Western Force vs British and Irish Lions: Kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, lineups, h2h, odds today
Perhaps we should not have been surprised to see the Lions edged out by Argentina, whose status as 7-1 underdogs for victory in Dublin seemed ridiculous despite missing a number of France-based stars, particularly when you consider that they beat all of New Zealand, South Africa, France and Australia in 2024 and are currently ranked fifth in the world - three spots ahead of the Wallabies.
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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Shaun Edwards says Dan Biggar saved his career as world rugby has few things to say to star
Shaun Edwards says Dan Biggar saved his career as world rugby has few things to say to star World rugby legends paid tribute to Dan Biggar after the Wales star officially retired this week Former Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards (Image: ) The great and the good of world rugby have paid tribute to Dan Biggar upon his retirement - with Shaun Edwards saying the Wales legend saved his career. Biggar brought the curtain down on his playing days this week, posting on social media confirming "full time" had been called and his boots hung up for the last time. The 35-year-old announced in April that this would be his final season in rugby, finishing his career with club side Toulon. Biggar won 112 caps for Wales in a 15-year international career, becoming his country's most-capped fly-half, while he also starred in the Lions shirt. He bagged three Six Nations titles and featured in three World Cups for this country. Taking to Instagram, the Gorseinon product shared a photo of himself looking out over the empty field at Toulon's Stade Mayol and wrote: "Full-time. Grateful for every moment and ready for what's next." Now, some of the biggest names in the game have come together to offer up their own video tributes to the former Osprey. Article continues below "The bigger the moment, the better he played," Edwards began in a tribute video. "The bigger the game, the better he played." Arguably the world's best player Antoine Dupont said: "Hello Dan. Just a few words to simply congratulate you on your career you had. "Everything you did for Wales, the Lions and the rest of your career that we know. Congratulations on being the talented player you are with an incredible kicking game but also a very brave player." Content cannot be displayed without consent Fellow fly-half legend Jonny Wilkinson added: "Hey Dan, just a little message to say a massive congratulations for what is, for me, a monumental career." Former Wales and Lions team-mate Sam Warburton said: "Biggs! What a shift mate, two Lions tour, Test match tens, centurion for Wales. Legend mate." Fellow Ospreys hero Justin Tipuric added: "I just want to say massive congratulations on an unbelievable career." Leigh Halfpenny, who played alongside Biggar during the halcyon days for Wales, harked back to their time at Gorseinon RFC together. He said: "I remember the impact you had when you first joined us at Gorseinon, I could see you were going to be a special player from a young age." Neil Jenkins, who Biggar developed a close working relationship with during their Wales days, added: "Just want to congratulate you on a fantastic career mate and you wish you all the best in your retirement and I'm sure I'll catch up with you soon." The most poignant message was left to Edwards to deliver, with the former Wales defence coach going as far as to say Biggar saved his career at Twickenham in 2015, when Wales knocked England out of their own World Cup, thanks to some clutch kicking from the fly-half. Edwards: "He is the person that you would want to kick the goal to save your career, as he did with my career in 2015, England vs Wales, World Cup match. Article continues below "Johnny Sexton of Ireland. Owen Farrell of England. Dan Biggar of Wales."
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Lions captain Dan Sheehan's sports star girlfriend and his family's rugby careers
Lions captain Dan Sheehan's sports star girlfriend and his family's rugby careers Dan Sheehan has been named British and Irish Lions captain for their opening Tour game in Australia this weekend - and he will be supported by his girlfriend, Katherine Egan British and Irish Lions star Dan Sheehan will captain the team in their tour opener, and partner Katherine Egan will be cheering him on (Image: Dansheehan09/Instagram ) Dan Sheehan will captain the British and Irish Lions when they take on the Western Force in their tour opener. And his girlfriend, Katherine Egan, who's a promising athlete in her own right, will be cheering him on in Perth on Saturday. Lions skipper Maro Itoje will not be participating in Saturday's match as Sheehan, who captained Ireland for the first time against Wales in this year's Six Nations, will lead the team at Optus Stadium. The Leinster hooker is among five starters making their Lions debuts, with Ireland colleagues Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier also on that list. Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne are the only two survivors from the XV that lost to Argentina in Dublin last Friday. However, they have been reassigned to inside centre and blindside flanker, respectively. "Dan Sheehan gets the opportunity to lead the side against Western Force, which is a great honour for him and his family – so congratulations to Dan as he captains the side on his Lions debut," said Itoje, per the Irish Mirror. "We know the quality and experience the Force have and the opportunity to play against the Lions always brings out special performances from the Super Rugby sides, so we expect them to be at their best." Athlete girlfriend Off the field, Sheehan has been in a long-term relationship with fellow sportsperson Katherine. Egan is currently studying medicine at University College Dublin and also plays for the school's ladies' hockey team. Dan's girlfriend of eight years, Katherine, is studying at UCD, where she also plays for the ladies' hockey team (Image: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland ) Article continues below While the pair have kept their romance low-key, they occasionally share snapshots of their life together on social media. Katherine first appeared on Dan's Instagram feed back in October 2017, when they attended his school's debutante ball. Over the years, they've travelled to beautiful destinations such as Bali, Indonesia and Santorini together. Katherine is often seen supporting Dan from the stands and is sure to pop up in Australia over the coming weeks. Family's rugby past Born in September 1998, Sheehan is