Summary

  • Australia produce magnificent display to deny Lions first 3-0 series whitewash since 1927

  • Australia dominated physical first half to lead 8-0 at half-time in Sydney

  • Match delayed nearly 40 minutes early in second half because of lightning

  • Max Jorgensen try extended hosts' lead to 15-0 before Jac Morgan replied

  • Tate McDermott's try clinched hosts' deserved victory as series finished 2-1

  • Captain Maro Itoje, Tommy Freeman and James Ryan all went off after suffering head injuries

  • Ireland forward Tadhg Beirne named player of the series

  1. Postpublished at 13 mins

    Australia 5-0 Lions

    Dylan Pietsch comes off his wing and smashes Tommy Freeman. Australia then get in and win a penalty to get out of danger.

  2. Sublime Suaaliipublished at 11:16 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia 5-0 Lions

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent at Stadium Australia

    That's a quality Wallaby score, especially in these conditions.

    Suaalii's footwork hooked in Freeman, who left Pietsch free to finish neatly.

    Just what Australia needed to get the crowd going and their confidence up.

    Dylan Pietsch of the WallabiesImage source, Getty Images
  3. Postpublished at 12 mins

    Australia 5-0 Lions

    A fancy tap-penalty routine is dealt with by Australia. The rain is now belting down.

  4. Postpublished at 10 mins

    Australia 5-0 Lions

    The Lions opt for air and Blair Kinghorn wins it back. Another kick is then taken out close to his own tryline by Tom Wright.

    Really good kicking.

  5. try

    Try - Australia 5-0 Lionspublished at 8 mins

    Dylan Pietsch

    Tommy Freeman bites in and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii swings it out for Dylan Pietsch to finish acrobatically in the corner. Lovely play from Suaalii to get on the outside.

    Dylan Pietsch of the WallabiesImage source, Getty Images
  6. Flanker forcepublished at 11:09 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia 0-0 Lions

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent at Stadium Australia

    The Lions flankers have been irrepressible this series, setting the tone in minute one of the first Test in Brisbane with Tom Curry making a massive hit and Tadhg Beirne nabbing a turnover.

    Fast forward a fortnight and in the opening moments of the third Test, Beirne gets up to steal an Australian line-out and Curry makes a powerful carry.

    With three back row options on the bench, both have license to empty the tank again tonight.

    British and Irish Lions' Tom CurryImage source, Getty Images
  7. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Australia 0-0 Lions

    Hugo Keenan scoops up the ball and is forced over his own tryline. Great chance now from five out for the hosts. That was a very neat kick from Tom Wright.

  8. Postpublished at 3 mins

    Australia 0-0 Lions

    Tom Curry slips and Australia get in to steal the ball. Nice steal from Billy Pollard and an example of how the rain may affect this one.

  9. Postpublished at 2 mins

    Australia 0-0 Lions

    Tadhg Beirne steals the first line-out of the game and Jamison Gibson-Park clears long. Beirne certainly in the mix for player of the series.

    The Lions are off on the attack and win a penalty on halfway.

    Tadhg Beirne of the British and Irish LionsImage source, Getty Images
  10. Kick-offpublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia 0-0 Lions

    It is bouncing in Sydney. Can the Lions secure a series whitewash for the first time since 1927 in Argentina?

    Nic White gets the game under way on his final game for Australia.

    Players line upImage source, PA Media
  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 2 August

    #bbcrugby, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    The 8-9-10 axis of Conan, Gibson-Park and Russell all have to be in the conversation for player of the series, surely!

    Alan, Norfolk

  12. The famous last wordspublished at 10:59 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    I'll leave you with some famous words for one last time.

    I've done it for Test one and two.

    "This is your Everest." - Jim Telfer, 1997.

    "Be special for the rest of your lives." - Sir Ian McGeechan, 1997.

    "We're taking them boys to the hurt arena." Andy Farrell, 2013.

    Here we go! Kick-off is moments away.

