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Hugo Keenan played down his status as the British and Irish Lions hero of the hour as his try in the last minute gave the Lions an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Australia, and their first series victory since beating the Wallabies in 2013.
The Lions fought back from a 23-5 deficit midway through the first half to wrap up the match that attracted over 90,000 fans to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“You don't think about scoring the winner, especially with my try-scoring record I was the last one on the team,” Keenan told Sky Sports. “It was off the back of countless phases and people working incredibly hard. It will be one I savour forever.
“We were 23-5 points down and we knew we had it in us at halftime. We knew we hadn’t performed in the first half. It probably wasn’t the performance we wanted in the second half, but it was the character we showed.”
DELAYED CELEBRATIONS
Keenan’s try came after Dan Sheehan, Tom Curry, Huw Jones, and Tadhg Beirne scored for the Lions, with Finn Russell adding two conversions.
Australia’s tries came from James Slipper, Jake Gordon, and Max Wright, while flyhalf Tom Lynagh kicked 11 points.
The Lions had to wait to celebrate Keenan’s try after referee Andrea Picardi called on the Television Match Official (TMO) to check whether a Jac Morgan clear-out on Carlo Tizzano was legal.
The Italian decided the action didn’t warrant penalising, awarded the try, and set off celebrations among the red shirted hordes.
“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.
“These lads have dreamed of being Lions all their lives and to come to MCG with 90,000 people and win it with a dramatic finish, it's what dreams are made of. We are absolutely delighted. We showed the courage.”
“READ THE LAW”
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt didn’t agree.
“Players make errors, match officials make errors,” he said. “We felt it was a decision that doesn't live up to the player safety push they're talking about. Read the law. We just have to accept it. It is what it is. But we've watched the replay several times.
“You only have to look at law 9.20. A player who dives off his feet, beaten to the position, makes head contact. It was a tough one to take.”
For Maro Itoje and his team, the aim is to wrap up a 3-0 series win when the third test takes place at Stadium Australia in Sydney next Saturday.
“We started hitting our scrums and got on top,” the Lions captain said. “Our decision makers, Finn (Russell), Faz (Owen Farrell), Jamo (Jamison Gibson-Park) at nine started playing the game really well and we managed to stay close enough.
“When we first met, Faz (Andy Farrell) made the call that we want to come out here and win. Don't get me wrong we'll enjoy tonight but we want to win 3-0.”