Wallaby players immediately complained to referee Andrea Piardi.
Lions hooker Dan Sheehan dived over Wallaby defenders to score his try in the second Test, with Australian players immediately protesting the legality of the score.
With Australia camped on their own try line after multiple phases, the Lions decided to tap-and-go instead of taking a relatively easy three points from the tee. Having been unable to pierce the defensive line up to that point, Ireland international Sheehan made the clever decision to tap and then jump over would-be tacklers to get their first points on the board.
Captain Harry Wilson could be seen complaining to referee Andrea Piardi about the try, stating that you cannot jump over a tackle. You can follow the Lions match and reaction live here.
While this may be true in open play, it works differently when a player is in the act of scoring a try.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Wales legend Dan Biggar explained why.
“It’s just really smart play from Sheehan, Piardi said you are allowed to jump in the act of scoring a try,” said Biggar.
“I don’t know if anyone remembers Blair Murray got a try ruled out in the Wales v Scotland match in the Six Nations for jumping over a tackle, but it wasn’t in the act of scoring.
“In the act of scoring, it’s okay. Smart play from Dan Sheehan.”
It was a great change in intensity in the second Test in Melbourne.
While the Wallabies were relatively weak in their first outing of the 2025 series, they came into the second Test hungry and firing.
The return of big forwards Rob Valetini and Will Skelton gave the Wallabies dominance in collisions, with their back line starting to gel and flow, especially towards the end of the opening period.
If the Lions beat Australia today, it will be the first time since 1997 that a touring side has gone into the third Test with the series already won.
Wales international Jac Morgan has been named among the replacements for today’s match and hopes to make an impact in the second half.