The Wallabies are confident they can get ready for the third Test against the British and Irish Lions, while Rugby Australia (RA) seeks some clarity on the controversial call that allowed the tourists’ match-winning try to stand in Melbourne on Saturday night.
The Lions secured their first series win since 2013 with a try from fullback Hugo Keenan at 79 minutes and 10 seconds, causing a huge cheer from the crowd of 90,307 fans who reacted with both cheers and groans.
However, the outcome was uncertain for several minutes as Italian referee Andrea Piardi and his team reviewed footage of Jac Morgan’s clean-out of Carlo Tizzano just before that moment.
The officials eventually approved the play, but Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt later criticized the decision, arguing that Morgan’s clean-out clearly broke law 9.20, which states that a player must not make contact with an opponent above shoulder height.
On Sunday, RA chief Phil Waugh mentioned that the national organization would seek “accountability” regarding this decision from World Rugby.
“I used to be a player. I made my share of mistakes, and players do slip up. Referees may interpret things differently at times,” Waugh told Code Sports.
“We have great respect for the referee’s decisions.
“However, I believe there should be some level of accountability and explanation that comes with those calls. We look forward to receiving that.”
Any feedback that Rugby Australia receives from World Rugby will likely remain confidential. Meanwhile, the chief executive of World Rugby will face questions from the media in Sydney this week as he is there to announce the ticketing plans for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Although the loss left coach Schmidt angry and his Wallabies players feeling disappointed, scrum-half Jake Gordon stated that the team would focus on the positives from their performances, emphasizing that Australia is making progress.
“It’s disappointing with the result, but we are definitely getting better as a team,” Gordon shared with reporters after Australia’s narrow three-point defeat at the MCG. “We just need to work on maintaining our performance during the second half; we allowed them back into the game.
“We noticed that when they got quick ball, they became really tough to stop, much like we were in the first half. I truly believe we’re improving as a team, and we have a game next week that we’re looking forward to in front of another big crowd in Sydney. It’s unfortunate it’s not for a series decider, but I hope our efforts tonight made the fans proud.”
Gordon expressed confidence that the Wallabies would be ready for Saturday’s series finale at Accor Stadium, even though they had lost their second consecutive series to the Lions since their defeat in 2013.
“It’s pretty easy to get motivated,” he said. “I hope tonight made our fans proud. But we have another big Test match coming up, and it’s still a chance for the Wallabies to face the Lions. I don’t think it will be hard to get ready for that game.”
Normally, Gordon might have been substituted in the second half, but they had already brought in replacement scrum-half Tate McDermott due to winger Harry Potter’s hamstring injury and Australia’s 6-2 bench setup. This meant Gordon witnessed the crucial final moments of the match closely, but when asked about Morgan’s clean-out, the experienced No. 9 didn’t reveal much.
“I’ve only seen it live and haven’t had a chance to review it,” he explained. “Those are discussions for the coach and the referee boss later on. I can’t really comment on that.”
“In rugby, there’s always a lot of competition, so opinions will vary on these situations. You need to slow things down and take a good look at them, but I haven’t had that chance yet.”
