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'What are you talking about? Did I just watch a different series'

By Ian Cameron reporting from Sydney
Harry Wilson, (R) the Australia Wallabies captain celebrates with team mates after Tate McDermott scores their third try during the third test of the series between Australia Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Accor Stadium on August 02, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Will Greenwood has hit back at Australian media claims that the British and Irish Lions “stole” the 2025 series after the Wallabies salvaged pride with a 22-12 win in a spiteful, storm-lashed third Test in Sydney.

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The Lions had been chasing a first 3-0 series sweep in Australia since 1904 but were ambushed by a fired-up Joe Schmidt side that played with bite and intent from the first whistle.

Greenwood, speaking on Sky Sports, couldn’t believe how quickly the local narrative had shifted.

“Can I just interrupt? So, I was on Stan a few minutes ago and honestly, they’ve started already,” Greenwood said. “They said this is the tour that the Lions stole.

“Man, they are trouble. I was like, what are you talking about? Did I just watch a different series?

Fixture
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Australia
22 - 12
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“No, they [the Wallabies] were fabulous tonight. I mean, thoroughly deserved their win. But that’s the agenda.

“Wallabies – they’ve always been like that, since Allan Border and Glen Chapple and those boys on the cricket field. They give it hard.”

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Saturday night’s clash had everything: torrential rain, four pitch invaders, and a 38-minute lightning delay that forced fans to evacuate Accor Stadium. Amid the chaos, the Wallabies dominated the collisions and made a mockery of Lions hopes of being remembered as the greatest touring team of all time.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set the tone by creating an early try for Dylan Pietsch, while Max Jorgensen’s 50-metre second-half breakaway sealed the win in front of 80,312 fans. Schmidt’s team overcame the absence of key forwards Alan Alaalatoa and Rob Valetini, the early loss of flyhalf Tom Lynagh to a head knock, and the retiree swansong of Nic White, to deliver a defiant 80-minute performance.

“Obviously it was a disappointing week after such a tough loss,” said captain Harry Wilson. “To bounce back the way we did, to play an 80-minute performance, I’m so proud of everyone. We just wanted this game so badly.”

The Wallabies’ win avoided a place in Australian sporting infamy as the first side to be whitewashed at home by the Lions in 98 years.

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Green and gold great Tim Horan was asked for his take on what the Lions tour meant for Aussie rugby, given it’s a sport that has to fight for attention in a saturated sports market.

“I think we really needed last week as well,” Horan told Sky Sports. “Ninety thousand people at the MCG, a close game, and then we needed to win here tonight, and we got that, and it’s going to do a lot for our game in Australia.

“Of course, we know the competition in Australia – the NRL, the AFL – so we’re always battling to get airtime. But I think it’s also shown that there’s so much pride in the gold jersey. I haven’t seen this much gold around the stadium tonight. There was certainly a lot of red here as well, but I think it shows so much pride in that gold jersey.”

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Comments

25 Comments
C
CB 6 days ago

In 5 years time, the only thing remembered will be the B&L won the series. That is sport.

B
BP 6 days ago

Pfft! He must be high!! Australia were the better team in 2 of the tests - Stolen series! AB’s and the Boks would taken them apart……

B
BA 6 days ago

I know it’s not all about size 😂but the way it’s going at the mo when it comes to international forwards bigger is better with Lions looking a tad undersized at times

a
aO 6 days ago

I was also wondering same thing. Wilson the captain intimidated the ref in 2nd test and 3rd. I eat he'd both twice just to see were the officials consistent, I conclude they were not.


In first halves in both tests refs did not control Wobblies in same way the Lions. Looked only at Lions, overlooked so much from Skelton he should have been yellow carded in first half. Kelleher sent packing was totally unwarranted.

The match was engineered by World Rugby because the game is under pressure in Sus due to their own football game


The Wobblies 9 got away because he's small but also should have been carded. So much went unpunished and reffed listened too much to Wilson every time he blew against them watch it back.

B
BA 6 days ago

Kelleher sent packing was because of a team warning to many infringements in the danget zone standard practice not “unwarranted”

J
JW 6 days ago

lol

A
AS 6 days ago

Only in Lions supporters heads and the team and management would they have been greatest Lions team of all time. I so tired of this. Greatest NZ team of all time 2011 to 2018, greatest Aus 1992 to 1994, greatest Lions 71 to 74. These guys dont even come close

J
JW 6 days ago

It’s supposedly the best era of 5 nations rugby ever so I see no reason why the individuals wouldn’t be.


If you look at the whole era though you’d have to say that Farrell probably would have been a better coach for 21 series selecting mainly Irish, and Gatland would have been better this year, giving the team reasonable expectations and no player bias towards what looks like fading Irish players.


