Lions and Wallabies forced off pitch as lightning strikes near Sydney stadium
Play was paused in the 43rd minute, with the Wallabies leading 8-0, due to lightning strikes in the vicinity.
The stoppage followed an earlier pause for a head injury to Lions lock James Ryan, and other players including Maro Itoje and Tommy Freeman also failed head injury assessments.
Fans in the front rows were directed to move indoors to the concourse as the electrical storm hit after a period of heavy rain.
Rules dictate that play cannot resume until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike within 10 kilometres of the ground, though the Lions have already secured the series victory.
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BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
'It would be cool to be the fastest of all time'
British sprinter Matthew Richardson wants to become the "fastest track cyclist of all time" as he aims to break the 200m flying start time trial world record in Turkey next who switched his allegiance to Great Britain from Australia after the Paris Olympics last summer, is attempting to break the record that stands at 9.088 is one of three British cyclists bidding to break records on the same track on 14 August, with Charlie Tanfield attempting the elite hour mark and para-cyclist Will Bjergfelt taking on the C5 category hour milestone."It has a nice ring to it, being the fastest track discipline," Richardson said. "There's no extra caveats to it afterwards - it's in a flat 200 [metres], you reached the highest peak speed possible on the track. It'd be cool, if I do it, to call myself the fastest of all time," Richardson, who was born in Maidstone, Kent and moved to Western Australia aged nine, won two silver medals and a bronze for Australia last summer before switching his won a trio of sprint titles at the British Track Championships at the start of the year, and followed it with two golds on his Great Britain debut at the Nations Cup in March, on the Konya track in Turkey where the new attempts will all take briefly set a new flying 200m record at the Olympics of 9.091 seconds, before Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen broke it minutes 26-year-old said he was "confident" going into next week and that the record would fall below nine seconds soon - a feat that requires speeds of more than 80km/hr."I'm pretty confident that I'm in a really good place to get the job done," he said."It's a bit of a race between Harrie and I to be the first person to do it [break nine seconds]. It's been on my radar for the last couple of years as the world's got a bit closer and closer to going below nine." Tanfield is aiming to become the fourth British man to break the hour record, registering the biggest distance cycled around a track in 60 minutes - since the UCI (International Cycling Union) changed the rules in 2014 - following Alex Dowsett, Bradley Wiggins and Dan current record stands at 56.792km set by Italy's Filippo Ganna in 2022."I identified this year after the Games as a time when I'd have the freedom to give it a go," Tanfield said."I've been preparing for this since I started training again after the Games, so there's been months of training and learning to get to this point. On the day my goal is to execute the perfect ride for my ability, if can do that and put it all together I'll be happy." 'I want to be the first para-cyclist to crack 50km' Bjergfelt said the C5 hour record of 47.569km, set in 2014 by Italy's Andrea Tarlao, had been something he had wanted to attempt for a long time. The 46-year-old believes the advancements in technology over the past 11 years make not only breaking it achievable but also adding considerably to the distance."Aerodynamics have evolved massively, I feel I'll be in a very, very good place to forward the record on and push it on and make it something big again," Bjergfelt said."I definitely want to see if I can crack 50km, if so I'll be the first C5 para-cyclist to break that barrier. That would be something that's pretty special. "I want to put out there that if you do have an impairment or a slight disability there's so many amazing things that you can do that it shouldn't hold anyone back." Bjergfelt made history in 2021 as the first para-cyclist to race in the men's Tour of Britain and he is back juggling full-time work as an engineer alongside racing after taking two years off to focus on hour record is known for being one of the most gruelling tests in cycling and Bjergfelt said the challenge is managing your effort to perfection."With the hour record you have to be really conservative in the first 40-45 minutes. You still want to be on a pace to beat the record but you have to be really within yourself, because it's an effort that comes back to bite you," he said. "In that last 10, 15 minutes that's where hopefully I'll be on pace to have broken the record and at the same time I'll still have enough in the tank to really extend myself in the last five minutes."
