The Lions’ head coach Andy Farrell acknowledged as much when he stuck up for Morgan’s collision with the Australia back-rower Carlo Tizzano, in the last phase before Hugo Keenan’s try-scoring dive into the corner.
One of the opinions Farrell was referring to belonged to his opposite number, Australia’s Kiwi head coach, Joe Schmidt, who through the clenched teeth of an unhappy man brought up Law 9.20, summarised as “head contact and cleanouts around the neck must be penalised”.
Meanwhile, the ex-Wallaby captain Michael Hooper said: “Whether that is on head or neck or [Morgan] going straight to ground, if it is minute one that is a penalty.”
Sam Warburton breaks down THAT dramatic final play pic.twitter.com/EK1wztWL88
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 26, 2025In many ways the last person we should ask for clarity in these spectacularly knife-edged moments is the one right on the sidelines of the “hurt arena”, as Farrell on a previous Lions tour memorably described the places players need to go – or be consigned to – in the pursuit of life-changing wins.
It’s one of the reasons why people love it.
square RUGBY UNION Lions clinch series with last-minute try in epic against revitalised Australia
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But that was partly due, you soon realised, to Tizzano having collapsed backwards holing a part of his head that had not been impacted, even if his neck possibly was.
Or as Schmidt chose to put it: “Players make errors. Match officials make errors. Our perspective is we felt it was a decision that doesn’t really live up to the big player safety push that they are talking about.”
The Lions’ fly-half Finn Russell was pretty dismissive of Tizzano, saying: “He obviously holds his head and tried to get a penalty from it but, nah, I think it was a brilliant clear-out.”
Hugo Keenan celebrates with the Lions fans (Photo: PA)Was Piardi or any other referee going to be brave enough to overturn a Lions try – the finish was superb, by the way, as Jamison Gibson-Park scanned and scampered away from the ruck, and Keenan swerved round the tackle of Len Ikitau – in those borderline circumstances?
For what it’s worth, this observer saw the collision as shoulder on shoulder, very close to being a penalty, but not quite. As another TV pundit, former Lions boss Warren Gatland, said: “I don’t know where Jac Morgan is supposed to go. I just think it’s a rugby incident.”
This was high-stakes professional sport, and you could not detach the discussion from the sheer theatre of Piardi’s verdict being broadcast to the crowd. “Both players arrive at the same time,” he said. “We don’t see any foul play…”
At which point, thousands of men, women and children dressed in red leapt to their feet with fists punching the chilly Melbourne air and chanted “Lions, Lions,” while players in gold jerseys slumped crestfallen on the pitch.
The full-time scenes as the British & Irish Lions win the series with a game to spare in Australia! pic.twitter.com/oTndL9X7zI
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 26, 2025As Farrell said: “The drama and how it unfolded makes it special. To be part of that is an honour.”
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But let’s end at the beginning of this, which was the end of the match – and Maro Itoje’s cool chat with the referee, as the winning Lions captain moved quick-smart to make sure the Wallabies’ skipper Harry Wilson wasn’t the only one in Piardi’s ear.
A series win, with a historic 3-0 sweep now the goal for the Lions, was what happened, wrapped up in big-time rugby’s beguiling mix of opinion-splitting decisions and the rawest emotions.
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