Alex Dunne flies the flag for Offaly as the Irishman tests with F1 giants McLaren
Alex Dunne flies the flag for Offaly as the Irishman tests with F1 giants McLaren.
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The 42
17 minutes ago
- The 42
Eight-try Lions dispatch Force to get up and running in Australia
Western Force 7 Lions 54 IT DIDN'T LOOK like Andy Farrell was a happy man at half time, but his Lions team ran out comfortable winners over the Western Force in their opening match on Australian soil. Finn Russell steered the ship superbly from out-half as he made a strong start in his claim to the Test number 10, the Scottish playmaker mixing delightful attacking touches and razor-sharp awareness with muscular defence and fine kicking. Ireland's Joe McCarthy was the pick of the forward pack in Perth, his aggressive, powerful, industrious work in the tight rewarded with a second-half try as the Lions opened up. Farrell will pick out lots for the Lions to improve upon – most notably their work at restarts, discipline errors in the first half, and consistency in defensive impact – yet he and his assistants enjoyed some of the freewheeling work that yielded eight tries. The first big injury concern on tour is Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams, who hurt his hamstring in the act of scoring his second try of the night at Optus Stadium. Williams has started this Lions campaign well, and now must hope it's nothing serious. That second Williams try was perhaps the pick of the bunch from the Lions, with the busy Mack Hansen and James Lowe integrally involved in an 80-metre breakout effort sparked by a smart long pass by McCarthy in his own 22. Advertisement Tomos Williams is the big injury concern. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO That said, the first Lions score – in just the second minute – was also a beauty. Patient, composed phase-play attack led to Russell picking out captain Dan Sheehan with an accurate cross-field kick. Sheehan popped back inside to Lowe, who darted for the right corner but then had the presence of mind to slip a one-handed back inside to Sheehan, the hooker surging over the tryline. The highly talented 20-year-old Henry Pollock featured prominently in Williams' first score, combining well with fellow back row Josh van der Flier to take an offload from the Irishman and then surge towards the line before calmly offloading to the Welsh halfback. Pollock's classy chip and regather also laid the platform for McCarthy's second-half score, although a yellow card at the end of the first half was a frustration for the prodigious English back row. That yellow came after a rather sloppy opening half in which the Lions gave up too many easy penalties and struggled badly under the Force's restarts as Scottish lock Scott Cummings had something of a nightmare in that area. Farrell was highly animated while delivering his half-time words to the Lions and though the tourists then started the second half poorly, that breakout score finished by Williams soon had them up and running. Finn Russell impressed for the Lions. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Ireland centre Garry Ringrose got his name on the scoresheet too, taking a classy inside ball from Hansen to finish after slick handling by midfielder Sione Tuipulotu and the impressively solid fullback Elliot Daly. However, it was Ringrose's defensive work that made the biggest impression as he left big physical marks on the Force with his thunderous tackling. The collective defensive effort wasn't perfect but Ringrose's intent and physicality were impossible to miss. Daly notched a first-half score after Russell made a clever decision to tap and run a penalty 40 metres out when the Force switched off in expectation of a line kick, while the third-time Lion finished another in the second half when replacement Marcus Smith sent him over. After the Lions bench made an impact, Jack Conan in particular, Farrell's men finished with a flourish at Optus Stadium as Tuipulotu and Hansen combined to tee up replacement scrum-half Alex Mitchell. The Force responded strongly to Sheehan's opening try, with skipper Nic White scoring just minutes later, but they were unable to do further damage despite enjoying their fair share of territory and possession. The Western Australians never had the attacking class they needed to truly hurt the Lions, who now move quickly onto Brisbane for Wednesday's second game against Les Kiss' Queenslands Reds. There is clearly lots hard work ahead for the Lions, but there were plenty of glimmers of Test potential in Perth. Western Force scorers: Tries: Nic White Conversions: Ben Donaldson [1 from 1] Lions scorers: Tries: Dan Sheehan, Tomos Williams [2], Elliot Daly [2], Garry Ringrose, Joe McCarthy, Alex Mitchell Conversions: Finn Russell [5 from 6], Marcus Smith [2 from 2]
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I fear the worst for my dear pal Michael Schumacher – if only we could know more about how he is
