Australia comeback to level Lions series

MELBOURNE - Australia has produced an amazing comeback to beat the Lions 35-14 and level their three match series at 1-1.

The world champions looked to be heading towards defeat after the Lions took control of the match to lead 11-6 at halftime but scored three unanswered tries after the re-start to record their biggest ever win against the tourists.

Winger Joe Roff scored two tries in seven minutes before Matthew Burke sealed an unlikely win with a try 20 minutes from fulltime and three late penalties.

The series decider will be played at Sydney's Olympic Stadium next Saturday.

Just as they did a week ago in Brisbane when they won 29-13 the Lions began the match strongly, catching the Wallabies on the hop.

They smashed their way through the weak Australian defence time and time again in the first half but managed only one try when Neil Back, recalled after missing the first test with an injury, drove his way over from close-range.

The Lions looked as though they would run away with the game after that score but failed to make the most of their chances.

They made at least five clean breaks but there was no support and had only two Wilkinson penalties to add to their total.

Two Burke penalties kept the Aussies in touch but they had shown little in attack.

Whatever Australian coach Rod Macqueen said to his players during the break must have worked because the Wallabies returned to the field as a different side.

They drew level when Roff scored 35 seconds into the second half when he intercepted a loose pass from Wilkinson and dived over in the left corner.

Then they took the lead for the first time in the series in the 47th minute when Roff scored again after Wallaby captain John Eales had charged upfield and recycled the ball back for George Gregan to put Roff in the clear.

Revitalised by their two quick tries, the Australians dominated the rest of the match as the Lions suddenly lost their way.

Wilkinson kicked his third penalty to cut the margin to seven points after 50 minutes but the Wallabies quickly asserted their control.

Burke scored the third try in the 60th minute when he charged onto a pass from flanker Owen Finegan and crashed through two tacklers to score in the right corner.

The fullback finished the game with 25 points and give Australia a 21-point margin win, eclipsing their previous biggest margin and score over the Lions, the 30-12 first test win in 1989.

Roff admitted the hosts had been stung by criticism following the 29-13 first test defeat.

"It's disappointing when your back-slappers turn into back-stabbers," he said.

"We played really well in parts today but we still have one match to go which we will be really focused for.

"It will be a close game, as tough a one as we will ever have. It's got the makings of being a cracker.

Gregan, who had an inspired second half, added: "We absorbed a lot of pressure in that first half but we thought if we could get our share of possession in the second half we'd get out chances.

"It was good, we won some primary possession and it gave us a lot of confidence."

Lions' coach Graham Henry pointed to Roff's interception try at the start of the second half as the key to the game.

"That was crucial," he said.

"We played well in the first half but we should have scored more points. That was the basis of our problem.

"We then didn't play well in the second half and we have work to do on our scrum and in the line-outs where we panicked a bit. We will have to do our homework for the third test.

Henry revealed that the injury that saw Wilkinson carried off on a stretcher in the 74th minute was not as bad as initially thought, but added: "He's not one hundred per cent."

Lions captain Martin Johnson said there were no excuses. "We lost control of the ball, we didn't keep possession and we weren't in it in the second half," he said.

"We've got one more game this season now and it could be the biggest of our lives."

- REUTERS