The British and Irish Lions have rejected a proposal from Rugby Australia to use golden point in next month’s Test series against the Wallabies, leaving open the possibility of the teams sharing the spoils in a tied series.
As reported by this masthead, Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh pitched the idea of golden point to their Lions at recent meetings, in an attempt to ensure the three-Test series would have a winner.
In 2017, the Lions and the All Blacks shared the series trophy 1-1 after a draw in the third Test, with no provisions to play any extra time.
That is set to be the case again in the 2025 series against the Lions, after the Lions board decided to not back RA proposal.
The playing conditions are set to follow those of a normal Test match series, with no extra time provisions, and not mirror the finals of Rugby World Cup, where two extra-time periods totalling 20 minutes – and a third ten minutes of golden point – are played to find a winner.
RA’s proposal was based on the successful golden point Super Rugby Pacific, known as “Super point”, which was introduced this year for regular season matches. A ten-minute period of golden point was played and if no winner emerged, the game was a draw.
Darby Lancaster takes to the air to score the golden point try against the ForceCredit: Getty Images
The Western Force played in two matches with “Super point”; the first against the Hurricanes stayed a 17-all draw and the second saw a spectacular try in the 90th minute by the Waratahs to snatch the win.
“We’ve had some really constructive conversations,” Waugh said last month.
“That’s got to go to the Lions board around whether it’s a drawn series, or you decide it through golden point or extra time.”
Extraordinary: New Zealand captain Kieran Read, left. and Lions captain Sam Warburton share the spoils after an epic three-Test series.Credit: AP
“Our preference, if we put the fans at the centre of everything we’re doing, I think that the familiarity that everyone has with ‘Super point’ and the interest for that in our market is a good guide.
“Obviously, we will be making sure both parties agree. But I think that if you’re thinking about some fan engagement, that’s certainly very appealing.”
Former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison said recently on the Inside Line podcast he would prefer to have seen the Lions and RA adopt the World Cup model, even if it ended up in the last stage of a goalkicking shootout.
“I think that’s probably the most exotic, convenient solution. Adopt the World Cup model, because by the way, all nations that are playing in the British Irish Lions and Australia have already accepted that that model is acceptable in the World Cup,” Harrison said.
“So why would you not accept that for a British Irish Lions? You don’t need to invent something new here. This is just inheriting what’s already been in practice since 1987.”
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