Wallabies captain Harry Wilson pleaded he wasn’t in the right emotional state to discuss one of the biggest referee calls in the history of British and Irish Lions tours – but Andrea Piardi’s decision to allow the match-winning try sparked instant arguments across the hemispheres that will echo down the generations.
The Italian referee opted to allow a last-minute try to Hugo Keenan, and Wilson argued that his backrow teammate Carlo Tizzano had been illegally hit by Jac Morgan above the shoulders in a clean-out leading up to the match-winning score.
After a TMO deliberation, Piardi and his team decided there was no foul play, deciding the players arrived at the ball at the same time, handing the series to the Lions 2-0.
Harry Wilson of the Wallabies and Maro Itoje of the British & Irish Lions speak to a touch judge during the second test of the series between Australia Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 26, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The call instantly divided pundits and combatants, while social media users in the northern hemisphere, including former England star Andy Goode, accused Tizzano of taking a dive.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt seldom lets his guard down but his anger was simmering.
“We led for 79 minutes, and I couldn’t quite believe that we didn’t get a decision at the end to lead for 80, but, you know, that’s the wicked backlash that sport can have sometimes.
“I think it was described as arriving at the same time, and we can all see that’s not the case, and we can all see clear contact with the back of the neck, which, you know, might be a different decision on another day and another time, and I think, you know, at that time, it wasn’t the decision we got.”
His opposite number, Andy Farrell, predictably, had a different view.
“I thought it was a brilliant clear-out,” Farrell said. “I can understand being on the other side of the fence. I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on.”
Former Lions captain Martin Johnson and Wallabies legend Michael Hooper were completely at odds on the Stan Sport post-match show.
“I didn’t think there was enough there for a penalty to change the game,” said Johnson.
“I think you have to be very, very sure to change the game on a refs decision, and I thought it wasn’t a penalty.”
Hooper argued that the call would have been made in the opening minutes of the game, suggesting Piardi had opted out of a tough call.
“I can see what the referee’s saying, but there’s a penalty there, whether it’s either on head, on neck, or whether he’s going straight off his feet to ground,” Hooper said.
“I would say if that was minute one, that’s a penalty.
“Whether it’s minute one, if you’re judging or refereeing by the level of the law, minute one to minute 79, it doesn’t matter.”
Jack Conan , Owen Farrell, Ronan Kelleher, Maro Itoje and Ellis Genge of the British & Irish Lions celebrate victory following the second test of the series between Australia Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 26, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Johnson responded: “I disagree. I don’t think it’s a penalty. I think if you penalise that, you penalise nearly every ruck.
“It’s the referee’s call. He was quite strict at the breakdown tonight. He was into the Lions very early on, penalised the Wallabies twice on their clean-out.
“So he was on it, and he had a good look at it, and that made his call. I agree with his decision. I don’t think it was a penalty.”
On the BBC forum, fans were pointing the finger at Tizzano, with one claiming he should be playing football due to his dive to try to milk a penalty from the Morgan hit.
Wallabies great Tim Horan also looked at the role Tizzano played in the incident.
“Andrea Piardi had a very good Test match. He was reasonably calm,” said Horan.
“I thought it was about 50-50, but Jac Morgan comes in, hits the neck. Carlo Tizzano, was he brave enough to get a penalty? No.”
Perhaps the strongest voice on the decision to award the try was ex-Wallaby Morgan Turinui who said Rugby Australia’s chiefs should seek a “please explain” from the referees boss.
“That last one shouldn’t be a try. It’s really simple. It’s a point of law where dangerous conduct at a ruck and maul, you cannot make contact with a player above the shoulder line at a ruck or maul,” said Turinui.
“The referee said it was a dynamic incident, both players arriving. Every ruck, every maul, every action in rugby is a dynamic incident. They got it wrong.
“If you’re a Wallabies fan at home, you should be proud of your Wallabies team. If you’re a Lions fan, gee, your team were outstanding coming back. But that decision is 100% completely wrong.
“The referee got it wrong. His two assistant referees got it wrong. The TMO got it wrong.
“Joel Jutge, the [World Rugby] head of the referees, is out here on a junket. He needs to haul those referees in and ask for a please explain. If I’m the World Rugby Board that are here, if I’m Dan Herbert, the chair of Australian Rugby, if I’m Phil Waugh, the CEO of Australian Rugby, I’m asking for a please explain.
“He did have a good game, but the refereeing group, when it counted, got the match-defining decision completely wrong. It’s a point of law. It’s in black and white.”
Earlier, in the immediate aftermath of the game, Turinui was even more strident.
“The end is a penalty to the Wallabies,” he said.
“And the referees were too weak to give it. It doesn’t matter, you cannot hit a guy in the back of the neck to save the ball, who is legally jackaling. The referees have got it wrong.
“It has cost the Wallabies survival in the series. The British and Irish Lions lead this series 2-0. It was brave to come back from them, but it is a terrible decision that decides this match.”
Former England winger Chris Ashton wasn’t having it.
“You can see the relief onJac Morgan’s face, it was a rugby incident. They both went so low,” said Ashton. “There was no time to adjust and it was the right call in the end.”
