MELBOURNE :British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell said his players had fulfilled the ultimate dream by pulling off a brilliant comeback win from 18 points down to claim a series-sealing victory over Australia on Saturday.
By storming back from 23-5 down late in the first half at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Lions delivered the biggest comeback in their test history and gave the tourists a first series win since beating Robbie Deans’s Australia in 2013.
“When you see what it means to everyone in there, you can hear them, these lads have dreamed of being a British & Irish Lion all their lives,” Farrell told reporters.
“And to get to the point where we come to the MCG, 90,000 people, with a dramatic finish like that to win the series is what dreams are made of.
“The drama and how it unfolded, that’s what makes it special.
“I suppose you wouldn’t have backed us at 23-5 but to find a way it adds to the story, doesn’t it? It adds to the fairytale.
“To be part of that is an honour.”
While the Wallabies were incensed that a clean-out by Jac Morgan in the build up to Hugo Keenan’s last-minute try was not penalised, Farrell said the Lions were deserving winners for hanging on in the match.
He did have some words of sympathy Joe Schmidt’s team, though, praising them for their fight in a classic test that came a week after the hosts lost the Brisbane opener 27-19.
“It’s cruel in so many ways for Australia, but we stayed in the fight and got what we deserved,” said Farrell.
“Fair play to them. They turned up and they were going to turn up physically. But it wasn’t just that.
“They played a great brand of rugby.”
Farrell was defence coach when Warren Gatland’s Lions won the 2013 series 2-1 by hammering the Wallabies 41-16 in the Sydney decider.
He will now look to guide the Lions to an unprecedented 3-0 sweep of the Wallabies in Sydney in a week’s time.
“He wants us to win everything,” said captain Maro Itoje, who was named man of the match in Melbourne.
“Don’t get me wrong, absolutely delighted with the result tonight, but we want to go again next week.”