MICHAEL Schumacher's former pal says he fears the worst over the F1 legend's condition. Details Advertisement 4 Michael Schumacher pictured in Monza, Italy in 2005 Credit: Getty 4 Schumacher with his wife Corinna in Madonna di Campiglio in 2003 Credit: AFP 4 Richard Hopkins said the F1 legend ghosted him after he shot to fame Credit: SUPPLIED Ex-Red Bull boss Richard Hopkins - who enjoyed regular coffee breaks with Schumacher in the early 1990s - said the lack of information for more than a decade stokes his fears about his condition. Hopkins, Head of Operations at Red Bull from 2013 to 2015, met He watched as Schumacher's career skyrocketed until he retired in 2012 with a But the following year, Schumacher - now 56 - suffered a devastating head injury while skiing on Alpine slopes in Advertisement More on Schumacher Protective wife Corinna has not revealed And Hopkins says the longer time goes on without an update, the more he fears about the true nature of his health. He told The Sun: "It's a shame and I wish we all knew a bit more. I get it and I understand it, it's very private to them. "But the danger of course is that we all make assumptions of how he is, and probably none of our assumptions are accurate. Advertisement Most read in Motorsport Exclusive "We create an assumption that is probably worse and darker than his condition probably is, and then a lot of us look on the bright side and hope it's a lot better than it actually is. "I saw the recent story about him signing a crash helmet, and there's an MS on it. We'd all love to believe he got a pen out the draw and signed it but there was probably some assistance along the way. "I wish we had a better idea, not just me, all of us in motor racing. It's sad because even the 'keep fighting Michael' message has kind of been forgotten. 'But it's life and we all move on. It's very sad that we just don't know and we don't hear from him. It's sad that he doesn't attend races or make public appearances. Advertisement 'He was an amazing guy, extraordinary character and amazingly successful." Close pal Flavio Briatore, who led Schumacher to his first two titles at Benetton, recently offered a heartbreaking insight into his health. He appeared to confirm Schumacher, who joined Ferrari after Benetton where he won five titles, What do we know about Schumacher since his accident? MICHAEL Schumacher's life changed forever on December 29, 2013, when a skiing accident left the seven-time F1 champion with a severe brain injury. Since then, his family has protected his privacy, with only a select few remaining in contact with the racing legend. December 29, 2013 - The skiing accident : Schumacher suffers a life-threatening head injury while skiing off-piste in Méribel, France. He falls and hits his head on a rock, causing severe brain trauma despite wearing a helmet. He is airlifted to a hospital in Grenoble, where he undergoes two emergency surgeries. Doctors place him in a medically induced coma to reduce swelling in his brain. January 2014 - Schumacher fights for his life : Schumacher remains in a coma. Doctors describe his condition as 'critical but stable'. His family, led by wife Corinna, remains at his bedside. The world's F1 community rallies behind him, with fans holding vigils outside the hospital. June 2014 - Schumacher brought out of his coma : After nearly six months, Schumacher is brought out of his coma. His family confirms he is no longer in a coma but gives no further health details. He is transferred from Grenoble to a rehabilitation facility in Lausanne, Switzerland. September 2014 - Back home: Schumacher is moved to his family home near Lake Geneva. Corinna announces he will continue his recovery at home, with a dedicated medical team. 2015–2018 - Mystery surrounding his health: Reports suggest Schumacher is receiving round-the-clock medical care at home, costing £50,000 per week. Jean Todt reveals he still visits Schumacher and that they watch F1 races together. May 2017 - German magazine sued by Schumacher's family: The magazine Bunte has to pay Michael Schumacher €50,000 (£42,000) in damages after claiming in 2015 that Schumacher would walk again. The Hamburg regional court determined that the statement was false and infringed upon Schumacher's right to privacy. September 2019 - Schumacher secretly transferred to Paris : French media reports that Schumacher is taken to Paris for stem cell therapy at the Georges-Pompidou Hospital. The procedure is led by renowned surgeon Dr. Philippe Menasché. Details of the treatment remain undisclosed. December 2019 - Manager issues rare statement : Schumacher's longtime manager Sabine Kehm says his condition will remain private. She dismisses speculation and false reports about his health. September 2021 - Netflix documentary 'Schumacher' released : A new Netflix documentary, Schumacher, provides rare insights into his life. Corinna speaks publicly about his condition for the first time, saying: 'Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength.' December 2023 - 10 years since the accident : Schumacher turns 55. The anniversary of his accident is marked by tributes from the F1 world. Jean Todt confirms he still sees Schumacher regularly and describes his visits as 'full of affection'. September 2024 - Daughter Gina's wedding : Gina Schumacher, 27, marries longtime boyfriend Iain Bethke at the family's £27million Majorca villa. Reports claim Schumacher attends the wedding, but close friend Johnny Herbert later calls it 'A1 fake news'. Guests are reportedly required to hand over their phones to prevent leaks. March 2025 - Schumacher becomes a grandfather : Daughter Gina announces arrival of first child with husband Iain Bethke. The pair tied the knot in September 2024. Gina revealed the birth on Instagram and wrote: "Welcome to the world, Millie. Born on March 29th, our hearts are fuller than ever." Briatore told Corriere della Sera: 'If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory. Advertisement 'I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed.' Hopkins said he used to bump into Corinna but hasn't seen her, or anyone else close to him, since the crash. He added: 'I just haven't crossed paths with them. 