CELTIC CONFIDENTIAL: Why reunion of Shaun Maloney and Brendan Rodgers is a match made in heaven ... and the tired Bhoy who's being denied a pre-season break
The 42-year-old has rejoined the staff at the Scottish champions to replace Darren O'Dea, who left to become assistant manager at Swansea City.
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Scotsman
22 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Rating the Lions - they deserve place in the record books but it might need an asterisk
Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Comparing teams from different eras is a tricky business but if the British and Irish Lions defeat the Wallabies for the third week in a row they will deserve their place in the pantheon. A victory in Sydney on Saturday would not only seal a 3-0 Test series triumph but would also mean the visitors had won nine from nine on Australian soil. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They would be the first Lions side to pull off such a feat in modern times and you have to go back almost 100 years for a precedent. In 1927, a British Isles team formed of Scottish and English players and captained by David MacMyn, a surgeon from Kirkcudbright, played nine matches in Argentina and won them all, including four Test matches in Buenos Aires. Bundee Aki and Finn Russell celebrate the British & Irish Lions' win over Australia in the second Test which clinched the series. | Getty Images It is an interesting parallel because Argentina are the one team who have got the better of the 2025 Lions. It seems a long time ago now, but the Pumas beat Andy Farrell's side 28-24 in Dublin on June 20 in the send-off game. Only the third time in the pro era The defeat means an asterisk may need to be applied to the entry in the record books when this latest chapter of Lions history is written. What it won't change, however, is the fact that they have won the Test series and it is only the third time in the professional era that this has been achieved. Farrell's side join Ian McGeechan's victors in South Africa in 1997 and Warren Gatland's side of 2013 in Australia as successful Lions tourists. Series defeats are more commonplace. The Lions lost three in a row in 2001 (Australia), 2005 (New Zealand) and 2009 (South Africa). They tied with the All Blacks in 2017 then lost to the Sprigboks four years ago before the current crop sealed the series with the thrilling 29-26 win over the Wallabies at the MCG last week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how should we rate Farrell's side? History tells us that Australia is the easiest of the three traditional southern hemisphere destinations on the Lions' tour rota. They have now played 25 Test matches against the Wallabies, winning 19 and losing six since touring began in the late 19th century. The win rate of 76 per cent far exceeds anything achieved against South Africa or New Zealand. The Lions' Test record against the Boks reads: played 49, won 18, lost 25, with six drawn. New Zealand has proved an even tougher mission, with the Lions having won only six of 38 Tests against the All Blacks, losing 29 and drawing three. Question marks about the quality of this Australia team There have also been serious question marks about the quality of this Australia team. Under the auspices of Eddie Jones, the Wallabies were eliminated in the pool stage at the 2023 Rugby World Cup following defeats by Fiji and Wales. They also finished bottom of the Rugby Championship in 2023 and 2024, winning only one match out of nine. Joe Schmidt replaced Jones before the '24 tournament and has brought about improvement. During last year's European tour they beat England and Wales, lost narrowly to Ireland but were well beaten by Scotland. Huw Jones scores for the British & Irish Lions during the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. | Getty Images They were huge underdogs going into the Lions Test series and lived up to the billing with a pallid performance in the first Test in Brisbane where a late flourish by the hosts gave the final scoreline of 27-19 a closeness it never merited. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Would a tour to Argentina have been a stiffer test for the Lions? Unlikely, if England's July tour there is any gauge. Steve Borthwick's side won the two-Test series without their Lions contingent and although the Pumas impressed in Dublin, they were up against a Lions side who had just come together and had yet to gel. Farrell batted away any debate over Australia's future as a British and Irish Lions tour destination, describing such talk as 'insulting' when he named his team on Thursday. Accused of diving And to be fair to the Wallabies, they displayed far more bite in the second Test in Melbourne where the return from injury of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini allowed them to compete up front. It was by far the toughest match of the tour for the Lions as Australia led from the fourth minute until the 79th before being undone by Hugo Keenan's late, controversial try. Hugo Keenan celebrates scoring the winning try for the Lions against the Wallabies in Melbourne. | Getty Images Schmidt's fury about the award of the score seemed genuine enough and the debate about the legality or otherwise of Jac Morgan's clearout on Carlo Tizzano will continue to rage. Tizzano has been accused of diving by the likes of Sam Warburton and James Haskell and that seems extremely harsh given the force of the impact. But that's not to say what Morgan did should have been punished. For this observer at least, the Welshman could not have gone in any lower. