Morgan Produced 'perfect' Clearout - Owens

Former World Cup last referee Nigel Owens says Wales flanker Jac Morgan performed nan cleanable clearout successful nan build-up to nan British and Irish Lions bid winning effort against Australia.

The Lions clinched a 29-26 victory successful nan 2nd Test astatine Melbourne Cricket Ground but location was precocious play successful nan closing seconds successful nan build-up to Hugo Keenan's precocious people arsenic nan lucifer officials examined a clearout by Morgan earlier successful nan move.

Captains Harry Wilson and Maro Itoje attempted to power referee Andrea Piardi during nan decision-making process, earlier it was yet judged Morgan's interaction pinch Carlo Tizzano was legal.

If Keenan's effort had been chalked off, nan bid would person gone to a decider successful Sydney adjacent Saturday. Instead, nan Lions person taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Coaches Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt afterwards took opposing views of nan refereeing call.

Australia leader Schmidt stated it brought subordinate information into mobility but Owens believes Morgan's action were legal.

"It was nan cleanable clearout," Owens told BBC Radio Wales.

Law 9.20 states: "A subordinate must not complaint into a ruck aliases maul without binding onto different player."

It besides states that "making interaction supra nan statement of nan shoulders pinch an force is simply a vulnerable play and is prohibited".

"I cognize immoderate group successful Australia are quoting nan rule and saying he is going successful low," said Owens.

"But if you are quoting nan rule you person to recognise some players were debased coming into nan ruck."

Welshman Owens retired from world duties successful 2020 aft officiating successful 100 Test matches, including nan 2015 World Cup last betwixt New Zealand and Australia astatine Twickenham.

The incident has divided sentiment pinch Rugby Australia main executive Phil Waugh demanded World Rugby explicate nan arguable decision.

"There are a mates of things you request to judge here," said Owens.

"First of all, are Jac Morgan's actions legal? Is he coming successful debased and are nan arms retired fresh to wrap and clear out?

"If he wasn't doing that and starring pinch his enarthrosis past you person foul play and a penalty.

"His actions are cleanable successful nan measurement you would expect a subordinate to cleanable out."

The incident was much melodramatic arsenic Tizzano fell backwards holding his caput aft Morgan's action.

"There is simply a chance nan Australia subordinate who has travel into nan ruck has not travel done nan gross but that's irrelevant successful nan result because if location was foul play it would trump that," said Owens.

"The Australia subordinate gets successful and he is very low. This happens passim nan crippled and you spot galore of these incidents.

"Jac goes successful and tries to get successful very debased aliases underneath him to clear him out. So it's textbook clearing retired for me.

"The only clip this would beryllium forbidden is if nan Australian subordinate was successful that position and Jac was a mates of seconds later arriving and he had clip to readjust, past location would beryllium conversations astir foul play.

"Because it is comparatively dynamic, arsenic nan referee has explained, some of them are beautiful overmuch location simultaneously.

"The Australian subordinate gets location a divided 2nd before, but Jac is already coming successful pinch a ineligible clearout, truthful location is nary foul play."