The controversial Jac Morgan cleanout was legal and the reaction of Australian pundits to the decision has been shameful, according to Wallabies legend David Campese.
Wallabies great David Campese has defended the legality of Jac Morgan’s cleanout on Carlo Tizzano in the second Test against the British & Irish Lions and taken aim at the “embarrassing” backlash from sections of the Australian media.
READ: Waugh demands ‘accountability’ from World Rugby
Writing in his Planet Rugby column, Campese backed the match officials’ decision not to penalise Morgan and said the Lions flank “was as low as anyone could possibly get in that situation” and “won the collision”.
He slammed the reaction from pundits in Australia: “The whinging from some parts of the Aussie media is embarrassing… bloody embarrassing. We should be magnanimous in defeat to an outstanding Lions side.”
Campese said the focus on one incident missed the real reason Australia lost: a second-half collapse after leading at the break. While he praised Will Skelton and Rob Valetini for their impact in the first 50 minutes, he noted both ran out of steam and questioned Joe Schmidt’s decision to have called up dynamic replacements such as Seru Uru or Taniela Tupou from the First Nations and Pasifika squad.
He believes the Wallabies have done enough to avoid a whitewash but warned that the series finale now risks being a dead rubber unless selection changes inject fresh energy into the side.
Photo: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images