Wallabies level Lions series with late try
June 30, 2013, Sunday
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ADAM Ashley-Cooper dived over for a late try and Christian Leali'ifano converted as Australia leveled the series with a 16-15 come-from-behind victory over the British and Irish Lions in a second test that went down to stoppage time last night.
After a kicking duel in the first 75 minutes of a match marred by handling errors and scrum penalties in Melbourne, Wallabies flyhalf James O'Connor gave Ashley-Cooper a flat ball close to the line and the veteran center crashed over to send the series to a decider in Sydney.
Leali'ifano, playing his second test, landed the conversion from wide on the right side to give Australia the lead for the first time in the half, setting up a tense last three minutes.
In another dramatic finish, the Lions had another chance to secure their first series win since 1997, but usually radar-like Leigh Halfpenny missed a penalty shot from halfway in stoppage time.
It was a 180-degree finish to the series-opener in Brisbane last week, when the Lions won 23-21 after Australia's Kurtley Beale missed a penalty as the full-time siren sounded.
"We certainly made it hard on ourselves at times, but it saves the series for Sydney," Wallabies skipper James Horwill said. "We didn't get a lot of rhythm on the ball tonight, and it's something we need to get better at."
Lions captain Sam Warburton said it was a bitter setback.
"Credit to Australia. They pushed us all the way to the end and got the try," he said. "It was a great game to be involved in, just disappointing for us at the end. The series is still up for grabs."
Halfpenny kicked all of the Lions points via five penalty goals, but his two rare misses were costly for the Lions. In a contest eerily similar to the 2001 series, the Lions won the first test and led at halftime in the second test in Melbourne. The Australians won the third test in Sydney 12 years ago to complete their first triumph over the Lions in a test series.
After stadium record crowds in Brisbane and Melbourne, the series is set for another epic decider next Saturday at Sydney's Olympic stadium.
Lions coach Warren Gatland correctly predicted referee Craig Joubert would have "zero tolerance" at the scrum in Melbourne, with Lions prop Mako Vunipola penalized twice in the first half for collapsing and the Australian props each penalized for the same infringement before the break.
Both teams tried to be adventurous at times, with the Lions trying an 11-man line-out near the Australian line and twice winning penalties before Halfpenny kicked his first goal in the 10th minute.
Leali'ifano, who only lasted 52 seconds in his test debut before being carried off with a head injury in the first test, scored his first points in international rugby in the 16th.
(AP)
After a kicking duel in the first 75 minutes of a match marred by handling errors and scrum penalties in Melbourne, Wallabies flyhalf James O'Connor gave Ashley-Cooper a flat ball close to the line and the veteran center crashed over to send the series to a decider in Sydney.
Leali'ifano, playing his second test, landed the conversion from wide on the right side to give Australia the lead for the first time in the half, setting up a tense last three minutes.
In another dramatic finish, the Lions had another chance to secure their first series win since 1997, but usually radar-like Leigh Halfpenny missed a penalty shot from halfway in stoppage time.
It was a 180-degree finish to the series-opener in Brisbane last week, when the Lions won 23-21 after Australia's Kurtley Beale missed a penalty as the full-time siren sounded.
"We certainly made it hard on ourselves at times, but it saves the series for Sydney," Wallabies skipper James Horwill said. "We didn't get a lot of rhythm on the ball tonight, and it's something we need to get better at."
Lions captain Sam Warburton said it was a bitter setback.
"Credit to Australia. They pushed us all the way to the end and got the try," he said. "It was a great game to be involved in, just disappointing for us at the end. The series is still up for grabs."
Halfpenny kicked all of the Lions points via five penalty goals, but his two rare misses were costly for the Lions. In a contest eerily similar to the 2001 series, the Lions won the first test and led at halftime in the second test in Melbourne. The Australians won the third test in Sydney 12 years ago to complete their first triumph over the Lions in a test series.
After stadium record crowds in Brisbane and Melbourne, the series is set for another epic decider next Saturday at Sydney's Olympic stadium.
Lions coach Warren Gatland correctly predicted referee Craig Joubert would have "zero tolerance" at the scrum in Melbourne, with Lions prop Mako Vunipola penalized twice in the first half for collapsing and the Australian props each penalized for the same infringement before the break.
Both teams tried to be adventurous at times, with the Lions trying an 11-man line-out near the Australian line and twice winning penalties before Halfpenny kicked his first goal in the 10th minute.
Leali'ifano, who only lasted 52 seconds in his test debut before being carried off with a head injury in the first test, scored his first points in international rugby in the 16th.
(AP)
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