World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt’s safety claim over Lions’ match-winning try

World Rugby rejects Joe Schmidt’s claim that the decision not to punish Jac Morgan’s clearout in Australia’s defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday contravenes the game’s player safety principles.

Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan’s contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi.

Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that “it doesn’t really live up to the big player safety push that they [World Rugby] are talking about”.

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt’s view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed.

World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday’s final Test between the rivals in Sydney.

Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt.

“It’s disappointing when the reaction is one of ‘this means player welfare isn’t taken seriously’ because we have worked really hard on that narrative,” said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments.

“Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda.

“You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations.

“The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about ‘how do we