The Lions’ bid for their first series whitewash since 1927 ultimately fell short.
Well before the British and Irish Lions’ intense experience in Sydney concluded – a night marked by rugby drama, severe weather, unfortunate injuries, and delays due to distant lightning – a striking statistic regarding Will Skelton circulated within the stadium.
The lock, possessing a frame that could be likened to one person standing atop another, exerted a significant influence on Australia’s victory, mirroring his impact during his time on the field in the second Test, after being deemed unfit for the series opener.
The Lions outscored Australia 39-22 when Skelton was off the field. However, with Skelton in play, the Wallabies prevailed with a score of 38-24.
Can one individual truly make such a substantial difference? In Skelton’s case, the answer is an emphatic yes.
The Lions benefited from his absence during their win in Brisbane and his early exit in the second half in Melbourne. In Sydney, however, his influence was undeniable, alongside Taniela Tupou and Dylan Pietsch, players whom Schmidt only called upon for this final Test, after the series outcome was already determined.
Ultimately, the coveted 3-0 sweep, the title of greatest-ever Lions, which they had openly discussed and pursued on Saturday, remained elusive.
A trophy, silver ticker tape, and a celebratory lap of honour were present. Dan Sheehan and Maro Itoje offered words of triumph, though they seemed somewhat strained. On a night when the skies opened, the true forces of nature were clad in gold.
Thus concludes a whirlwind 36-day tour of Australia. Nine matches, eight victories, and a single defeat. From Dublin to Perth to Brisbane, from Sydney to Canberra, and from Adelaide to Melbourne, these Lions will have traversed over 25,000 miles aboard a dozen different aircraft by the time they return home.
While not quite the odyssey of the 1888 pioneers, who spent eight months touring New Zealand and Australia, playing 35 matches, it was nonetheless a considerable journey.
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A sense of disappointment lingered in the aftermath. The Lions’ performance was lackluster, outmatched and soundly beaten.
How will this series be remembered? For its narrow margins? For how a pivotal call late in the day in Melbourne might have altered everything had it gone the other way?
We will recall the Wallabies’ magnificent comeback, having been written off and nearly humiliated after the first Test in Brisbane. How Schmidt, misguidedly, rested numerous Test players ahead of Brisbane, leaving them significantly underprepared.
Sydney was a defining occasion, both bizarre and remarkable. For weeks, the Lions toured this magnificent land largely unbothered.
There was no aggression, no sledging, nothing to disrupt their rhythm. The entire tour seemed destined for a predictable 3-0 outcome until the Wallabies rediscovered their form in Melbourne.
Then, things became compelling. We will always remember the MCG. Over 90,000 spectators filled the stadium, marking the largest crowd ever for a Lions game and one of the greatest Lions occasions in recent memory.
The night the series was won possessed everything that so many of the other games lacked.
A spirited Wallaby performance, fervent home support, a Lions team struggling, and a finale that will not soon be forgotten.
When the Lions return in 12 years, the debate surrounding the legitimacy of Jac Morgan’s clearout in the final play will undoubtedly persist.
That moment instantly entered the top-10 most controversial episodes in Lions history. Opinions were fiercely divided. Proper touring, as Andy Farrell might say.
In the aftermath, Schmidt adopted a scientific approach when discussing the G-forces exerted on his player, Carlo Tizzano.
In an attempt to explain why Tizzano was propelled backward out of that final ruck holding his head (rather than his neck where the contact occurred), he invoked Newton’s Third Law – for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. We nodded along. Yes, Joe, of course.
Across Sydney, the victorious Lions exuded a zen-like calm. Itoje quoted scripture, Farrell loosely quoted American clergyman and psychologist Norman Vincent Peale, speaking about aiming for the moon and, even if you miss, landing among the stars.
We had a conversation with a contemplative Tadhg Furlong. “I’ve heard many people explain Lions tours, and I haven’t found a verbal explanation that matches how you feel about it as a player. It’s a special thing. It really is.”