'The Advertisement 'Everything about Michael's situation is kept private, and those who are close to him, including his nursing team, are bound by an absolute circle of trust. 'I did meet Corinna a couple of times, if only just to say hi and everything else. My interactions with Michael weren't shared with Corinna. 'But even if I did bump into her now, and I asked how Michael was, she would probably just say he's fine. I didn't know her well enough for her to share information with me." What happened to Michael Schumacher? MICHAEL Schumacher's life was hanging by a thread 12 years ago as medics tried desperately to keep him alive after a tragic skiing crash that left him with horrific brain injuries. The F1 legend was given the best possible treatment as he was put into a medically induced coma, had his body temperature lowered and underwent hours of tricky operations on his brain. Back in 2013, the retired seven-time world champion, and his then Footage from his helmet camera revealed he was He catapulted forward 11.5ft and crashed into a boulder head first that split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for At one point his family were told to brace themselves for the worst case scenario as the situation was much worse than originally believed. At the time, medics said But the coma ended up lasting 250 days - more than eight months. After he woke up in June 2014, he was discharged from hospital and sent to his home in Lake Geneva to get further treatment. Since then his wife Corinna and his inner circle of friends have expertly avoided almost anything leaking out about his health status. Only small amounts of information have been released including reports that Schumacher was in a wheelchair but In 2019, it was said that Renowned Following He added: 'If he could be at a race today, I wonder if he would be? I wonder if he would love it today, rocking up at a race track, everyone would love him being there. Advertisement "But I don't think he would, actually. I think he'd spend more time on other interests, spending more time on a bloody horse than a race track now!" Schumacher retired in 2006 but made a brief comeback for Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. He is widely considered among the best to ever race in the sport. Only small hints have been released about his health since the accident. Advertisement Briatore's ex-wife, Elisabetta Gregoraci, previously said he doesn't speak but communicates with his eyes. Corinna has also previously said he is now 'different, but here'. 4
Extra.ie
5 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Alex Dunne left emotional after making his Formula 1 debut
Irish racer Alex Dunne was left increasingly emotional on Friday after making his Formula 1 debut at the Austrian Grand Prix. The 19-year-old branded the moment 'definitely the best day of my life' as he posted the fourth-fastest time in opening practice. The Offaly native stood in for McLaren's Lando Norris as part of McLaren's four mandatory sessions across the season where a rookie driver will take part in first practice. Irish racer Alex Dunne was left increasingly emotional on Friday after making his Formula 1 debut at the Austrian Grand Prix. Pic: James Sutton – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images Dunne is a McLaren development driver and leads the Formula 2 standings currently. 'I want to say a massive thank you, you made a little boy's dream come true,' Dunne said on his team radio. 'This is definitely the best day of my life,' he added. @mclaren A day Alex will never forget 🧡 #McLaren #F1 ♬ scott street – ☆ 'Thank you everyone for letting me do this and thanks to Lando as well for trusting me with his car. It means a lot.' Alex has come leaps and bounds since his karting days, having made a name for himself early on in the European circuit. The Irish star debuted in car racing in 2021, and by 2022, he had already won the British F4 Championship, dominating leader boards at every opportunity. The 19-year-old branded the moment 'definitely the best day of my life' as he posted the fourth-fastest time in opening practice. Pic: Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images In 2022, Alex also competed in the Italian F4 Championship, finishing runner-up. In 2025, he was announced as a Formula 2 driver, an unsurprising move for the rising star. Could this be the start of a lengthy partnership with F1? We hope so! Congrats Alex!