I mean if you want to think of the likes of Sione and DVdM as part of the “era” of their rugby. Personally I wouldn’t, but they do matter and where selected.

T
Tom 6 days ago

I shouldn't worry mate speaking as a Lions supporter I think the majority of us were not very impressed with the Lions on this tour. It's mostly just some loud mouthed pundits talking crap.

J
JW 6 days ago

lol and I hope Greenwood wasn’t being serious either. Actually, I think I recall a similar line from him in the past, must be his thing.


Aussie were certainly the best team in this tour, there can be no doubt about it. Lions (supports or players) can think themselves better, but unless you show it it’s.. meaningless.

C
Cantab 6 days ago

This Lions side was not the greatest ever, they were adequate only and by the end of the series a moderate Aussie side established parity with them. Both SA & NZ would beat the Lions and Argentina actually did earlier. Perspective seems to be lacking with the scribes extolling their virtues!!

K
Ken Behren 7 days ago

Will Greenwood just proving the point that NH pundits do absolutely no analysis on their opposition. A +1 point differential over Australia over 3 matches shows how wrong they are.

B
BH 7 days ago

The presenter on Stan Sports was joking to Greenwood. It was a joke. Nothing more, nothing less.

M
MM 7 days ago

It’s sad to see so many former greats of the rugby world prostitute themselves for their corporate bosses. I’m struggling to find any truly objective journalists, commentators, podcasters or pundits. They’re all toeing the corporate line.

D
DO 7 days ago

Greenwood is delusional. Lions were bang average this entire series and would have been whipped 3-0 by either NZ or SA playing like that. Australia are not a good side and 4 countries combined managed to win the series by the skin of their teeth in the last minute of the 2nd Test. Farrell is the most overrated coach in the world.

P
PM 7 days ago

Let’s be clear, the Lions may have won the series but without doubt, Australia were the big winners.


Hopefully this helps them rebuild the fan base for rugby union and continue to build on the momentum that Joe Schmidt has generated.


They played the best rugby throughout the series and got better with each and every game.

D
DJ 7 days ago

Should the score have been 22-0?


Prior to Morgan’s try circa in the 61st min, at Game Time 60:56 when Sheehan took the tap, he taps the ball with his right foot while his left foot is half a metre in front of the ball/mark.   Is that allowed or should both feet only be allowed to be in line with the ball at best or better still behind the ball?  

 

Then in a subsequent phase, within the same attacking phase as the try, at 61:34, Hugo Keenan was tackled by 2 Australians with both of Kennan’s knees on the ground but without releasing the ball, Keenan gets back up off his knees & keeps driving through the tackle going for the line.   Is that allowed? Tom Curry then joins the ruck but infringes by lifting the right leg of one of the Aus tacklers.  Should any of those actions by Sheehan, Keenan or Curry have been noticed by the 4 Officials, Morgan’s try disallowed & a Penalty awarded to Aus?

 

Then leading up to Stuart’s try in the 79th min, at Game Time 78:31, Genge has  2 Aussies directly in front of him but Genge leaves his feet & dives over the 2 Aussie tacklers in an attempt to score a try.   Is that allowed? I refer you to World Rugby Law Clarification 3-2022.  

 

Genge having been stopped from scoring, the next action is Owen Farrell coming in from the side then launching himself shoulder/head first over the top of Genge with no attempt to wrap to take out a couple of Aus players trying to assist in preventing the progress of Genge.   Owen Farrell having skittled a couple of Aussies then ends up in the Dead Ball area completely off his feet.  Should any of those actions by Genge or Farrell have been noticed by the 4 Officials, Stuart’s try disallowed & a Penalty awarded to Aus?

J
JW 6 days ago

Morgan never scored, he was held up, but yes TMO should be going through all of them. If it’s the one I recall he only placed the ball on the ground, never releasing and picking it back up again once he’s on his feet.


Old Nigel Owens did a video last week about why diving for a try was brought (can’t rem why/what he said) in back on the turn of the century. In that he seemed to think you can dive like Genge/Sheehan did to score a try, but in the Sheehan example he didn’t actually score from the dive, he slid over just after. So if Sheehan’s was a no try, I assume that, along with this Genge example, should have been a penalty, yes.

M
Mark 7 days ago

Listening to Will Greenwood in commentary yesterday I think he was definately watching a different game to me!!.

His constant cheerleading of the lions, particularly finn Russell was both tedious and largely disingenuous.

The wallabies played them of the park in all facets of the game.

The class of 2025 lions have been very average indeed.

P
PM 7 days ago

Forgive Will Greenwood, he was probably thinking it was time for a playing comeback and got lost in the moment watching the Lions.


It’s no surprise the Lions attack fell apart once Tuipoloutu was dropped/injured. The Lions stuttered in attack once he was gone.

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