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

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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?

Australia British & Irish Lions All Stats and Data

“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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.”

Click here to read article