**Wallabies Legend Criticises Australian Media Over Jac Morgan Incident**
In the latest rugby headlines, former Wallabies star David Campese has firmly defended the officials’ call during a pivotal moment in the British & Irish Lions’ second Test against Australia, calling media reaction back home “embarrassing” and urging his countrymen to move on.
The controversy arose from a crucial clearout by Welsh flanker Jac Morgan, which set up Hugo Keenan’s late match-winning try for the Lions. Although Rugby Australia and head coach Joe Schmidt have voiced their doubts regarding the legality of Morgan’s involvement, Campese, writing in his Planet Rugby column, dismissed the fuss as unwarranted. He insisted that Morgan’s actions were entirely within the laws and praised the calm, deliberate approach the match officials took.
“For me, it was fully legal,” Campese wrote. “He was as low as you can go, time his attempt to wrap perfectly, and come out on top in the collision. I just can’t understand the outrage.” He added that with Andrea Piardi in charge, supported by elite referees Nika Amashukeli and Ben O’Keeffe, the team in the middle made the right call, taking the necessary time to reach their decision.
Campese did not hide his frustration at his country’s media, saying: “The whingeing from some of the Aussie press is nothing short of embarrassing. As a nation, we’re known for our sporting spirit — we win with grace and should accept defeat without pointing fingers. Otherwise, these sour grapes might overshadow even our wine exports.”
Despite the ongoing debate, Campese was quick to compliment both teams on a physical and thrilling contest, noting the Lions’ superior fitness and bench impact as decisive. “Both teams deserve credit for an outstanding Test match, filled with drama and effort,” he said. “In the end, the Lions simply had more in the tank.”
Notably, Campese watched the match with respected Welsh coach Phil Davies, who agreed with his interpretation of the incident. “We both watched the replay and agreed it was a fair, well-timed piece of play. It’s time to put this behind us and move forward.”
In related team news, Australia have called up Aidan Ross for the final Test, following Harry Potter’s early injury in the previous fixture. Ross, who recently completed a stand-down period after representing the All Blacks in 2022, is now eligible to don Wallaby gold and offers a timely boost ahead of the crucial Sydney clash.
Despite having lost the series, Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa says the team are determined to avoid a 3-0 whitewash, feeding off the disappointment of defeat for motivation. “It’s still a Wallaby jersey. We represent our families and country every time we step out, so we want to make people proud,” he said. Alaalatoa highlighted the progress made by the squad, pointing out their significant improvement since last year’s fixtures.
Lions Number 8 Jack Conan took a pragmatic view of the dramatic turnaround, noting that while the side played “poorly” for stretches of the match, the record books would only remember the result. “It wasn’t our best performance by any means, but we dug in and showed real fight for the full 80 minutes. Ultimately, history will recall that we won — that’s all that matters,” Conan remarked.
Looking ahead, former Lions and England scrum-half Matt Dawson has urged head coach Andy Farrell to inject some freshness into the side for the final Test. Dawson believes a few changes — such as giving bench players like Jac Morgan more minutes — could help maintain momentum without overhauling the matchday squad entirely. “Some changes to keep players fresh make sense, especially after Tom Curry’s recent exertions,” Dawson wrote in his BBC column.
The debate about officiating may persist in some quarters, but across both camps, focus is now shifting towards the final Test. With pride, bragging rights, and a chance to end the series on a high all on the line, the spectacle in Sydney promises another chapter in this longstanding rivalry.