30 Jun 2013

Halfpenny miss hands Wallabies win over Lions

6:14 am on 30 June 2013

The British and Irish Lions fullback, Leigh Halfpenny, missed a last-minute penalty to hand Australia a 16-15 victory over the in the second test in Melbourne, to send the series to a decider in Sydney.

The scrappy match burst into life in the final five minutes when the Wallabies back, Adam Ashley-Cooper, crashed over for a try and Christian Leali'ifano converted to give them a one-point lead.

Halfpenny had the opportunity to win the match and the series, but his penalty from halfway fell short allowing the Wallabies to square the three test series.

Both captains are in doubt for the decider, with the Lions skipper, Sam Warburton, suffering a hamstring injury and the Australian lock, James Horwill, to face an appeal for a stamping charge from the first test.