  13. 'The best Lions team ever'published at 10:58 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Henry Pollock went one further than Maro Itoje.

    Before the Test series had even started, Pollock said: "We want to come here and be the best Lions team ever," said the 20-year-old. "We have been talking about that loads and 3-0 is definitely on the table, hopefully.

    "We are all trying to strive to being the best team we can be and get that 3-0 win."

    After the second Test win, Finn Russell said: "If we can make it a 3-0 series, that's amazing. Everyone's going to be gunning for that."

    It is clear that the ultimate goal is not yet complete.

    Henry Pollock with Tommy FreemanImage source, Getty Images
  14. Tour results - Lionspublished at 10:58 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Played nine, won eight, but the Lions remain undefeated on Australian soil.

    26 July - Australia 26-29 Lions, (Melbourne Cricket Ground)

    22 July - First Nations and Pasifika XV 19-24 Lions, (Marvel Stadium in Melbourne)

    19 July - Australia 19-27 Lions, (Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane)

    12 July - Invitational AU & NZ 0-48 Lions, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

    9 July - ACT Brumbies 24-36 Lions, Canberra (GIO Stadium)

    5 July - NSW Waratahs 10-21 Lions Sydney (Allianz Stadium)

    2 July - Queensland Reds 12-52 Lions Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)

    28 June - Western Force 7-54 Lions Perth (Optus Stadium)

    20 June - Lions 24-28 Argentina, Dublin (Aviva Stadium)

  15. 'We owe it to ourselves' - Itoje on series whitewashpublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Media caption,

    We want to be part of something very special - Itoje

    "I think we owe it to ourselves," Lions captain Maro Itoje said about the need the finish the series 3-0.

    "The squad has worked incredibly hard for coming up to the last two months. We owe it to ourselves to give the best account of ourselves. We owe it to each other to give the best account of ourselves. Part of that is going for the win. This will already be a memorable tour, but we want it to live really long in the memory."

  16. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:56 British Summer Time 2 August

    #bbcrugby, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Bring on the third Lions Test in Sydney, but Nolly Waterman has just reminded The Lions Den that the next Lions tour is the Women's tour to New Zealand in two years. Come on!

    Ali Wheeler, Sydney

    A picture of inside the Lions DenImage source, Ali
  17. Freeman good to gopublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent at Stadium Australia

    As we reported yesterday, Lions wing Tommy Freeman has been struggling with a back problem and missed the team's final training session.

    But he's completed the warm-up and seems to be good to go.

    It will be very interesting whether he is fully fit to go 80, especially with the Lions opting for a 6-2 bench split.

    Tommy FreemanImage source, Getty Images
  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:54 British Summer Time 2 August

    #bbcrugby, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    My player of the series…it's a tough one as Curry and Beirne have been exceptional in the Tests and have truly changed the games in favour of the Lions. But they struggled for form in the build-up games. Sheehan for me is a consistent performer and sends shivers down the spine of Aussies when he gets the ball, so Sheehan is my player of the series!

    Nick, Dundee

  19. Record crowds watching the Lionspublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Tom English
    BBC Sport at Stadium Australia

    More than 370,000 fans have watched the Lions in their eight games before tonight. That's an average of 46,606 so far and that will get higher given there's more than 80,000 here at Stadium Australia in the rain. Pretty sure these are record numbers. New Zealand in 2017 had an average of 34,327. Australia in 2013 had an average of 43,265. In South Africa in 2009 it was 34,793. If you want to know why the Lions will always come back there, there's the reason.

  20. Watering-gatepublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 2 August

    Australia v Lions (11:00 BST)

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent at Stadium Australia

    The heavens have opened again here, with the pitch already starting to cut up in places.

    As the Daily Mail's sage correspondent Chris Foy next to me in the press box points out, Sydney was where the Lions accused the Waratahs of watering the pitch before their match earlier in the tour in order to make it difficult for the tourists....

    British & Irish Lions head coach Andy FarrellImage source, Getty Images