Deliberate elbow into Richard Hills head, that's why the Lions didn't continue with the forward momentum. Hill one of the best backrow forwards back then
Wood, Johnson, Wilkinson, Robinson, O'Driscoll. Five of the greatest players ever. The two crucial turning points..Johnny's misplaced pass that gifted the Aussies a try, and Richard Hill getting injured. With Wood at 2, Howley at 9, and O'Driscoll at 13, added to the English players that would win the World Cup 2 yrs later...they should have won the series
Greatest test series ever. Second greatest test series would have to be the 1992 test series between Australia and the All Blacks. Couldn't have been any closer.
Those were the days rugby was on top here in Australia & Wallabies use to sell out every studium now it's always 10 - 20 thousand short on capacity but still a healthy crowd!!
BTW - Lions fans also conveniently forget how Larkham was targeted during the 2nd test (admitted by their management) - 2 clear late tackle on him put him out of the 3rd test. Sorry - but Larkham was at least as big a loss for the Wallabies as Hill was for the Lions
@rifflord235434f43 did you watch the video? watch from 5:05 and try to keep the point you made previously. It was malicious it was an elbow disguised as a tackle and you can see Grey after it he didn't care where the ball was he was looking at Hill wondering if he did enough damage.
The most talented Lions squad since the 1970s. It's no coincidence that Lions and Northern Hemisphere results against Southern Hemisphere sides have improved with the advent of slow-motion replay, TMOs and citations for foul play.
"Typically, Hill put his devotion to the collective cause above whatever anger he felt at having been knocked out of the series by a head-high tackle. Not surprisingly, he was unable to remember much about it after the event. 'I suppose it would have been the last time I'd ever have pulled on a Lions shirt,' he said. 'My tour was over and that was a hard fact to come to terms with." I don't hear him saying it was accident when he can't remember the incident.
Lol what. That Australian team 1999-2001 was one of the greatest test sides of all time. The halves combo of Gregan and Larkham is one of the best of all time too. Wilkinson also has to be the most overrated fly-half in history.
From his auto-biography: "‘He ran across me and caught me as he went through. Most of our guys seemed to think it was malicious and everything I have read since takes the same line, but I am not so sure…As far as I’m concerned, the matter was investigated and Nathan was cleared, so that was that."
Well it seems we have him contradicting himself, on one hand he says i was unconscious and can't remember anything yet all the conscious players think it was malicious, on the other hand he says it was accident, think the latter is him being polite and moving on (unlike the both of us). Seems pretty clear cut to me.
You aren't going to get a written or verbal confession are you!? He tackled the guy late in the head with a flying elbow...there is nothing else that needs to be said. Was it critical? Yes....because up to that point the Lions had been completely on top. As soon as Hill went off George Smith came more and more into the game.
What a superb Lions squad, playing more flowing rugby than the Aussies. Disgusting take out of Hill, Johnson should have taken revenge on the dumb looking tosser and his wayward elbow! I switch the commentary off as he clearly can only see the players in gold 🤦🏼♂️
He can watch the replays same as anyone. It was reckless no doubt. But there is zero evidence to suggest it was deliberate - let alone leap to the conclusion that this incident was somehow preplanned by Wallabies management In case you think I am just mindlessly defending an Australian player for the sake of it - I readily admit McRae's attack on O'Gara was one of the most despicable acts I've seen on a rugby field and still makes me feel ashamed to this day.
Never said management had anything to do with it, and i'm happy to say that Larkham was targeted, i don't have an issue with it if it's legal (which it wasn't at times). This however was malice, clear and simple. No effort to play rugby other than to injure (maybe not as bad as he did), don't get me wrong, it happens all the time. The only issue i have is people saying there was nothing in it. Anyway, you going to the Lions matches this year?
Right - and you know this for certain how? I know this myth makes Lions fans feel better about the '01 series - but you'll forgive me if I take Richard Hill's opinion on the subject instead. He believes it was an accident.
Nathan Gray's shot on Richard Hill was the cheapest dig I've ever seen on a rugby pitch. He should be ashamed, Hill claims it was an accident, it wasn't, it was appalling. Before I get whined at by Aussies, I played Army rugby which is hard but fair...awful, he's a footballer in disguise..
@rifflord235434f43 bullshit....it was late and high. Even if it wasn't late it was a head high tackle that concussed Hill and took him out of the series.
