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Chaotic Lions night sees Owen Farrell step in to stop security as final score wrong
@Source: walesonline.co.uk
At the end of a long night, itself at the end of a long tour, the British and Irish Lions initially don't know what to do with themselves. Defeated on the night , denied a piece of history, they stand there - dejected, not devastated. They look around at each other, an opportunity missed, but soon the disappointment switches to something else. For the final time, this squad are together on the pitch for the last time. Jac Morgan smiles as Ellis Genge and Will Stuart embrace him. As the conversation goes on, maybe it dawns on them all just how important Morgan's clearout last week really was. Up in the stands, a departing Wallabies fan hollers into the small window on the side of the press box - delighted with what he's seen tonight. The stadium scoreboard says the Lions were defeated 22-14, unaware Finn Russell's drop-goal conversion at the death was scuffed wide. It never changes. Two kids get onto the pitch, each with rugby balls, and run about a bit before being escorted away by security. Seeing it unfold, Owen Farrell races across - seemingly trying to stop the security, even seemingly ready to give his boots to the pair. When he returns to pick up his medal, he's just in socks as the Lions clamber onto a stage. In the middle of it, next to Genge, with the medal around his neck, stands Morgan - beaming from ear to ear. He's handed the trophy, lifting it briefly before typically quickly finding someone else to hoist it. It was sunny in Sydney on Monday. At the Accor Stadium on Saturday, that seemed an awfully long time ago. It hasn't really stopped raining since Wednesday, but not quite like this. On the sidelines about an hour or so before kick-off, one spell of biblical rain cleared the pitch entirely. Lions players about to warm-up quickly scarpered back to the dry sanctuary underneath the stands as 'Raindrops keep falling on my head' played over the loudspeaker. Even the Qatar sponsor board was brought in from the pitch. That's when you know the rain is serious. Not everyone seemed so bothered by it. While his Sky Sports colleagues all huddled under umbrellas, Will Greenwood just wandered around. Wallabies replacement scrum-half Tate McDermott did the same, strolling barefoot on the pitch as the rain hammered down. Talk is already filtering around the press box that the lines on the pitch are a concern. Not for broadcast, but rather the players on the pitch in terms of being able to see them. It's a similar story in the press box, with the windows steaming up so much, the pitch isn't visible. Eventually, some paper towels are located to wipe them down. In the crowd, a Welsh flag with the words 'Glyncorrwg RFC' has taken a drenching. The flag is sodden, but still it just about waves as kick-off approaches. Even as the action starts, the rain doesn't subside. On the bench, the majority of Lions replacements sit there with their hoods up. Not Jac Morgan initially, although he soon decides he might need a coat in this weather . As the weather gets worse, fans retreat from the first few rows while umbrellas go up near the sidelines. Still, Morgan's hood doesn't go up. On the pitch, there's plenty of niggle. As the two sides pile into each other, replacement Will Stuart laughs from the sidelines. As half-time approaches, Andy Farrell isn't laughing. Heading down to the changing rooms from the coaching box, he's particularly stone-faced at the 8-0 deficit. With the teams back in the dry, stadium staff get to work - repainting the lines on the pitch. As the second-half got underway, Morgan warmed up intently - readying himself to enter the fray. It appeared to be coming sooner than he expected, when James Ryan is knocked out in the tackle. As the Irish second-row receives treatment, Morgan gets himself ready. Analyst Rhodri Bown shows him some final clips, then it's onto the pitch. And then it's off again. Game suspended due to lightning, with the players marched indoors. Before it becomes apparent of the reason, the sight of Andy Farrell sprinting down the stairs is a good sign it's not a run of the mill reason. As warning messages flash up on screen and stewards try to get fans to move towards the concourse, one supporter gets on the field - running about for a bit before being hit hard by a handful of cagoule-wearing chasers. A message flashes up warning of the costs of pitch invading, but it's no real deterrent - with two more getting onto the pitch in quick succession. The second has his head nearly taken off with a clothesline, but that's still not enough to put others off. One more goes for a run on the pitch, ending up on the turf like the rest. Others don't quite go for full-on pitch invading, but still show a bit of defiance. As the front rows of the stands are cleared, one fan draped in a soaked Welsh flag stays exactly where he is. "Right lads, game's off," jokes one mischievous journalist bursting into the press box. "Let's go home." In the stands, fans chuck about balls - both the rugby and beach variety - to pass the time. Ironically, while the rugby is on hold, the rain eases. It starts up again when they all return. Now, Morgan is in the action. Early on, there's a trademark turnover - prompting a big hug with Tom Curry. After another big effort, the herculean Will Skelton - having been giving it out to everyone in Sydney tonight - simply taps him on the head, almost politely. That same head clashes with Curry's as Morgan celebrates his first Test try for the Lions, with the Wales captain typically apologising immediately. In the end, it's McDermott - no longer bearfoot - who seals it with a try. There's no history to be made in Sydney tonight.
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