Andy Farrell has admitted his thought when Hugo Keenan received the ball as the British and Irish Lions were seeking a try in the final minute at the MCG to beat Australia and secure a Test series victory was: ‘Pass it!’
With the Lions two points down in the final play, having been 18 points behind earlier in Saturday’s second Test contest in Melbourne, Keenan received the ball with team-mate Jack Conan outside him in a two vs two scenario.
Keenan stepped and accelerated round powerful Australia centre Len Ikitau to finish superbly, however, clinching a hugely dramatic success in front of a record 90,000 fans, completing the largest Lions comeback in history in doing so.
“I was screaming, pass it, pass it, pass it!” Farrell said at the MCG. “Knowing Hugo, he was never going to pass it, he was always going to back himself.
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Sam Warburton breaks down the British and Irish Lions’ series-clinching winner by Keenan
“I spoke to his dad after the game and he was never going to pass it. He backs himself in those types of situations.
“After what he [Keenan] has been through, it was all worth it. To score at the death of a Lions Test, it’s fairy tale stuff. To win like that – it means everything.
“The lads have dreamed of being Lions all their lives.
“We’ve made history, haven’t we? So there’s that. Does that warrant that type of legends tag? I think it does. Why not? We came here to do what we’ve done tonight and we should all celebrate.”
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Keenan and Jac Morgan talk through their emotions during the last-minute drama
Farrell: It’s what dreams are made of – kids watching that will want to become Lions
Speaking to media as a boisterous Lions changing room bellowed out Sweet Caroline and Dirty Old Town within earshot, victorious Lions head coach Farrell added: “Not really no [it doesn’t get much better]. You can see and hear what it means to everyone in there. These lads have dreamed of being British and Irish Lions all their lives.
“To get to the point where you get to the MCG in front of 90,000 people, with a dramatic finish like that to win a series, it’s what dreams are made of.
“No one can deny that for us now. It is a special moment for everyone, we are absolutely delighted that we showed the courage and what it takes to be a Lion.
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Highlights of a classic second Test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne
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Andy Farrell spoke to Sky Sports as the British and Irish clinched a series win against Australia after a last-minute try
“It wasn’t all going our way in the second half but the way we held our nerve when we got down to that last 10 minutes was outstanding.
“There were a few of those fine margin moments right the way through the game. When you look back on it now, they all matter, don’t they? When things were going against the grain for us, there were people standing up all over the place and keeping us in the fight.
“To me, this is a dream for everyone in that dressing room. To get to a point now where Hugo Keenan scores a try in the last minute to win a series in Australia. If you’re a child watching that back home, do you want to be a British and Irish Lion? 100 per cent.
“That’s the dream and that’s the fairy tale that these lads have wished for since they were this high. It’s alive and kicking and we’re over the moon.”
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Finn Russell reflects on the dramatic finish for the British and Irish Lions against Australia in the second Test in Melbourne
Itoje: It feels surreal – ‘my uncle text me and said: ‘You’re not the Harlem Globetrotters – just win’
Speaking to Sky Sports, victorious Lions captain Maro Itoje said:
“It feels a little surreal. The first 20 minutes we weren’t great, weren’t physical enough. We managed to find a way in the second half of the first half.
“The second half, again it wasn’t perfect, but we just managed to fight, got close and big Faz (Andy Farrell) was just telling us to play big all the time, to believe in ourselves.
“I give a load of credit to the bench – all the guys that came on made a massive difference.
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Lions captain Maro Itoje speaks to Sky Sports after he led his side to a series-clinching win against Australia
“I think we started hitting. It sounds pretty basic, but our scrum got on top and our decision-makers – Finn (Russell), Faz (Owen Farrell), Jamo (Gibson-Park) at 9 – they started playing really well.
“We just managed to stay close enough and scored in the end.
“My uncle last week sent me a message saying: ‘Look, you guys aren’t the Harlem Globetrotters – you need to make sure you win’. So, thank you uncle! Luckily we did it.
“The exciting thing – you know and I know we’ve got so much more in us. Hopefully next week we have an opportunity to actually bring it all together.”
Gatland: Test exactly what rugby needed – Morgan act wasn’t a penalty for me
Three-times Lions head coach Warren Gatland (2013, 2017, 2021) said on Sky Sports:
“It was a brilliant game of rugby – exactly what the sport needs.
“The crowd was amazing. Australia turned up and played some fantastic rugby.
“You’ve got to feel for them after the Lions scored in the 80th minute, but that’s what good teams do – they find a way to win.
“I spoke to Joe Schmidt and he felt it was a penalty at the end, but I just saw it as a clearout.
“I don’t know where Jac Morgan was supposed to go – it looked like a rugby incident to me. I think it was the right decision in the end.”
British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports
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Watch the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia exclusively live on Sky Sports this summer
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and seven tour matches to be shown exclusively live.
Date Opponent Venue Friday, June 20 Argentina (L 28-24) Dublin Saturday, June 28 Western Force (W 54-7) Perth Wednesday, July 2 Queensland Reds (W 52-12) Brisbane Saturday, July 5 NSW Waratahs (W 21-10) Sydney Wednesday, July 9 ACT Brumbies (W 36-24) Canberra Saturday, July 12 Invitational AU-NZ (W 48-0) Adelaide Saturday, July 19 AUSTRALIA (W 27-19) Brisbane Tuesday, July 22 First Nations & Pasifika XV (W 24-19) Melbourne Saturday, July 26 AUSTRALIA (W 29-26) Melbourne Saturday, August 2 AUSTRALIA (third Test) Sydney