now 26 and hails from a family of four siblings. He has one brother, Bobby, and two sisters, Emma and Susie, along with parents Sinead and Barry, who are often seen cheering him on from the stands at home and abroad. Originally from Dublin, Sheehan spent three years living in Romania due to his father's job relocation to Bucharest. Both he and brother Bobby attended the American International School where, despite rugby not being available, Dan kept active with football, softball and swimming. Rugby runs in the Sheehan family (Image: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan ) Upon returning to Ireland, the brothers enrolled at Clongowes Wood College while their parents were working in Poland. Sheehan continued his education at Trinity College Dublin, where he pursued his passion for rugby. And it turns out rugby is something of a family affair. His dad, Barry, represented UCD during the 1980s and 1990s, and his grandfather Denis once played for Leinster. Rugby Career Sheehan signed his first professional contract with Leinster in June 2020 and made his debut in October that same year. He recently extended his contract with Leinster and the IRFU for another two years, which will keep him in the capital until at least 2027. His first appearance for Ireland was in a Six Nations match against Italy in February 2022. In the final match of that tournament, he scored a try and was named Player of the Match in Ireland's 26-5 victory over Scotland, securing Ireland's 12th Triple Crown. Article continues below During a showdown with England in March 2023, Sheehan's two tries secured the 2023 Six Nations title and Ireland's fourth Grand Slam. The following year, he suffered a serious ACL injury that sidelined him for six months before a triumphant return to the field in January 2025.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
PSG vs Inter Miami prediction: European champions to book quarter-final slot
PSG vs Inter Miami betting tips Paris Saint-Germain face Inter Miami in the round of 16 in the Club World Cup this Sunday, with Lionel Messi hoping to spring the biggest upset of the tournament against his old side. European champions PSG have already been the victims of a surprise result, having lost to Botafogo in the second game of the group stage, though they recovered to beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0 and top Group B. And despite that early slip-up, football betting sites have the Parisians as 3/1 favourites to win the competition ahead of their match with Miami, who finished second in Group A behind Palmeiras. A 2-2 draw with the Brazilian side and a 2-1 win over Porto illustrated that the gap between Miami and the world's bigger sides is not as wide as expected, with Lionel Messi still capable of producing magic moments and the supporting cast – including Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets among others – able to chip in at vital moments. However, this match will surely be a bridge too far for the American side, with Ousmane Dembele and co. hopeful of adding a world title to the European one they wrapped up so convincingly at the end of May. And the early Club World Cup odds are certainly backing the Champions League winners, with PSG offered as low as 1/14 to qualify versus 8/1 for the MLS outfit. PSG vs Inter Miami prediction: European champions to book quarter-final slot PSG will enter most matches as clear favourites in this competition after their performances on the European stage at the end of last season, with the 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final showing what this team are capable of when it all clicks. The 4-0 win over Atletico was another example of what PSG can do to top sides in Europe, and while the matches against Botafogo and Seattle were far less impressive, this is a team that remains more than capable of turning up the quality when it matters. In fact, that loss to Botafogo was the first 'real' loss PSG have suffered since their second-leg Champions League loss to Aston Villa in April, with the Parisians only losing twice since then – though both were in games where Luis Enrique rested players having already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title. Overall, PSG have just four losses since 5 March, and have won eight of their last 10, scoring 26 goals across those matches and conceding just six. At the same time, though Inter Miami have been somewhat impressive so far at the Club World Cup, the fact remains that barring Messi it is a squad with players who are either past their best or simply not at the level of a side like PSG. Losses of 4-1 and 3-0 to Minnesota and Orlando City – coupled with draws against San Jose, Philadelphia and Al Ahly – illustrate that the American side can struggle to both score and defend at times, and though the 2-2 draw to Palmeiras was more encouraging, it'll take some real magic from Messi to get anywhere near penetrating this PSG defence. And to that end, we think a wager on PSG to win to nil offers the best value on the results market, with odds around 23/20 at various betting sites. PSG vs Inter Miami betting tip: Kvaratskhelia to prove the difference? Khvicha Kvaratskhelia proved one of the signings of the year after PSG managed to prise him away from Napoli for around €70m in January, and though four goals and three assists in 14 Ligue 1 matches appears a modest tally, goals and assists against Aston Villa, Arsenal and Inter Milan in the last three rounds of the Champions League show that the Georgian is a man for the big occasion. While he didn't manage to find the net in the opening two matches at the Club World Cup, the 24-year-old scored last time out against Seattle Sounders, and with Ousmane Dembele still a doubt ahead of this one, he may once again find himself carrying the bulk of the attacking burden alongside Desire Doue. In fact, it is clear that Kvaratskhelia is making a concerted effort to do exactly that, with the winger having attempted 10 shots over the opening three matches, with five hitting the target. With the youngster having scored last time out, we're backing him to find the net once again when his side face Inter Miami, with betting apps offering odds around 5/6 for Kvaratskhelia to score anytime. PSG vs Inter Miami prediction 2: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score anytime - 5/6 Bet365 Responsible gambling Bettors should always practice responsible gambling. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive. Please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, betting apps, or any other gambling medium. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. It's particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
