Australia v British & Irish Lions: Third Test – Preview And Prediction

After drawing first blood in Brisbane with a 27-19 win, the Home Nations all-stars staged a stunning comeback as they overturned an 18-point deficit and sealed a dramatic 29-26 triumph in an epic encounter in Melbourne last weekend to wrap up the series with a game to spare.

Saturday’s finale may look like a dead rubber at first glance, but it’s anything but as a victory would earn the Lions a 100% tour record for the first time since their trip to Argentina in 1927. On the flip side, the Wallabies are desperate to avoid a series whitewash.

The last time they failed to win a Test in a series against the Lions was in 1966, when they lost 11-8 at the Sydney Cricket Ground and then 31-0 at Lang Park in Brisbane. Should they fall short again on Saturday, it would mark only the third time since the end of World War Two that they haven’t won a game in a series, after also going down 2-0 in 1950 and 1959.

The Wallabies showed the fire they lacked in the first Test in the first half last weekend. Bolstered by the returning Rob Valetini and Will Skelton, they got front foot ball on attack and were a transformed team on defence, showing immense power, physicality, and niggle as they raced into a 23-5 lead.

It’s no coincidence, though, that things went south in the second half with Valetini only managing 40 minutes and Skelton 47 minutes. Without these hard men, the Australians returned to putty, and the Lions roared back to complete their biggest-ever comeback.

These Lions may have an inflated opinion of themselves, but they deserve credit for staying calm and pulling the game out of the fire. Andy Farrell and his charges had set out to go 9-0 Down Under, and they’re now one win away from that goal, so they won’t easily take their foot off the Wallabies’ throat.

The key question is whether the Wallabies will put ‘ruckgate’ behind them or allow it to linger in their minds and affect their preparation and performance. With World Rugby chief Alan Gilpin having backed the match officials for their ruling on Jac Morgan’s cleanout that led to Hugo Keenan’s last-gasp match-winning try last weekend, the matter should be put to bed, but the Australians still seem to be stuck on what they deem to be an injustice.    

The focused Lions will make a few changes to freshen up their ranks, while the Wallabies are limping into the final Test. They’ve lost a couple of players to injury, with the biggest blow being the injury to scrum anchor Allan Alaalatoa.

It should be another close contest, but the physically, mentally, and tactically stronger Lions should complete the sweep.

Prediction: British & Irish Lions by 3.

Suggested Bet: Australia +7 at 1.90.