British and Irish Lions tour: Controversy erupts amid debate over ref's decisions

It's been over three days since the British and Irish Lions pulled off a dramatic win against the Wallabies in Melbourne, but the Australians are still upset!

In the aftermath of the thrilling 29-26 victory on Saturday, tensions remain high as Australian coach Joe Schmidt questions the referee's decisions.

But Alan Gilpin, the head of World Rugby, has come out in support of the referees who officiated the second test match, which took place before a record crowd of more than 90,000 fans.

Gilpin told reporters that he is disappointed at the ongoing questions about how seriously player safety is being treated.

The Lions won the match with a last-minute try by Hugo Keenan, which also clinched the series for the visitors. But the Wallabies are upset about a decision by Italian referee Andrea Piardi over an incident during a ruck that happened just before Keenan's winning try.

Schmidt, the New Zealand-born Wallabies' coach, believes the referees made a mistake by not penalising Lions' flanker Jac Morgan for making high contact.

Reports suggest that Phil Waugh, Rugby Australia's chief executive, is seeking accountability from World Rugby over Piardi's decision.

During a press event for the 2027 World Cup ticketing launch in London on Tuesday, Gilpin expressed his support for the referees, given the immense pressure they face in their jobs.

He says match officials work very hard to ensure player safety, and it's disheartening to see that commitment questioned after what happened in the match.

"I think it's disappointing when the reaction is one of this means player welfare is not taken seriously, because I think we've worked really, really hard on that narrative," Gilpin says.

"Everyone knows we're putting player welfare in its broadest sense at the top of the agenda."

At his post-match press conference, a fuming Schmidt argued that the referee's decision raises concerns about player safety.

Gilpin, however, disagrees, saying that although the Wallabies had a chance to win, the emotions surrounding the game should not undermine the efforts of the match officials.

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh wants to see “accountability” from World Rugby after a controversial non-call in the final minute gifted the Lions a try to win the series. Photo/AAP/Dean Lewins/Photosport

"I think Joe's comments have continued to respect the fact that the match officials have got a tough job to do.

"He might disagree with the decisions that were made, but I don't think he's called the integrity of our match officials into question."

Gilpin says World Rugby are conducting its normal review of the refereeing decisions made during the game, but the findings will not be made public.

He says disagreements are a normal part of the game, especially when it comes to officiating.

He called for discussions about these issues to be respectful, as rugby's rules can be quite complex.

He says that for a try to be overturned in a review by the Television Match Official (TMO), there has to be clear and obvious evidence, which the officials felt was not present.

With the series on the line, the stage is set for a tense third and final showdown with the third and final test scheduled to take place at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Saturday.