As it happened: Australia salvage some pride against the Lions in heavily delayed third Test

THIRD TIME LUCKY: Australia's Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost celebrate winning a penalty. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland.
And finally, Mick Cleary's player ratings can be found on the link below.
Thanks for following, until next time. All the best.
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The British & Irish Lions failed in their bid for a clean sweep of their series with Australia as the Wallabies restored some pride with a victory in the third and final Test at a rainswept Accor Stadium on Saturday.
Click here to read the rest of Simon Lewis' report.
What a forlorn ending. Best to remember the good times. These 2025 Lions have been admirable tourists but a 3-0 whitewash would have given them undue status. 2-1 a fairer reflection
Two hours and 40 minutes after the match starts, it finally ends.
It's a win for Australia. They win the battle to salvage some pride but the Lions win the war and the series 2-1.
Match report, reaction and player ratings to follow over on our website shortly.
The Lions cross the line through Will Stuart and Russell attempts a quick conversion but it doesn't matter, it's all over and the Australian's salvage some pride.
Lions lineout near the endline, just looking for a consolation at this point though. Australia again standing tall.
The Lions almost in for a try to make it interesting, but Australia recover in time. TMO checking if they have done so illegally, though.
Shades of 2001 Lions who were on their knees for the third test in Sydney. All over the place now through injury and that yellow card.
Try, and surely now game Australia. After a period of pressure, McDermott forces his way across the line and Donaldson adds the extras.
Australia looking to get the try that would clinch the match, surely.
Australia penalty. Advantage played but they drop it at the line. Play brought back and Ronan Kelleher has been shown a yellow card. Lions down to 14 for 10 minutes with only 11 minutes remaining.
The attendance is 80,320.
High tackle by Morgan, penalty Australia and they are eyeing up the posts. But they decide to go to the corner.
Australia hold the Lions up at the line, but not for long enough as Jack Morgan eventually makes his was through. Game on as Russell fires over the conversion.

Penalty Lions but Bundee is trying to barge his way across the line. Play brought back.
 Good grief. The TMO trying to stick his nose in on a non-event piece of play. Crowd already had 40 minutes of hold-up.
The Lions might have to resort to Ballymore ‘89 tactics themselves and get stuck into Wallabies. Need to shake things up somehow.
Loose pass pounced upon by Max Jorgensen, he charges down the right, races clear of his opponents and touches down close to goal, making it an easy conversion for Donaldson. Lions with a mountain to climb.
Knock on Lions. Australia fighting hard to avoid losing the series 3-0.
Lions penalty and they head for the corner. Lot of work to be done though. They're on the 22.
Great kick by Russell followed by a terrible kick by Jones. Chance to gain territory up the right wing wasted. Australia line out.
The Wallabies concede a scrum penalty and then they concede yet another at the lineout.
Australia straight on the attack, has the break suited them more? Lions scrum. Lions penalty.

It's raining men is playing on the PA. The Australia players are out doing their second warm up, the game is set to resume at 12.50pm. No sign of the Lions yet.
Australia's James O'Connor speaking to Sky Sports during the break in play.
"I haven't experienced anything like this. It's almost end of days!"
 Rugby Australia officials saying players due to return for a 10-minute warm-up period at 9:40pm local time, (12:40pm Irish)
Play cannot resume until 30 minutes have passed following the last lightning strike with in 10km of the stadium.
It's going to be a long night.
Play will be suspended for 30 minutes according to Sky Sports. Lightning struck nearby.
The call was made as Lions replacement James Ryan was stretchered from the field after an accidental knee to his head in a tackle on Wallabies lock Will Skelton.
As the players were led off by referee Nika Amakusheli, supporters in the front 19 rows of the lower, more exposed tiers of the stadium were asked to vacate their seats and move into the covered concourse areas.
No indication as yet how long this delay will last but supporters in good spirits and the evacuation has been orderly.

