3rd Test - ANZ Stadium - Sydney

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Tom Richards Trophy

Lions dazzle in finale

Australia 16 - Lions 41

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Alex Corbisiero of the Lions celebrates scoring a try during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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The Lions pack power through the Wallabies to win a penalty during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Magnificent Lions win the series

An outstanding performance from the British and Irish Lions sealed a rampant 41-16 victory over Australia to win the Test series 2-1.

Australia were simply unable to live with the Lions in the second half, with the tourists unleashing a triple punch of tries from Jonathan Sexton, George North and Jamie Roberts - inspired by the brilliance of Leigh Halfpenny.

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Injured captain Sam Warburton and Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones hold the Tom Richards Cup aloft after the Lions victory in the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Leigh Halfpenny of the Lions races away from Will Genia during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Leigh Halfpenny of the Lions races away from Joe Tomane during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Man of the Match: Alex Corbisiero deserves a ton of praise, but impossible to look past the Player of the Series - Leigh Halfpenny.

Moment of the Match: The Wallabies had fought and clawed their back into the match before Jonathan Sexton cantered under the posts and stopped the fightback.

Full Match Report Here:

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Alex Corbisiero of the Lions scores the first try of the match during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Jesse Mogg of the Wallabies is tackled by Geoff Parling of the British & Irish Lions during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Chris Hyde/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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The Tom Richards Trophy is an international rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of British and Irish Lions vs. Australia test series. It was commissioned for the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia and the inaugural winner was Australia, who won the series 2-1. This was the first time that Australia had managed to defeat the Lions in a series. 12 years later, the Lions won the 2013 tour to Australia 1-2, making them the current holders of the trophy.The two teams' first meeting was in Australia in 1899 where they played a four test series, won by the Lions 3-1.

Tom Richards was the only player to have played for both the Wallabies and Lions. He took part in the Gallipoli campaign and for his efforts in France was awarded the Military Cross. In 1908 Richards played in the first Wallaby team to tourBritain and won the gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games. In 1910 he represented the Lions as a replacement on the their tour to South Africa whilst living in the country. In 1912 he was selected for the Wallaby tour to the US and Canada.

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Jamie Roberts of the Lions makes a break to score a try during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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James O'Connor of the Wallabies tackles George North of the Lions during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Lions Tour - Lions thump Australia in famous series win

The British and Irish Lions made a blistering start, rode an Australian fightback and ran out record 41-16 winners in the decisive third Test on Saturday to end a 16-year wait for a Test series triumph.

After just three points separated the two sides in the first two matches, the Lions built their emphatic victory on the back of a dominant scrum to join the hallowed tourists of 1971, 1974 and 1997 as series winners in the modern era.

After a tight first Test in Brisbane and second in Melbourne, the decider looked like being a rout after 25 minutes with the home side reduced to 14 men, their scrum in disarray and the Lions 19-3 up.

Full Match Report Here:

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The scrum packs down during the International Test match between the Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions at ANZ Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

(July 5, 2013 - Source: Marianna Massey/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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2nd Test- Etihad Stadium- Melbourne

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Australia edge Lions by single point in thriller

Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies dives to score a try during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Jonathan Sexton of the Lions charges upfield during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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A magnificent curling conversion from Christian Lealiifano gave Australia a 16-15 win to level the Lions Test series at 1-1.

Adam Ashley-Cooper's 76th minute sucker-punch broke the Lions hearts, with Leigh Halfpenny's injury-time penalty attempt dropping short of the posts.

It means that the Test series will go down to the wire in Sydney next weekend - the final chapter in an enthralling, brutal tour that has left the nerves of both sets of supporters in shreds.

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Israel Folau of the Wallabies is tackled during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Kurtley Beale of the Wallabies catches the ball as Jonathan Davies challenges during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Man of the match: Hard to look past the Lions captain. Sam Warburton was initially a doubt to start in the Test series, let alone lead the Lions, but his performance in Melbourne regardless of how the result turned out was always going to go down in history. His loss to injury in the 67th minute was a cruel blow.

Moment of the match: The composure of Christian Leali'ifano to curl in that conversion spoke volumes of the young man. An incredibly assured performance.

Match Report Here:

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Will Genia of the Wallabies passes the ball during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Ben Mowen of the Wallabies stretches for a lineout during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Wallabies down Lions 16-15 in second Test to set up series decider

Dan Lydiate of the Lions takes on Christian Leali'fano during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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A BOLD captain's call and a nerveless conversion by a second-game "debutant" saw the Wallabies snatch a thrilling victory over the Lions in Melbourne.

Rookie Wallaby Christian Lealiifano went from out-cold in Brisbane to ice-cold last night when he slotted a 76th minute goal from near the sideline, which lifted the Wallabies to a 16-15 win and kept the Test series alive heading to Sydney.

The kick from Lealiifano, who was knocked out in the opening minute in the first Test, came after the Wallabies clawed their way back in a mistake-riddled performance to score the game's only try through centre Adam Ashley-Cooper with just four minutes left.

Trailing 15-9 and with the Lions sensing their first series triumph since 1997 was in hand, Wallabies skipper James Horwill turned down a kickable penalty with nine minutes left to push for a winning try with a scrum on the red line.

Putting aside a mountain of errors, the Wallabies managed to hold on to the ball long enough for under-siege five-eighth James O'Connor to put Ashley-Cooper through a gap and light up the record 56,771 crowd.

Match Report Here:

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George North of the Lions carries Israel Folau of the Wallabies during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Lions winger George North summed up the physical effort of the tourists when being tackled by his opposite number Israel Folau on the hour mark, hoisting the former rugby league international into the air and running forwards with him on his shoulder in an incredible moment that will go down in Lions folklore.

George North of the Lions carries Israel Folau of the Wallabies during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Sam Warburton of the Lions catches the ball from a line out during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Leigh Halfpenny (L) of the Lions looks on after attempting to kick a penalty as James Horwill and Benn Robinson celebrate victory during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

(June 28, 2013 - Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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next test:

Saturday 6th July

British & Irish Lions v Australia 

 ANZ Stadium, Sydney

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1st Test-Suncorp Stadium -Brisbane

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Australia 21 Lions 23

George North of the Lions breaks clear to score the first Lions try during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Man of the match: Jamie Heaslip was solid, as was Jonathan Davies, Brian O'Driscoll and Leigh Halfpenny. But for his ability to change a game, George North gets this gong, seeing off opposition wing and two-try debutant Israel Folau. North's try was something special.

Moment of the match: Unfortunate that it has to be a mistake but Kurtley Beale's slip in the act of kicking his last-minute penalty effort ultimately saw the Lions hold on. Heartbreak for Beale, elation for the Lions who, like twelve years ago, take the first Test in Brisbane.

Match Report Here:

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Israel Folau of the Wallabies takes on the defence during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Alex Corbisiero of the Lions carries the ball during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Benn Robinson of the Wallabies runs the ball during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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James O'Connor of the Wallabies protects a maul during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Digby Ioane of the Wallabies takes on the defence during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies attempts to break free from the defence during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Leigh Halfpenny of the Lions is tackled by Digby Ioane during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Will Genia of the Wallabies moves away from Jamie Heaslip during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: David Rogers/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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George North of the Lions is tackled by Israel Folau of the Wallabies to prevent a try during the First Test match between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on June 22, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia.

(June 21, 2013 - Source: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images AsiaPac)

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Next Test:

June 29

Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

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