
Conan 'absolutely loved' emphatic win over Reds
Conan's fellow Irish forward, Ronan Kelleher, was also thrilled to get the win against the Queensland side on his first start of the tour.The Leinster front row's tap penalty put Andrew Porter over to level at 12-12 before Finn Russell's conversion put the Lions ahead and there was no looking back from there.Kelleher, a veteran of the 2021 tour of South Africa, is excited to be involved for a second time and feels their victory on Wednesday is a "a step in the right direction"."It's great to get the win against an unbelievably good Reds side," said the 27-year-old hooker."They were unbelievably physical, particularly in that first half, so we're happy with how we we and we are really excited about the next four weeks.It's a really exciting challenge and everyone is really looking forward to it. The competition for places is really important as well with lads showing up in training and ready to get better each day, so it's great to be a part of."
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The Guardian
23 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Wallabies maintain ‘quiet resolve' for Lions series despite injuries, errors and uncertainties
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As he finalises the most anticipated Wallabies squad in his year and a half in charge, Schmidt is emphasising the process of gradual improvement. The national team continues to rebuild and the Wallabies' loss to Fiji in the 2023 World Cup was perhaps its lowest ebb. In that context it was significant that the team found a way to win on Sunday, thanks to captain Harry Wilson's back-down try in the dying stages. 'It was certainly a relief when Harry got over and dotted it down, that's for sure,' Schmidt said. In a spectacular contest enjoyed by a sell-out 28,132 crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium, the match looked in Australia's control late in the first half. At that point the hosts led 14-0 and had more than 70% of the territory. But a poor kick in midfield handed the Fijians the ball. Several missed tackles later came the try to trigger a shift in momentum, setting the scene for an exhilarating second half. 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'Sometimes he's going to attract some attention and open up space for others, and some games there'd be space for him.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion The Wallabies will finalise their squad for the Lions series on Friday, and questions surround much of the side. Rob Valetini, the back-to-back John Eales Medallist and one of the Wallabies' few genuine strike weapons, has been nursing a calf complaint. Imposing lock Will Skelton and scrum-half Jake Gordon also missed the Fiji clash with injuries. Schmidt says all three will be ready for the first Test in Brisbane on 19 July. Yet they are far from the coach's only concerns. In the front-row Schmidt gained little clarity from Sunday's clash after starters James Slipper and David Porecki were both forced from the field due to injury at different times. Fly half Noah Lolesio appears unlikely to play in the first Lions Test after being driven off in a medicab with what looked like a serious neck injury. 'It was frustrating, just because we wanted to get some time with those combinations,' Schmidt said. 'That's the nature of sport. You don't get what you want.' There were a 'myriad of things', as Schmidt described, that will keep him up at night over the next two weeks. Whether Australia can get reward for their scrum and their lineout. Whether they will continue to make skill errors like the forward passes which cost the team two tries against the Fijians. Whether Australia's wingers can resist the urge to kick and keep possession in order to build pressure. Schmidt said he hadn't yet considered whether his team could harness the 'underdog' mindset that might be crucial in toppling the mighty Lions, but he recognised his side look like outsiders. 'We didn't play well enough today for people to have the expectation that we're going to come bowling into Brisbane and knock the Lions over,' he said. 'But then, I'm not sure whether that expectation was there before today, and we're just going to have to build that quiet resolve, that inch by inch we can work our way toward that.'


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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
No 'secrets' as Lions centres build connections
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