The pity was that the Lions’ brilliant 29-26 win at the MCG to seal a series win had to be overshadowed, in its immediate aftermath, by the legality or otherwise of Jac Morgan’s clearout on Carlo Tizzano, who flew backwards with his hands clutching his head in the game’s final decisive play.
This precipitated Jamison Gibson-Park again taking the correct decision in zipping another pass to Hugo Keenan on his left and the fullback standing up Len Ikitau with his footwork before taking him on the outside to score a career-defining try.
The officials looked at the incident several times before referee Andrea Piardi confirmed they saw no evidence of foul play.
“I think everyone can make their own decision on that,” said Australia coach Joe Schmidt. “You just have to read law 9.20 and you just have to listen to the description from the referee and then watch the vision when two players are described as arriving at the same time. Just watch the footage.”
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Asked how the officials could get it wrong, Schmidt said: “Cause they are human. 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 [World Rugby] are talking about.
“You cannot hit someone above the level of the shoulders and there’s no bind with the left arm, his hand is on the ground. That’s what we have seen. We have watched a number of replays from different angles so it is what it is. We just have to accept it.”
Unsurprisingly, Lions head coach Andy Farrell interpreted the clearout completely differently.
“I thought it was a brilliant clearout. It depends which side of the fence you come from. I can understand people’s opinions. I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on and so were the rest of the bench.”
Farrell also maintained he was calm at the time the incident went to a review.
“I thought it was a good clearout live. I couldn’t understand what they were going back for. They seem to go back for absolutely everything these days, don’t they?
“I’m so pleased that the referee held his nerve. The right decision in my opinion. Honestly, sheer joy. What a box to be in. The coaches were through the roof, as you could imagine. Something that I’ll stick in my mind for the rest of my life.”
Finn Russell echoed his coach’s sentiments was asked if he was worried when Morgan’s clearout went to the TMO. “Nah, not at all. I was just outside the ruck and saw the great clearout that it was. I think when Tizzano goes down holding his head it was obviously going to be questioned but I think when you saw it back it was just a text book clearout and a brilliant clearout from Jac.
“Tizzano is over the ball, which is good play from him but I think Jac just cleared him out really well. It’s almost the aggression that he cleared him out with, that’s what the question mark was almost.
“He obviously holds his head and tried to get a penalty from it, but nah I think it was a brilliant clearout.”
