British and Irish Lions clinch series with last-minute win over Wallabies

Australia 26-29 British and Irish Lions, Melbourne

The British & Irish Lions pulled off a stunning comeback against Australia in Melbourne, winning the second Test 29–26 and sealing the series 2–0 in front of over 90,000 spectators.

The match was a rollercoaster of momentum swings, with Australia dominating the first half before the Lions clawed back and snatched victory in the dying seconds.

Australia started strongly, with fly-half Tom Lynagh slotting two early penalties in the 4th and 11th minutes to give the Wallabies a 6–0 lead. The Lions responded in the 15th minute when hooker Dan Sheehan crashed over for the first try of the game, narrowing the deficit to 6–5 after a missed conversion from Finn Russell.

However, discipline issues quickly caught up with the Lions. Winger Tommy Freeman was shown a yellow card in the 22nd minute for repeated offside offences near their own try line.

Australia capitalized immediately, with veteran James Slipper barging over for a try to stretch the lead to 11–5. Just five minutes later, Jake Gordon found a gap and sprinted through for another try, and Lynagh’s conversion made it 18–5.

The Wallabies continued their surge, and in the 30th minute, Tom Wright finished off a counter-attack initiated by Joseph Sua'ali'i to take the score to 23–5.

It looked like Australia were running away with the match. But the Lions had other plans. In the 35th minute, Tom Curry touched down in the corner to bring some life back into the visitors. Then, just before halftime, Huw Jones scored to cut the deficit further. With Russell’s successful conversion, the Lions went into the break trailing only 23–17.

Australia edged ahead further in the second half with a 53rd-minute penalty from Lynagh, making it 26–17. But the Lions, rejuvenated by key substitutions, began to dominate possession and territory.

In the 59th minute, Tadhg Beirne powered over the line from a maul following a lineout. Russell converted to bring the Lions within just two points at 26–24.

The final minutes were tense, with both teams pushing for a decisive score. It was the Lions who found it. With just 23 seconds remaining on the clock, full-back Hugo Keenan dived over in the left corner to give the Lions the lead for the first time in the match.

A TMO review cleared Jac Morgan of any foul play in the buildup, and the try stood. The Lions held firm in the closing moments to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in their history.

The win secures a 2–0 series lead for the British & Irish Lions, rendering the third and final Test in Sydney a dead rubber. It also marks a historic achievement, with the Lions overturning an 18-point deficit—their largest ever comeback in a Test match.

Team line up:

Australia: Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Potter; Lynagh, Gordon; Slipper, Porecki, Alaalatoa, Frost, Skelton, Valetini, McReight, Wilson.

Reserves: Pollard, Bell, Robertson, Williams, Gleeson, Tizzano, McDermott, Donaldson.

British and Irish Lions: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Aki, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Itoje, Chessum, Beirne, Curry, Conan.

Reserves: Kelleher, Genge, Stuart, Ryan, Morgan, Mitchell, Farrell, Kinghorn.