‘Stand your ground’: Wallabies say fighting attitude behind Lions win is here to stay

Veteran halfback Nic White said the pugnacious attitude shown by the Wallabies in the third Test, where they repeatedly got in scuffles with the British and Irish Lions, was a “line in the sand”.

White explained the combative mindset that featured in the Wallabies’ victory as he also reflected on a “fairytale” experience in what was supposed to be his final Test - but may now prove the shortest retirement in rugby history, given an injury to Jake Gordon may see White tour South Africa for The Rugby Championship.

After announcing last week he would be retiring from international rugby, White was outstanding in the wet at Accor Stadium. Schmidt pulled a canny selection move by starting White in his farewell Test, in the hope of drawing a response from the popular 35-year-old and from his Wallabies teammates, who’d been flat following the second Test defeat.

It worked perfectly, with White’s kicking and organisational work proving ideal in the conditions. His aggressive attitude also set a tone for the team. Along with Will Skelton, White was repeatedly at the pointy end of scuffles that broke out in an ill-tempered game.

In the second half, 78kg White was set upon by furious Lions forwards after he defended Skelton, who was shielding knocked-out rival James Ryan. Misreading the situation - along with many English social media warriors who accused White and Skelton of celebrating over Ryan - Owen Farrell charged in swearing, and White shoved Farrell away.

Australia’s Nic White, left, clashes with Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan .

Talking with the media later, White bristled at a question from an English journalist about him getting “stuck into the Lions”, which he interpreted as implying he and Skelton had started the melees.

“I think they got stuck into us, and for once someone stood up to them,” White said.

“I don’t think that was the case at all. So I won’t take that (implication). I certainly don’t see anything wrong with if someone gets in your face and wants to give it to you, just stand your ground. I am proud of how we played. We can play with some really good skill ... I am proud of the boys’ commitment to get the job done.”

The Wallabies were criticised after the first Test for not responding to Tom Lynagh getting hit in the air by Tom Curry.

When asked if the feisty tone set in Sydney was now part of the Wallabies’ identity, as a “line in the sand”, White agreed: “It definitely is, yeah. No more going back. Exactly that. You’ve said it exactly how I’d like to say it.”

Tadhg Beirne and Jack Conan of the British and Irish Lions clash with Nic White.

“That was a line in the sand last week (in Melbourne), and we were so proud of the support we got after last week,” White said.

“And I think that came on the back of the commitment and the intensity to put it in for the jersey. I think people could see that in the rugby community. That’s absolutely got to be the line in the sand. That’s a bare minimum. Not taking a backward step.”

White’s teammates paid tribute to him at the Wallabies captains’ run on Friday by all wearing moustaches for the team photo, and he received a standing ovation when subbed off in the last quarter of the match.

“Honestly, you could not write it better. I couldn’t have dreamt it better than the way it’s turned out. It’s been an amazing week,” White said.

“This has been an absolute fairytale. If this is it, which is how I treated it, I treated tonight as if it was it … that was proper special. I’m just counting my lucky stars.”

Nic White of the Wallabies applauds the fans after being substituted off.

With Joe Schmidt confirming Gordon had tweaked a hamstring at training last week, White’s retirement may be short-lived. Ryan Lonergan was added to the squad last week but if Gordon is out, Tate McDermott is the only scrum-feeder with any Test experience. That means White, who was intending to play on for the Force in Super AU in September, is a strong chance to be named in the squad to travel to South Africa later this week.

Schmidt joked White may emulate him and John Farnham and do “one more tour”.

“That’s not bad from Joe. I said I’d retire at the end of the year,” White said. “If I’m called upon, I won’t say no. I won’t be there in ’27 (for the Rugby World Cup), that’s for sure.

“But I’ll hang him up at the end of the year, and I wasn’t going to go and do nothing for the next little while. I won’t say no if duty calls. I absolutely love wearing the jersey.”

Lions hooker cited for elbowing Lynagh, Suaalii cleared

British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan has been cited for elbowing Wallabies five-eighth Tom Lynagh in the head during the third Test in Sydney, highlighting the giant blunder of match officials missing the foul play and allowing the act to go unpunished in the game.

But the Wallabies will be breathing a sigh of relief, with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii escaping any further scrutiny for a contentious tackle late in the game, leaving him free to travel to South Africa later in the week for the Rugby Championship.

Even though the Suaalii tackle on Tadgh Beirne in the 77th minute did not attract a penalty, there was some nervousness in the Wallabies camp that the citing commissioner could take a different view.

The Wallabies claimed a much-needed win at Accor Stadium but it could have an easier task if Sheehan’s illegal shot on Lynagh in the 32nd minute was seen and earned him a red card.

With Lynagh prone at a ruck, Sheehan came from distance and tucked a shoulder to clean him out, and then made contact with the Wallaby’s head with his elbow. It was dangerous and Lynagh was identified immediately afterwards as needing a HIA, which he failed.

For reasons that are still unclear, TMO Marius Jonker did not spot the Sheehan elbow and refer it to the referee, despite protocol around HIA’s meaning the match officials must search for any foul play that could have caused it.

Dan Sheehan makes contact to Tom Lynagh’s head at a ruck.

To be cited by World Rugby, and enter a judiciary process, an incident must meet a red-card threshhold.

World Rugby issued a release on Sunday, saying: “British & Irish Lions player Dan Sheehan will have a citing complaint reviewed by an Independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) after being cited by the independent citing commissioner Adrien Menez for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.20 (a) (a player must not charge into a ruck or maul…) in the Australia v British & Irish Lions third test in Sydney on Saturday, 2 August.

“In line with World Rugby’s expedited off-field sanction process, Sheehan’s case will be considered by the on-duty Independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) comprising Wang Shao-ing (chair), Val Toma and Mike Mika on Sunday, 3 August 2025.”

After slamming the contentious decision to not penalise Jac Morgan in the second Test in Melbourne, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt gave Jonker the benefit of the doubt when asked about Sheehan’s shot on Lynagh.

“I’d rather not comment on it until I’ve seen it but there’s always a difficulty for a TMO I guess,” he said. “He’s watching in the main, the TV broadcast and then if he doesn’t pick it up there then he doesn’t access the other angles because everything is happening so quickly.”

Lions coach Andy Farrell said there were many moments that could be scrutinised.

“I haven’t seen that back, there’s all sorts of rugby incidents that we can pull apart, I’m sure I’ve seen quite a few more incidents as well so I suppose we’ll always go to the right channels,” he said.