Former Wallabies centre Morgan Turinui has slammed the officials for failing to rule out the British and Irish Lions try which decided the series.
The Wallabies took a 26-24 lead into the latter stages of the match, but the tourists mounted one last attack with the clock approaching the red.
After a period of pressure inside the Australia 22, Hugo Keenan stepped past Len Ikitau and touched down, sparking wild celebrations among players and fans.
Morgan on Tizzano
However, the hosts were not happy about the clearout the ruck prior as Jac Morgan sought to take Carlo Tizzano away from the ball.
Tizzano went down clutching his head after Morgan appeared to hit him around the top of the back and neck area and captain Harry Wilson complained to referee Andrea Piardi.
It was reviewed by the officials but they decided that it was not an act of foul play and, as a result, the try stood to give the Lions a 29-26 triumph.
“The end is a penalty to the Wallabies,” a fuming Turinui said on Stan Sport. “And the referees were too weak to give it.”
“It doesn’t matter, you cannot hit a guy in the back of the neck, who is legally jackaling, to save the ball. The referees have got it wrong.
“It has cost the Wallabies survival in the series. The British and Irish Lions lead this series 2-0. It was brave to come back from them, but it is a terrible decision that decides this match.”
Wallabies legend Michael Hooper was not quite as emotional as his fellow ex-international but he also felt that there were several potential infringements and it should have resulted in a penalty.
“I can see what the referee’s saying but there’s a penalty there whether it’s on head, on neck or going straight off his feet to ground,” he said. “I would say if that was minute one, that’s a penalty.”
A Lions view
Lions and England great Martin Johnson was also on the coverage in Australia and he disagreed with those two former Wallabies, showing the difficulties the officials faced.
Johnson felt that it was not clear and obvious and that Piardi was correct to go with his original decision, which was a try for Keenan.
“That decision at the end, I didn’t think there was enough there for a penalty to change the game,” he said. “I think you have to be very, very sure to change a game on a ref’s decision.”