“It’s not hard to motivate yourself [when the series is already won]. My motivation is obvious. I probably won’t play for the Lions again [he will be 36 in New Zealand in 2029]. It’s been very good to me. Sometimes the last memory is the lasting memory you have in a jersey. I want it to be a good one.”
Lovely, but it wasn’t. Furlong looked exhausted and devastated afterward. A peculiar form of glory.
Will Skelton played 107 of a possible 240 minutes across the series
All the Lions’ words and sentiments underscored their desire for a 3-0 victory. They consistently stated that they had yet to deliver their best performance, implying that it would come in Sydney, culminating in a historic flourish in the final Test.
Itoje, Russell, Huw Jones, Jack Conan, and Farrell all echoed this sentiment. They sang from the same hymn sheet: “We’ve not played to our maximum, we know there’s a lot more in us, we’re better than we’ve shown, and we’ll prove it on Saturday.”
But they didn’t. They aimed for 3-0 and failed to achieve it. They aspired to be remembered as one of the great Lions teams, but a 2-1 victory, while satisfying, falls short of that legacy. They sought more.
The significance of their achievement is debatable. If these Lions assert that they have not played to their full potential, we must take their word for it. And Saturday’s disappointment only reinforces this notion. By their own admission, they have not performed as well as they believed they could.
Any objective analysis must acknowledge the Wallabies’ underperformance in the first Test, a result of Schmidt’s decision to rest too many key players.
The Wallabies were also deprived of the dynamic brilliance of their best player, Rob Valetini, for all but 40 minutes of the series. Even then, they were one momentous call away from leveling the series in that extraordinary endgame in Melbourne. The Lions have triumphed, but they have also left fans feeling unfulfilled.
The prevailing sentiment before Sydney was that a better team existed within the Lions. That is now highly questionable. The Wallabies won four of the six halves of rugby played in the series.
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This tour, in many respects, has showcased a series of remarkable Lions players. While they have now been defeated, and the dream of a clean sweep is over, world-class players emerged from within a squad that was not consistently world-class.
Prior to playing against Argentina in Dublin, Furlong had only appeared in nine games this season due to injury. Doubts lingered regarding his fitness, and in the early matches in Australia, questions arose about his ability to rediscover his former greatness.
Gradually, Furlong built into the tour, growing stronger and more influential with each game. His big scrums and carries were truly impressive.
Having started nine Lions Tests in a row, Furlong emerged as a great in Australia, defeated, but still among the pantheon of Lions forwards.
Itjoe is undoubtedly another. At Stadium Australia, his hits were so powerful they were wince-inducing. His early exit due to injury was a significant blow, both personally and collectively.
Coming to Australia, he had already played 28 games this season – 10 Tests – with an average of 74 minutes in each.
While he was not at his best against Argentina in Dublin, he has been a powerhouse since then, not a typical captain or a fiery motivator. He is thoughtful, clinical, and with nine consecutive Tests, he too, joins the ranks of Lions legends.
This is the story of the tour – not a Lions squad that has proven its greatness but one with enough great individuals in it to be compelling. Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry were both doubted early in the trip, seemingly under pressure to retain their Test places.
The opening seconds of the first Test saw them setting the agenda, Curry with a monstrous hit on James Slipper and Beirne swooping to win a penalty. A marker laid down and then some.
Sheehan and Finn Russell also belong in that category. Russell’s performance in the second Test was unremarkable until those crucial minutes at the end. His control, composure, wit, and game management were razor-sharp precisely when they needed to be.
The conditions in Sydney were a fly-half’s worst nightmare. He battled on, trying to make things happen while on the back foot and defending bravely. He lost, but he gave it his all.
Ultimately, the 2025 Lions accomplished a task, but not the one they so publicly discussed. They will leave with cherished memories of their time together, of victories on the road that forged bonds, of a series won, but Saturday’s disappointment will linger. It never truly goes away.
“Bittersweet” is the word Beirne used. Few Lions teams in history have the opportunity to go 3-0 in a series. They had it within their grasp, but due to a relentless onslaught from Skelton and his band of behemoths, they let it slip away.
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