'Cool, calm and collected': Maro Itoje earns place in pantheon of Lions greats

Captain deserves enormous credit for leading his side back into the contest towards the end of the first half – and into the lead in the final minute

Maro Itoje's place in the pantheon of British & Irish Lions greats was not in doubt before this remarkable series-clinching victory, but after it you sense we may come to wonder whether there has ever been better. He joins Sam Warburton and Martin Johnson having lead the Lions to a series victory in the professional era, and do not bet against him sticking around to tour New Zealand in four years' time.

Itoje's performance was not flawless on a wild night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in which the Lions somehow clawed their way back from 18 points down. Truth be told, no one wearing red could lay claim to that. He made mistakes - plenty of them - in the first half, with the Wallabies welcoming back Will Skelton and Rob Valetini.