Last-kick losers

THE British & Irish Lions face a Test series decider in Sydney on Satur day after Australia clinched a nerve-shredding victory at Etihad Stadium. Not since South Africa 1997 have the Lions won a Test series, and Leigh Halfpenny’s five penalties looked to have ended 16 years of hurt.

But then he missed one from halfway with the game’s final kick, and left the pitch distraught as Australia prevailed courtesy of centre AdamAshley-Cooper’s 75th-minute try, converted by midfield partner Christian Leali’ifano.

The Lions were on course for an unassailable 2-0 series lead, but Ashley-Cooper’s strike rounded off a concerted spell of pressure, and Leali’ifano, who had booted three penalties, kept his cool to edge Australia ahead.

A pulsating contest will now go to the wire and the Lions might be without skipper Sam Warburton, who limped off nursing a hamstring injury 13 minutes from time.

Australia are upwardly mobile, and have stolen momentum from their opponents at a critical time. The Lions now head north to Queensland for four days on the coast, and they will need to regroup quickly.

The Lions announced their intentions immediately yesterday, playing with a high tempo as hooker Tom Youngs and lock Alun-Wyn Jones made territorial inroads before Halfpenny saw a 48- metre penalty attempt rebound off the bar.

Jones twice needed treatment, which drew into focus the Lions’ decision not to have a specialist lock on replacement duty, but a ninth- minute Halfpenny strike made it 3-0.

Australia ended the first Test enjoying scrum dominance, and there were alarming early signs for the Lions, with Mako Vunipola – called up after injury sidelined Alex Corbisiero – under huge pressure. When the England prop collapsed a 16th-minute scrum, Leali’ifano stepped up to land an equalising penalty.

Things rapidly deteriorated for the Saracens loosehead when he was whistled again by referee Craig Joubert, and Leali’ifano slotted a second penalty. Halfpenny cancelled it out five minutes later.

Joubert offered no scrummaging leeway to either side, and the Lions cashed in when Australia wheeled a scrum and Halfpenny completed his penalty hat-trick.

Leali’ifano also maintained outstanding accuracy, making it three penalties from three kicks just before half-time, but Halfpenny restored the Lions’ three-point advantage after Joubert punished Wallabies flanker Ben Mowen for not rolling away.

A 12-9 interval advantage was lucky for the Lions, whose setpiece problems materialised to a worrying degree at times.

They put 11 players in one lineout, yet they lacked a clinical edge and Australia looked the most

There was a sudden snap to the hosts’ attacking game

likely try scorers in an opening 40 minutes high on endeavour and effort, but lacking creative brilliance.

The high error count continued early in the second period, with both sides struggling to keep possession. Joubert did not need a second invitation to maintain the prolific penalty count.

Lions centre Brian O’Driscoll then saw a pass intercepted that put his team under pressure, and there was a sudden snap and rhythm to Australia’s attacking game that threatened to lift matters above the mediocre. Lions coach Warren Gatland made his first change after 54 minutes, sending on Conor Murray for scrum- half Ben Youngs. That was quickly followed by Youngs’ brother, hooker Tom, being replaced by Richard Hibbard.

The Lions maintained their slender interval advantage in a scoreless third quarter. but not before an injury scare when wing George North hit the ground after a crunching tackle on Wallabies speedster Israel Folau.

North quickly returned to action, before Halfpenny rifled over a penalty from halfway and the Lions looked as if they could breathe easily despite losing Warburton for the final stages.

But Australia had other ideas, and they stormed deep into the Lions’ 22, driven forward by their outstanding hooker Stephen Moore.

The tourists tackled well, yet wave after wave of Wallabies attacks took a toll, and AshleyCooper smashed through Davies for his try.

When Halfpenny’s kick drifted to the right, Australia were home and dry.