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'Entirely different to what the referees asked for': All Blacks assistant on South African TV director's influence
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Four players removed from field in Third Test as lightning warning delays play
at Accor Stadium, Sydney
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The British and Irish Lions suffered an early blow in the third and final Test against Australia when captain Maro Itoje lasted just 27 minutes at Accor Stadium before leaving the field for a head injury assessment that he failed to return from.
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The England lock was replaced by Ollie Chessum after colliding heavily in contact, cutting short his contribution to a match in which Andy Farrell’s tourists are chasing a historic 3-0 series whitewash.
Itoje walked off unaided with the Wallabies leading 5-0 on the scoreboard, but failed his subsequent HIA.
The Saracens’ premature exit disrupted the Lions’ second-row balance as they sought to cap their Australia tour with their most complete performance yet but it was anything but perfect.
To add to their difficulties, he was joined by winger Tommy Freeman, who was also removed from play at 37 minutes before failing his HIA. He was replaced by Owen Farrell, with Huw Jones pushing out to the wing.
The first-half ended with the Wallabies leading 8-0 in front of a rain-soaked 82,000 punters in West Sydney.
The carnage continued in the second half, with James Ryan not getting up after an attempted tackle on Will Skelton. After receiving considerable medical attention on the field, he was removed on a cart.
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Things took another twist when the remaining players were removed from the field due to a lightning warning, necessitating a 30-minute delay.
Farrell’s team arrived at Accor Stadium already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead, eyeing their first clean sweep since 1927 and an unbeaten tour to match Willie John McBride’s “Invincibles” of 1974.