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Removed from firing line after online abuse Either way, Tizzano has been removed from the firing line and will not be involved in the match-day 23 this weekend after receiving abuse online. A sad coda to an enthralling contest. Australia will also be without Valetini who has succumbed again to the ongoing calf issue which caused him to miss the first Test and play only the first half of the second. His place at blindside flanker goes to Tom Hooper. There is a change too in the front row where prop Taniela Tupou will make his first appearance for Australia of 2025 as a replacement for the injured Allan Alaalatoa. Tupou was highly effective for the First Nations & Pasifika XV against the Lions last week in the only other match the tourists have really seemed troubled. Nic White will start at scrum-half against the Lions in what will be his final match for the Wallabies. | Getty Images Nic White starts at scrum-half in what will be his last outing for the Wallabies after announcing on Thursday morning that he would be calling time on his pro rugby career at the end of the year. He replaces Jake Gordon at nine, with Tate McDermott retaining his place on the bench. Dylan Pietsch comes in for the injured Harry Potter on the left wing. The Lions have again kept changes to a minimum. Scotland's Blair Kinghorn will start on the wing in place of the dropped James Lowe and James Ryan is preferred to Ollie Chessum in the second row, with the latter on the bench. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Eleven players have started all three Tests against the Wallabies, including Scottish duo Finn Russell and Huw Jones, and history now beckons for Farrell's pride of Lions. Australia v British and Irish Lions, teams for third Test Accor Stadium, Sydney, Saturday. KO: 11:00 BST Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway. Lions: H Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); T Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), H Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), B Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), B Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); F Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), J Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); A Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), D Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), T Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), M Itoje (Saracens/England, capt), J Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), T Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), T Curry (Sale Sharks/England), J Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), E Genge (Bristol Bears/England), W Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), O Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), J Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), B Earl (Saracens/England), A Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), O Farrell (Saracens/England).
The National
22 minutes ago
- The National
When Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is 'due' to have Celtic medical
The central defender will sign for the Parkhead club on a season-long loan deal from English Premier League giants Manchester City. Simpson-Pusey has appeared six times for Pep Guardiola's first team and was named Premier League 2 Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season. According to Sky Sports, the 19-year-old is due to travel to Glasgow on Friday to undergo a medical with Celtic. Read more: Speaking on Simpson-Pusey after he made his first Premier League appearance for City at the end of last year, Guardiola said [One Football]: "The guy [Simpson-Pusey] played really good, the young lad again, with this composure and duels and everything was good. It's not easy for him. "Normally the young lads, they must come in with support from the team, with Rodri in front of them, right? With the best Kyle [Walker], and defenders, and now we support him. "Now he's playing in a position that is difficult for him but he performed unbelievable. "We have a central defender to help us for the future, for the next years. I'm really pleased. Always there is good news when the situation goes bad, and this is one of them." Simpson-Pusey could become Celtic's seventh summer signing, following the arrivals of Ross Doohan, Kieran Tierney, Callum Osmand, Benjamin Nygren, Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada.
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Celtic target Simpson-Pusey 'definitely ready' for senior football
What could Celtic fans expect from Manchester City centre-half Jahmai Simpson-Pusey?The teenage defender is close to completing a loan move to the Scottish champions after captaining City's Under-21 side to a record fourth Premier League 2 the age of just 19, the youngster has already played six times in Pep Guardiola's first team, with starts in the Premier League and Champions injury crisis last term was a key reason why the centre-back was thrown into the senior set-up, but his involvement highlights the trust Guardiola has in the England youth international made his Premier League debut last November, starting away to the match ending in defeat, former Barcelona boss Guardiola heaped praise on Simpson-Pusey's display with City missing several high-profile players at the time."It's not easy for him," said the Spaniard. "Normally the young lads, they must come in with support from the team, with Rodri in front of them, right? With the best Kyle [Walker], and defenders, and now we support him."Now he's playing in a position that is difficult for him, but he performed unbelievable. We have a central defender to help us for the future."I'm really pleased. Always there is good news when a situation goes bad, and this is one of them."Simpson-Pusey played another five times last term in a difficult spell for City, including a 4-1 Champions League defeat at tasted victory just once, coming on in an 8-0 win over Salford City in the FA defender was not involved in the first team from January and ended the campaign leading City to a Premier League 2 play-off final victory over that success at youth level, and getting a taste of senior football, he feels he has served his time in the to BBC Sport in May, he said: "I feel like I've done what I've needed to do with the Under-21s. I just want to play first-team if it would be at another club, Simpson-Pusey replied: "I guess we'll see [what happens]. That's not on my mind yet. I'm definitely ready."I've not spoken to anyone about it. I'm sure some people will feel the same, especially after winning the league."
