After a year full of frustration, Stan Sport commentators Sean Maloney and Morgan Turinui couldn’t help but let their emotions get the best of them when the Wallabies toppled Wales (watch the video above).
It was the perfect end to the spring tour for Australia, bookending their five Test trip to Europe with wins in what was an emotional rollercoaster.
The Wallabies suffered a litany of injuries throughout the year that continued into the end-of-year tour, forcing Dave Rennie to fielding severely understrength sides.
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Third and even fourth choice players took the field at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, and they delivered by claiming a nailbiting, 39-34 come-from-behind win.
For chief caller Maloney and former Wallaby Turinui, it was a visceral experience around 4am AEDT on Sunday.
“We rode that one hard,” Maloney said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
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“We have been broken so many times. I was happy to get that animated, and I know you’re reluctant to because I know you want to stay partisan.
“There are moments in sport, in life, where you just have to throw in and I’m glad you did because that was a nuts finish.”
Turinui held back his celebrations until it was abundantly clear that the game was over.
Sean Maloney and Morgan Turinui bathe in a famous Wallabies comeback win and reflect on some of their favourite 2022 moments both on and off the show
“I suppose it sums up the last year or two for Wallabies fans,” Turinui said.
“I was still waiting for the official final whistle before I celebrated. I was waiting for a review, I was waiting for something.”
Maloney was equally nervous, momentarily stalling before letting his feelings out.
“It’s like having a collect on a horse and until its final dividend, all paying, you just don’t know with this Wallabies team,” Maloney said.
“You played for them, you grew up dreaming of playing for them, you have played for Australia, you’ve played in a couple of World Cups.
“I grew up dreaming of playing for them, I’ve been covering them forever now, and if you don’t get invested then when are you doing it?
“If you’re not passionate and if you’re not invested in it, then why are you doing it?”
Wallabies complete epic comeback win
Maloney stopped short of calling the comeback the best in Wallabies history, although Turinui was comfortable comparing it to the famed 2018 match against Argentina.
At Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena in Salta, the Pumas led 31-7 at the halftime break before an inspired rev-up by then-coach Michael Cheika.
What followed was one of the greatest recoveries in recent memory to win 45-34.
Cheika’s infamous Salta spray
However, Turinui said a win against Wales seemed unlikely considering the sheer number of players lost to injury and the gap they had to bridge having been 21 points in arrears.
“I think, in terms of context, it’s more significant than the one in Argentina,” Turinui saod.
“Cattle, because of the situation, the pressure on the group, everything. You’ve got people talking about independent reviews and reviews before that game. I think it’s been a theme for you and I a couple of time, it’s the hope that kills you and that was the case at the end.
“I talked about the Ireland game as well being tough to take because we needed it, the group needed it, the coaching staff needed, the game needed it, the broadcaster needed it. We love seeing the Wallabies win. That was amazing.
“It wasn’t even Australia A. There are a couple of guys behind a couple of players to wear the jersey that they had on the weekend. One thing they did do is they did the Wallabies proud.”
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