 Blimey. Off for lightning. The unexpected break might well suit the Lions. The momentum was all with the Wallabies
There appears to be a storm warning in the area and the game has been suspended.
James Ryan is driven off by the medical cart. Hopefully he is ok.
: Lions trailed by 18 points last week. This eight point deficit seems even more of a mountain to climb.
Another scrap break out on the pitch. Tempers rising here as a Lions player goes down needing medical attention. Looks like it's James Ryan that got a knee to the head.
 Wallabies fly-half Tom Lynagh's evening has been brought to an end, like Lions skipper Itoje he has failed his Head Injury Assessment.
The hooter goes and Australia kick the ball out of play. Half time. Australia 8 Lions 0.
Maro Itoje has failed his HIA and won't return. Blow for the Lions. Owen Farrell has come into the action.
Great defending by the Wallabies and the Lions are punished for not releasing near their line.
Lions trailing 8-0 to the Wallabies after 35 minutes having spent virtually all of the game so far in their own half.
The rain not helping but Andy Farrell's men need to get a grip on this contest.
Match stats so far. Australia 67% Lions 33%. Australia 66% Lions 34%.
Lynagh lining it up. Not a difficult kick even in the rain and he duly fires over.
Australia on the attack. Penalty. They try to reach the line with the advantage but to no avail. Maybe now they will kick the three points. Still lashing rain in Sydney.

Penalty Australia. They have a scrum now near the Lions line.
Stupid decision by Wallabies not to take the 3points
Great defending by the Lions on their own endline and they win the turnover.
Lions under pressure and they concede a penalty. Lynagh kicks for the corner. Itoje forced off for the time being with a cut.
Skelton trying to do a Ballymore ‘89 on the Lions? Worked for the Lions back then in firing them up ?
The referee calling on the captains to control their players.
Big scrum penalty win for Wallabies. Why is Tongan Thor only getting first start now ?
Quick and short lineout by the Aussies on the Lions 22 but somehow the Lions win the ball back. Great defending. And now here is the first scrap of the game. It's heating up in the rain.
The Wallabies turnover the ball, the fourth time they've done that so far this game. Penalty Australia now, good work from their pack on the halfway line.
Both teams kick the ball to each other, back and forth. The Lions with the ball now on the halfway line. The Aussies win possession.
Almost hard to see the match now through the rain. The Lions in their 8th phase of attack though. Pietsch does well and it's an Australia penalty. They kick clear to the halfway line.

The Lions defence isn't holding firm any more. Pietsch finds the corner and the home side lead. They fail to add the conversion though.
It is absolutely lashing in Sydney. Glad i'm not there now, it's glorious here in Cork.
The hosts with a line-out on the Lions 22, they win it and are now looking for an early try. Wright's kick in behind dealt with by Keenan but now it's a five metre scrum.

Australia are on the attack first, but the Lions win the line-out.
And here is the Australian national anthem.
Here we go, here come the teams. Maybe the delay was because of the rain. Maybe not. But the teams are now heading out onto the pitch.
Slight delay perhaps but the teams are in the dressing rooms and are set to emerge.

 You can understand why Andy Farrell stuck to his selection guns and made only two changes.
However….that means 11 players didn’t get to sample Lions test experience. Penny for their innermost thoughts.
Absolutely bucketing it down here at Accor Stadium as the teams complete their warm-ups.
It's an 82,000 sell-out at the former Olympic Park but don't be surprised to see some empty seats as the less committed decline to stay dry rather than make the 17km trek out from the city centre.
Kick-off just 10 minutes away as the lights go down and the pre-game show gets underway.
 Sydney holds some good vibes for Aussies, from Cathy Freeman’s mesmeric Gold at 2000 Olympics to Justin Harrison’s match-clinching lineout steal in the third test in 2001.
Mind you, Lions smashed ‘em there in 2013. More of that please.
Welcome all to our liveblog as the British & Irish Lions looks to end their tour of Australia on a high.
My name is Andrew Horgan and unfortunately I have not been sent to Sydney to cover this match, but I will still be able to talk you all through the best of the action as it happens.
Our man Simon Lewis is in the press box Down Under and he, along with rugby expert Mick Cleary, will also be providing updates as the Lions aim to seal a 3-0 whitewash of the Wallabies.
But before kick-off at 11am, here is some pre-match reading for you to enjoy.
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Donal Lenihan explains how Andy Farrell found the perfect blend to put Lions into Invincibles territory.
There is one last dance for Tadhg Furlong with place in Lions pantheon secure.