The Guardian
35 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Lions writer awards: man of the series, unsung hero and where tourists should go next
Man of series Finn Russell was at the heart of everything the Lions did well. Calm, assured, skilful and accurate from the tee. Chapeau. Try of series Tom Wright, second Test, Melbourne. What a ripper! Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's midfield break split the Lions wide open and Wright's touchdown put his side 23-5 up. Biggest villain Has to be Australia's now-convicted 'mushroom murderer' Erin Patterson. Her shocking court case pushed the Lions way down the news agenda. Unsung hero Jac Morgan. The brave back-rower never started a Test but Wales's solitary representative did himself – and his country – proud. Favourite moment Everything about the second Test was brilliant. The stroll down to the iconic MCG, the pre-match vibe – excellent use of AC/DC's Hells Bells as intro music – followed by a belting game in front of 90,000 fans. This year's cricket Ashes will be fun. Worst moment Idly looking around for my laptop bag only to realise – agh! – I'd left it in a Sydney taxi which was now 25km away. Fortunately, there was a happy ending. This Lions tour was … A reminder that sport is nothing without an audience. The previous Lions tour in South Africa took place behind closed doors; this one was enhanced by up to 40,000 visiting supporters, many of whom have been saving up to make the trip for years. All hail the sea of red. Next stop for Lions should be … To sit down and reimagine what future Lions tours should look like. Australia in 2037 including games in Japan and Fiji? France? South America? Or maybe an oval-ball Ryder Cup equivalent: Europe v the Rest of the World? Before somebody else launches it instead. Man of series Will Skelton, Australia. The cumulative scoreboard reflects that with the 23st second row on the field, the Wallabies comfortably outscored the Lions. The overarching feeling at full-time in Sydney was just what might have happened had he been fit in Brisbane. Try of series Tomos Williams for Lions v Western Force. Williams's second try of the match was a peach. Mack Hansen made the initial break, offloading inside to James Lowe, who found Williams dashing down the wing. The scrum-half exchanged passes with Lowe again before diving in the corner. Such a shame he injured his hamstring in doing so. Biggest villain Not one individual but the TMO – a role occupied by various officials throughout – did not have a great tour. In Sydney on Saturday, Dan Sheehan's blatant illegal clearout on Tom Lynagh went unpunished before a second-half check for the most innocuous of occurrences. Unsung hero Charlie Gamble, Waratahs and First Nations & Pasifika XV. Maybe not unsung given he was named player of the match for the FNP side and was praised for his performance for the Waratahs, but the beauty of tours such as this is watching players such as Gamble rewarded with an unlikely appearance in the series. Alas it didn't happen. Favourite moment Owen Farrell giving his boots to a child who had run on to the pitch in Sydney, only to be led away by security. These are the sorts of gestures made by Farrell that tend to go unnoticed by those who love to slate the only member of this squad with two series wins to his name. Worst moment Sweet Caroline, or something similarly obnoxious, blaring out while players are receiving treatment for worrying looking injuries. It has happened far too often, most recently when James Ryan was knocked cold for a couple of minutes in Sydney. Tone deaf. This Lions tour was … A slow burner and suddenly over too quickly, leaving a lingering sense of frustration that the Wallabies started the Test series so tamely. It did reach a stunning peak at the MCG and it should also be said it is always a stunning country to travel. Next stop for Lions should be … The couch or beach. It is August, the new football season is almost upon us and most of these players – some clearly running on fumes in Sydney – have been going non-step since last September. There are mandated rest periods at the start of next season and the hope is that they are stuck to. Man of series Will Skelton. The return of the Wallabies' lock flipped the series' momentum and he starred again in the third Test. Try of series Tom Wright, second Test. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii lacerated the Lions' midfield with his left foot and when Wright crossed, for a moment, Australia believed. Biggest villain Dan Sheehan. Tom Curry tackling a mid-air Tom Lynagh was egregious but Dan Sheehan's elbow to Lynagh's head was downright ugly. Unsung hero Ellis Genge. The prop was unlucky to be benched after a dominant first Test but helped to turn the second match in Melbourne to secure the series. Favourite moment The sheer drama of the final minute of the second Test, in front of 90,000, won't quickly be forgotten. The controversy made the Wallabies relevant to Australians again. Worst moment The Wallabies were flying at the MCG but Tom Lynagh's fumble and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's infringement both led to tries that handed the Lions the impetus and ultimately the series. This Lions tour was … A reset for Wallabies fans, who can now look to the home 2027 World Cup with optimism. Wait, here come the Springboks, Pumas and All Blacks again. Next stop for Lions should be … To book a Lions Women tour to Australia in 2031.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Thrilling England-India finale attracts a million viewers
