Itoje Will 'savour Moment' But Wants Clean Sweep

Captain Maro Itoje is targeting a 3-0 cleanable expanse against Australia - but will first "savour nan moment" of completing a Test bid triumph complete nan Wallabies.

A melodramatic 29-26 triumph astatine nan Melbourne Cricket Ground gave nan British and Irish Lions an unassailable 2-0 lead successful nan three-match series.

It is nan first clip nan Lions person won nan first 2 Tests of a bid since 1997 successful South Africa.

The Saracens and England skipper paid tribute to nan "massive squad effort" and said nan result is "what dreams are made of".

He added: "The first clip we met, Faz [head coach Andy Farrell] made nan telephone that he wanted america to travel retired present and triumph everything.

"Don't get maine wrong, I'm perfectly delighted pinch this consequence - but we want to spell again adjacent week.

"This is 1 of nan moments of your life that you'll cherish. This will unrecorded agelong successful nan memory.

"Often successful sport, you person to move connected and attraction connected nan adjacent challenge. No uncertainty we'll do that aft a celebration. Every now and again, it's important to savour nan moment."

In 1997, South Africa won nan 3rd Test 35-16 against a Lions broadside missing 3 of nan cardinal men successful nan opening 2 games - Keith Wood, Gregor Townsend and Tim Rodber.

The 3rd Test will beryllium played successful Sydney connected 2 August and Farrell said: "The scheme [for nan week ahead] will enactment nan same. Win aliases lose, we spot nan scheme ahead.

"We'll make judge we bask nan night, that's for sure, because we've made a spot of history."

The Lions were beaten successful their opening warm-up lucifer against Argentina successful Dublin but person won each 8 matches they person played connected Australian soil.

That grounds was nether superior threat erstwhile nan Wallabies raced into a 23-5 lead successful nan first half, but Farrell's broadside fought backmost brilliantly earlier full-back Hugo Keenan crossed for a match-winning effort successful nan last minute.

Should they debar conclusion successful nan last Test, it would beryllium nan first clip a Lions squad has been unbeaten overseas connected a circuit since 1974.

"You tin spot what it intends to everyone," Farrell continued. "These lads person dreamed of being a British and Irish Lion each their lives.

"To get to nan constituent wherever we travel to nan MCG, pinch 90,000 people, pinch a melodramatic decorativeness for illustration that to triumph nan bid - it's what dreams are made of.

"It's a typical infinitesimal for everyone and we're perfectly delighted that we showed nan courageousness of what it takes to beryllium a Lion and I'm delighted for everyone involved."

A lingering calf injury, followed by a bout of illness, meant Ireland's Keenan knowledgeable a stuttering commencement to nan tour.

In his absence, Elliot Daly made a beardown declare for nan full-back jersey but nan England international's tour-ending wounded - and Blair Kinghorn's little superior knee problem - near nan measurement clear for Keenan.

At nan MCG, he wrote his sanction into Lions folklore arsenic portion of a melodramatic finale.

"It's been a huffy trip," he said. "It's not really I imagined it going, getting sick for 2 weeks and coming into campy a spot injured.

"It's been a rollercoaster, but I suppose these things hap for a reason, and thankfully I was successful afloat wellness for nan past 2 Tests.

"I'm delighted to beryllium progressive and delighted that we sewage nan result. They're typical moments, having our family and friends retired connected nan transportation pinch america astatine nan end. It's those moments you play rugby for and you dream of."