For the second successive test, the match came down to one kick. The Lions, helped along by Leigh Halfpenny were hoping to end their sixteen years of pain, there was to be no slip this time but the penalty couldn't give the Lions a dream series win in Melbourne as Halfpenny's kick came agonizingly short of the posts to set up a decider in Sydney next Saturday.
Australia: Beale, Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Lealiifano,
Tomane, O'Connor, Genia, Robinson, Moore, Alexander, Douglas, Horwill,
Mowen, Hooper, Palu.
British & Irish Lions: Halfpenny, Bowe,
O'Driscoll, Davies, North, Sexton, B. Youngs, Vunipola, T. Youngs, Adam
Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Parling, Lydiate, Warburton, Heaslip.
The Lions knew that a win in Melbourne would have won them the series with a game still to play, on a tense occasion it was the Lions themselves that started the brightest, although Australia were looking like they were going to end the game with 14 men, conceding four penalties within the first 15 minutes.
The Wallabies were looking nervous, with the stakes at their highest scrums were being collapsed in an act of desperation to keep a determined Lions side from dominating the opening half. However momentum took a swing and Australia must have come to the reality that without a win in Melbourne, the Lions would take the series before the final test. A few penalties were conceded by the visitors which allowed Australia to take advantage, which they did to put themselves 6-3 up.
It was never going to be a game with free-flowing rugby, with tries galore, no, this was a battle of the props. Mako Vunipola became the target for the Wallabies, filling in for Alex Corbisiero was a big ask but Vunipola was struggling with the intensity of the game.
The end of the first half continued as it had been throughout, it certainly wasn't a game of discipline as more penalties were being conceded and Halfpenny hadn't put a foot wrong the entire half. Leal'ifano had also been perfectly executing his kicks as penalty after penalty was being conceded. Halfpenny put the Lions in front at halftime with another fine boot between the posts.
Half Time - Australia 9-12 British and Irish Lions
The second half became a dog fight, desperation creeping in as both teams were looking for the vital try to edge them in-front, Halfpenny again with a ridiculous good kick between the posts to send the Lions six ahead.
One moment to remember was George North though, his monumental strength to lift Folau up with the ball in his hand and send him backwards sent the crowd into raptures.
The Lions were nearing a historic victory, time was running out for the Wallabies as they piled on more pressure, it looked as though the Lions had done enough as Tommy Bowe made a sensational tackle to prevent Australia breaking through the visitors wall of defense. However with five minutes left on the clock, Australia got their breakthrough when a pass to Adam Ashley-Cooper saw him drive towards the line to raise the roof in Melbourne.
Leal'ifano didn't fall under the pressure as he continued his fine performance in the game to send over the vital kick of the match and leave the Lions little to no time to react. However, the game couldn't finish without last minute drama as the visitors were awarded a penalty in the final play of the game. As in Brisbane it came down to one kick, this time though it was down to the Lions star player throughout the two tests, Leigh Halfpenny.
It was a huge ask, just inside his own half it would have taken a monumental kick to reach the posts, but it wasn't to be as Halfpenny's kick fell just short to end an epic second test in Melbourne. With one test to go there will be a tense atmosphere in Sydney come next Saturday, with it all to play for to see who will win the series.
Full Time - Australia 16-15 British and Irish Lions
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