Jonathan Sexton ... celebrates his second half try against the Wallabies. Source: Philip Hillyard / News Limited
THE Wallabies suffered a humiliating 41-16 thrashing to the British & Irish Lions in a performance that has revived doubts about their scrum and puts the future of coach Robbie Deans in grave doubt.
| 1 Tries 4 |
|---|
| James O'Connor 40' | Alex Corbisiero 2' |
| Jonny Sexton 57' |
| George North 65' |
| Jamie Roberts 69' |
| 1 Conversions 3 |
|---|
| Christian Lealiifano 40' | Leigh Halfpenny 3' |
| Leigh Halfpenny 58' |
| Leigh Halfpenny 70' |
| 3 Penalties 5 |
|---|
| Christian Lealiifano 10' | Leigh Halfpenny 8' |
| Christian Lealiifano 42' | Leigh Halfpenny 13' |
| Christian Lealiifano 46' | Leigh Halfpenny 16' |
| Leigh Halfpenny 26' |
| Leigh Halfpenny 52' |
Australia was emphatically hammered by a raging Lions side that smashed its own record for most points in a Test match in front of 83,702 fans at ANZ Stadium.
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In losing the Tom Richards Cup, Australia also ensured they have only beaten the Lions once in their 125-year history, 12 years ago.
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Three points had separated the first two Tests but there was daylight between the sides last night.
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Australia's scrum was bullied and bashed, and the worst fears leading into the series were finally realised, after both packs had shared honours in the first two games.
The powerhouse Lions scrum and counter-attacking masterclass from Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny, who set up two tries and kicked goals relentlessly, left the Wallabies helpless.
From trailing 19-3 in the 40th minute, the Wallabies had clawed back to 19-16 by the 46th, with James O'Connor scoring a try after the half-time siren and Christian Leali'ifano kicking two penalties in the first five minutes of the second half.
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But by the 69th the Lions had run away with the game, with tries from Jonathan Sexton, George North and Jamie Roberts stamping rewarding their forwards' dominance and stamping authority on the result.
The three-try hit took the score to 41-16, and under-fire Lions coach Warren Gatland was celebrating in the coaches' box while Deans remained ashen-faced.
Prior to the match speculation was rife that either Jake White or Ewen McKenzie would take over before the Rugby Championship, and it's difficult to see Deans holding on now.
After Australia had cut the Lions' lead to three, Gatland's team suddenly looked vulnerable for the first time.
But soon afterward the Wallabies gave away yet another scrum penalty after unwillingly being moonwalked five metres by the rampant Lions pack.
Halfpenny struck the three points, and then Sexton scored a brilliantly worked try from a wide spread.
The ball went from Sexton to Jonathan Davies and Halfpenny, whose inside pass was collected and planted under the posts by the highest-paid player in the world.
The Wallabies were soon attacking at the other end of the field, and earned a penalty from close range but instead took a quick tap, a gamble that misfired when prop Benn Robinson knocked on.
Moments later, Halfpenny stepped around Will Genia on the counter, lured fullback Jesse Mogg and sent North to the corner.
Returning centre Roberts powered through a yawning hole in the 69th minute and with Halfpenny's conversion the Lions had cracked 40 points.
The Lions led 19-10 at the break in a disastrous opening half that saw the Wallabies scrummaged off the park.
But had it not been for James O'Connor's bloody-minded determination to score a try beating four defenders after the half-time siren, the situation would have been far more dire for Robbie Deans' team.
Key weapon Israel Folau suffered a serious hamstring injury and was taken off in the 27th minute, two minutes after prop Ben Alexander was sin-binned for repeated scrum infringements.
The Lions were already leading 19-3 by then, with Australia's scrum pushed backwards and heavily punished by referee Romain Poite, a former policeman who lived up to his billing as a judicious operator.
Nevertheless, the Wallabies scrum was a shambles and the worst fears leading into the series were finally realised, after both packs had shared honours in the first two Tests.
Lions super-boot Leigh Halfpenny nailed every chance with five from five in the first 40 minutes.
Alexander was penalised for incorrect binding and after a third time he was spelled.
With a one-man advantage and clear running momentum in the game, the Lions sought to destroy any hope Australia had of a comeback, but the home side defended bravely with 14 men.
At one stage, after 27 phases in the Wallabies' half, Lions playmaker Jonathan Sexton attempted a field goal that sailed wide.
That gave Australia the impetus to climb back into the contest.
After a severe pounding they refused to buckle, and it was telling that O'Connor's try came on the back of a Wallabies scrum five metres out from the line.
Their weakness became their platform, with O'Connor receiving the ball as first receiver, dummying, stepping and reaching out to lift Australia's spirits.
A nine-point deficit hardly told the story of the Lions' domination, but it told plenty about the Wallabies' determination having trailed 16-3 after just 16 minutes.
The Lions roared furiously into the decider, scoring in the opening minute after Will Genia had knocked on from the kick-off.
Prop Alex Corbisero took a short ball from halfback Mike Phillips, beat the tackle of rival Benn Robinson and rolled over the line to score his maiden Test try.
The criticised getaway to Noosa early this week was just what the doctor ordered, with the tourists smashing the Wallabies at the contest, breakdown and scrum.
The Wallabies thought they'd suffered another massive blow in the fifth minute when George Smith was concussed after running head-first into Richard Hibbard's cranium.
With Smith seemingly laying unconscious on the deck, it appeared his much-hailed comeback had ended in disaster. But minutes later, after being taken off and undergoing the mandatory concussion tests, Smith ran back out to resume his position.
While he was gone a double team tackle of Dan Lydiate and Sean O'Brien forced a turnover on the halfway line from winger Joe Tomane, and Halfpenny duly slotted the 50-metre penalty goal to put his side ahead 10-0 after eight minutes.
Australia bounced back into the game after a penalty from the next kick-off, with Leali'ifano converting the penalty.
