Lions and Wallabies give the MCG the epic it deserves

Think about all of the times you've seen Jerry Guscott’s drop-goal to clinch the series against the Springboks in 1997.

Hugo Keenan’s try to defeat Australia in last night’s epic second Test at the MCG has joined a list of iconic moments in the 137-year history of the British and Irish Lions.

Owen Farrell’s winning penalty in the second Test in Wellington in 2017, George North lifting Israel Folau over his shoulders and carrying him like a toddler in Brisbane in 2013, Brian O’Driscoll’s dancing feet at the Gabba in 2001. Jim Telfer’s 'This is your Everest’ speech. Add Keenan to the montage.

Every four years, the sight of the Ireland and Leinster full-back hitting the gas and burning Len Ikitau to the line will be replayed again and again and again, probably with a Scott Quinnell or Ian McGeechan voiceover that would have you ready to run through walls.

Sport can create unlikely heroes, and when Keenan was playing off the bench for Blackrock College’s U14 C team back in the day, never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined scoring a last-minute winner to win a British and Irish Lions series.

Even a few weeks ago it would have seemed like a long shot. Having come into the tour shaking off a calf injury, his Lions debut was delayed by a gastro bug that emptied him out and left him 6kg lighter.

One of the more level-headed players – even by modern rugby standards – Keenan couldn’t be contained after the final whistle, doing his best to leap into the stands of the MCG every time he spotted some of the friends and family that made their way down to the front row to meet him, including some particularly emotional moments with his parents, Paul and Avril (below).

Maybe we’re biased, but on a Lions tour that was so dominated by green, it felt appropriate that one of the Irish contingent was the hero of the day.

It was also appropriate that the game itself matched the setting and occasion.

The Melbourne Cricket Grounds is one of the world’s iconic sporting venues, and with 90,308 people crammed into ‘The G’, we were treated to one of the all-time great Lions Tests.

While the Wallabies fell 60 seconds short of bringing it to a decider in Sydney, Joe Schmidt’s side put to bed any ideas of this series being a formality.

Bullied a week ago in Brisbane, they allowed the Lions win pulling up and only a sleepy final quarter at Suncorp put some respectability on that scoreboard.

Will Skelton and Maro Itoje come to blows

Last night at the MCG it was a different story. While the Lions never played with the same efficiency that marked the first half of their win a week ago, both teams played their part in a thrilling 80 minutes. All week there were fears that this game would be wasted on the occasion, but what played out was a game of rugby that delivered beyond all expectations.

In the first half, Australia played with a determination and flair unrecognisable from a week ago.

With Will Skelton and Rob Valetini back in their side, they used their two most powerful forwards effectively. The first two lineouts saw them manufacture touches for each player in space; first Skelton broke down the touchline off a clever short lineout, and on their second they went over the top where Valetini charged to the 22.

They carried nine times each, with Valetini departing at half time as his calf injury caught up on him, while Skelton’s tank was empty early in the second half. Even with those early departures, captain Harry Wilson was the only forward who carried more.

Tom Wright runs in to score Australia's third try

It wasn't just physically where they matched the Lions. Full-back Tom Wright was inspired in the first half, with his glorious 50:22 laying the platform for Jake Gordon’s try, before he raced clear to score one of his own almost straight from the restart, after Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii had left Bundee Aki for dead.

"I suppose the drama and how it unfolded is what makes it special," Lions head coach Andy Farrell said.

"We came here to win a series. To do it in that type of fashion, you wouldn’t have backed us at 23-5, but to find a way adds to the story, doesn’t it? It adds to the fairytale.

Twelve years ago Farrell was part of Warren Gatland’s coaching group who were brought the distance by the Wallabies in the series, before blowing them away in the Sydney decider.

"To be a part of it is an honour, it really is. 2013 was special, 1-1, and being able to win it at the death, but we won quite comfortably in the end.

"To win it like that is what top level sport is all about."

(L-R) Tadhg Beirne, Bundee Aki, Joe McCarthy and Huw Jones celebrate the series win

If any context was needed to back-up how thrilling Saturday’s game was, the numbers back it up. Keenan’s match-winner saw the Lions take the lead for the first time on the night, having trailed for 75 minutes, while no Lions side had ever come from more than 10-points down to win a Test, as highlighted by the great rugby historian Stuart Farmer.

Jack Conan’s workload summed up the physical toll, with the excellent stats man Russ Petty confirming his combined 31 tackles (24) and carries (7) were the most for Lions player in a single Test across the last five series.

Judging by the singing in the Lions’ changing room, which could be heard loudly from the press conference room at the MCG, there will be a physical toll to the celebrations too, and the players are set to be given a couple of days off before turning their attention to Saturday’s third Test in Sydney.

With the series win complete, it’s unlikely we’ll see the intensity of the MCG repeated at Accor Stadium.

But with a first 3-0 sweep against the Wallabies for more than 100 years the prize on offer, there’s incentive enough for the Lions to throw everything they have at one final week, and give the final game of this tour, and Australian rugby, the respect it deserves.

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