap and go before blootering a long touchfinder of his own.
Second Half!
The Wallabies receive the ball deep to commence the final forty minutes of the tour.
I missed telling you at the end of the half that Itoje is out of the game, he’s replaced by Ollie Chessum.
“Skelton continuing to be an absolute grub – how has he not seen the threatened yellow yet?” asks Paul Waggott. “An unseemly blot on what has otherwise been an excellent Australian performance. Credit to the Wallabies, the Lions look like they’re still hungover from last weekend, and the Wallabies have been brilliant.”
I would argue Skelton has been brilliant also, and has played a big role in the performance. The role of evil henchman or full on wrestling heel is often as important as the fellas doing the clearing out when your back is against the wall.