Australia coach Joe Schmidt has taken aim at match officials after a controversial decision paved the way for the British & Irish Lions to seal the series at the MCG.<\/p>\n
Fullback Hugo Keenan\u2019s last-minute try secured a 29-26 win for the Lions in Melbourne, but the Wallabies were left fuming after Jac Morgan\u2019s clear-out on Carlo Tizzano in the lead-up. Players and coaches were adamant the clean-out involved contact to the neck \u2014 a violation of rugby\u2019s Law 9.20 \u2014 yet the try stood following a lengthy TMO review.<\/p>\n
RUCK\u2019s Lions content is\u00a0powered by\u00a0ISUZU.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n An incensed Schmidt didn\u2019t hold back post-match.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they\u2019re human, match officials make errors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe felt it was a decision that doesn\u2019t really live up to the big player safety push that they\u2019re (World Rugby) talking about. But that\u2019s what we\u2019ve seen and we\u2019ve watched a number of replays from different angles so it is what it is and we just have to accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson echoed his coach\u2019s frustration.<\/p>\n Biggest Talking Point: JAC MORGAN! <\/p>\n Referee Andrea Piardi\u2019s process here was poor. \u2014 Scoop \ud83d\udc3b \u2615\ufe0f (@Rugby_Scoop) July 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cObviously I saw shoulder to the neck. Carlo was pretty sore about it,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n But Lions boss Andy Farrell had a very different take.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was a brilliant clear-out,\u201d Farrell insisted. It wasn\u2019t the only moment to raise eyebrows. Earlier, Lions hooker Dan Sheehan\u2019s opener also came under scrutiny, with suggestions he dove over a tackler to dot down. The Wallabies have demanded answers for these \u2018two clear mistakes\u2019. <\/p>\n However, despite the controversy, RUCK understands World Rugby is standing by the match officials\u2019 decisions \u2014 a stance supported by former top referee Wayne Barnes.<\/p>\n Writing in\u00a0The Telegraph<\/a>, Barnes\u00a0backed the decision and praised the officials\u2019 feel for the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a deluge of noise at the MCG,\u201d Barnes said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there was also a sense of relief on my sofa.\u201d<\/p>\n Dan Biggar\u00a0asked on commentary:<\/p>\n \u201cWhere could he go?\u201d Barnes agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cRugby is a dynamic game with lots of moving parts and yes, player safety is at the heart of everything\u2026 but these things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time there is head contact, it does not mean that there is foul play.\u201d<\/p>\n He even referenced\u00a0Tadhg Furlong\u2019s\u00a0controversial first Test cleanout \u2014 which\u00a0was\u00a0penalised \u2014 as a learning moment for the officiating team.<\/p>\n \u201cRefs, like players, learn from their previous decisions too.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the clearout on\u00a0Tizzano?<\/p>\n \u201cSome fans think the Aussie milked it. Some say he dived.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to pretend to know what being cleared out by a 100kg man feels like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I thought it was a decision that showed these three officials have a wonderful feel for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n Four Changes Andy Farrell Must Make for Lions\u2019 Third Test vs Australia<\/p>\n Now, all eyes turn to the third Test. Here are four changes the Lions must make to finish the job in style.<\/p>\n #1. JAMES LOWE<\/p>\n Despite a classy offload for Beirne\u2019s try and some composed moments, Lowe was error-prone under the high ball and defensively vulnerable once again. A mixed bag leaning heavily toward underperformance.<\/p>\n BALLS 5\/10: <\/a>\u201cOne good flicked offload to Gibson-Park. Spilled a high ball, early in the second half. Composed take and footwork, on 57 minutes. Great step and offload for Beirne\u2019s try. His best, and last, contribution of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Planet Rugby 4\/10:<\/a> \u201cHis try assist was the highlight of an otherwise poor performance from the winger who missed three of his seven tackle attempts, conceded a penalty and struggled in the air. He is a big moments player and produced that with a brutal fend and offload, but far from a complete performance.\u201d<\/p>\n Telegraph 3\/10: \u201cLovely offload to put Beirne over but was another disappointing display. A liability once again in defence and several handling errors.\u201d<\/p>\n RUCK 4\/10: \u201cLowe has looked off the tempo in both tests and today was another story of that. He never got going and was exposed hugely in defence. In attack he was nothing to fear for the Wallabies apart from his assist for Beirne.\u201d<\/p>\n Replacement: Duhan van der Merwe <\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n
You cannot hit someone above\u2026 the shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Is there Foul Play? Yes
\u2013 Shoulder to head \u2705
\u2013 High Degree of Danger \u2705
Is there mitigation? Yes
\u2022 Low body height, attempt to make a legal clean out. So just a Yellow Card No Wrap pic.twitter.com\/1qX2MxhPBn<\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it depends which side of the fence you come from, I would have thought. I can understand people\u2019s opinions, but I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on \u2014 and so were the rest of the bench.\u201d<\/p>\n
While\u00a0Ronan O\u2019Gara\u00a0quipped:
\u201cVery little.\u201d<\/p>\n