England star singled out online for winning Lions series

The British & Irish Lions secured a series win over Australia at the MCG on Saturday with a late try from Hugo Keenan delivering a 29-26 win, but England flanker Tom Curry has been singled out online for winning the match 25 minutes earlier.

With the Wallabies leading 26-17 on 55 minutes, flankers Langi Gleeson and Fraser McReight broke down the right flank before the openside cut in field and fed the ball to Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i on the 22 with a tattered Lions defence in front of the 21-year-old. The centre only needed to produce a pass to his left, and the Wallabies would have very likely been scoring in the corner, or could have even gone to ground, and they would have probably scored in the next phase.

Curry, however, put an abrupt end to the attack by tracking back and hitting Sua’ali’i from behind, forcing a knock-on. The Wallabies would barely get a sniff again at scoring another try, and failed to add any points thereafter.

The Sale Sharks star was replaced just seconds later by Wales’ Jac Morgan, but that tackle did not go unnoticed online.

Journalist Brendan Gallagher wrote: “When the dust settles… Let history record that. It was the Tom Curry tackle wit won it for the Lions.”

EK Rugby Analysis wrote: “Such an important tackle from Tom Curry. Try saver.”

One fan wrote: “Tom Curry’s try-saving tackle just before he came off…”

Another fan wrote: “What a last-ditch tackle by Tom Curry to save a certain try for Australia in the 53rd minute. If the Lions win the 2nd Test, that crucial tackle by Tom Curry will be the key momentum changer in the game. What a player Tom Curry is.”

Another wrote: “Tom Curry has saved the Test match there.”

Another wrote: “That Tom Curry tackle was phenomenal. Match winning.”

The flanker had already scored a try at the end of the first half, having scored the week before, in what has been a barnstorming series so far. That is some reply from a player whose place in the starting XV was questioned last week.