More than a million people watched the gripping 56 minutes of play on the final day of England's narrow Test-match defeat by India at the Oval. England needed 35 runs on Monday morning to win the Test and the five-match series; India required four wickets to prevail in south London and secure an overall draw. It reached a thrilling denouement inside the first hour, including Chris Woakes scampering between the wickets with his arm in a sling, before an inspired Mohammed Siraj clinched victory for the visiting team. A usual weekday session of non-Ashes cricket attracts about half a million viewers but Sky, which showed the finale live across both their Main Event and Cricket channels, attracted twice that. Viewing figures generally peak at weekends but a thrilling climax at the end of a brilliant series brought far higher numbers than usual. As well as a surge in viewers on Monday morning, almost 1.5million watched across the Sky channels on Sunday — day four of the Test, when England continued their attempted record 374-run chase. Video clips of the winning moment and immediate post-match interviews have since been viewed close to two million times across social media platforms. Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, meanwhile dismissed concerns over the intensity of the Test schedule, insisting that the demands of five matches in a little more than six weeks have highlighted the players with strong character and resilience. 'I think the scheduling is fine,' he said. 'It's kind of what you want — those tired bodies working out who is tough and who is more of a frontrunner. That is ultimately what can separate teams down the stretch.' McCullum pointed to India's Siraj as a prime example of the kind of fortitude demanded by such a gruelling run of fixtures. 'I go back to Siraj — I thought he was unbelievably impressive,' he said. 'Five Test matches, to be bowling 90mph in his 30th over as one of three seamers bowling your team to a win. Those are the characters you are desperate to have.' McCullum, who has championed a high-octane, fearless and tough approach to Test cricket, believes England are fortunate to have similar figures in their own ranks who have been able to cope with the demands of the brutal schedule. 'We have a few of them, which we are very lucky to have,' he said. 'I don't mind that it challenges us physically. That's what makes it such a great game. Everyone is tired. Five Tests is tough. Especially the last two as back-to-back Tests. It has been tough but they wouldn't change it for the world. 'They have thoroughly enjoyed the contest, playing a good side who have been well supported right throughout England and around the world. It's a privilege to be in the position that our guys are in and no one takes that for granted. Yes, you are tired, but you are trying to get the last bit of strength out of yourself to perform.' The sight of Woakes, who suffered a dislocated shoulder on the first day of the Test, going out to bat on Monday morning with his left arm in a sling to try to help England win the series was the epitome of that toughness, McCullum believes. 'Woakesy came to me in the first innings and said, 'Do you want me to bat?' I said [no], it was fine! It was within 24 hours of [his injury] happening and he was in an immense amount of pain. He came to us on Sunday night [during the second innings] and said, 'If it gets down to it, I am ready to go.' Again, it's what you want from our players. 'This game is hard and takes us to some tough places, challenging us mentally and physically. To still want to go out and do your best for your country is what these guys are desperate to show. I thought Woakesy was really brave to do that. You could see running between the wickets how much pain he was in. 'I thought we might have a fairytale, where we needed two to win and he was on strike and found a way. But it wasn't to be. We hope the injury is not too bad but we will have to work that out over the next week or so. He's been a huge member of this side and played five Tests here, putting himself through it. To do the injury the way he did [diving to save a boundary] sums up the guy, he's all in and gives everything for the team.'
