Last-gasp try gives the British and Irish Lions a 29-26 win over the Wallabies to clinch test series

By Canadian Press on July 26, 2025.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A contentious try in the last minute by Hugo Keenan capped an extraordinary comeback win for the British and Irish Lions over the Wallabies in the second test on Saturday, played in front of 90,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Lions rallied from 23-5 down in the first half to win the match 29-26 and seal an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series which concludes in Sydney next weekend.

In 2001 and 2013 the Lions lost in Melbourne after winning the first match of a three-test series against the Wallabies to force the series to a decider.

But Keenan’s try in the dying seconds allowed the Lions to avoid that fate for the first time. After winning the first test 29-17, they managed to overcome a vastly improved Australia that at times dominated Saturday’s match.

“Lions, Lions, Lions!” Lions captain Majo Itoje chanted at the end of the match, rousing the almost 40,000 Lions fans among the crowd at the giant auditorium. “This is special. This will live long in the memory.”

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

The Associated Press

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