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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Wallabies fuming after refereeing decision in 29-26 loss to British and Irish Lions in second Test
A furious Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt feels his side was the victim of an unfair refereeing decision during a dramatic final minute of their 29-26 defeat to the British and Irish Lions in the second Test at the MCG. In the shadows of full-time and in front of 90,307 spectators, reserve Lions back-rower Jac Morgan cleared out Wallabies counterpart Carlo Tizzano at a ruck, a phase before the tourists scored a try through fullback Hugo Keenan. Keenan's try, with only 50 seconds left on the clock, clinched victory and gave the Lions an unassailable 2-0 series lead. Morgan appeared to make contact with Tizzano's neck, triggering Wallabies captain Harry Wilson — whose side was leading 26-24 at the time of the incident — to plead with referee Andrea Piardi to review the play. Wilson believed it was an illegal clear-out from Morgan when Tizzano was attempting to pilfer the ball after the Lions' James Ryan was tackled five metres out from the Wallabies' goal line. Following consultation with television match official Eric Gauzins, Piardi ruled Tizzano and Morgan arrived at the ruck at "the same time" but there was "no foul play", meaning the try stood. Sitting alongside a shattered Wilson at their post-match media conference, Schmidt claimed Morgan's actions were a violation of World Rugby's laws relating to dangerous play at a ruck. Schmidt pointed to law 9.20, the crux of which states a "player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders". "I think everyone can make their own decision on that," Schmidt said. "You just have to read law 9.20 and I guess you just have to listen to the description from the referee and then watch the vision. "When two players are described as arriving at the same time — just watch the footage." Schmidt said he could understand match officials making errors "because they're human". But he believed Piardi's interpretation of the incident contradicted World Rugby's well-publicised edict on player safety. "Our perspective is we felt it was a decision that doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they're [World Rugby] talking about," Schmidt said. "You cannot hit someone above the level of the shoulders and there's no bind with the left arm [from Morgan]. The hand is on the ground. "That's what we've seen and we've watched a number of replays from different angles, so it is what it is. "We just have to accept it." Wilson said the incident warranted a penalty, which would have meant Keenan's try was disallowed. "Obviously I saw shoulder to the neck," Wilson said. "Carlo was pretty sore after it and he was straight down, so I went to him [Piardi] about that and got told since he [Morgan] wrapped his arms [around Tizzano], it was all good to be in the neck." Schmidt said the Wallabies were "gutted" but he was "immensely proud" of their effort, having led for almost the entire match. Not surprisingly, triumphant Lions coach Andy Farrell saw the incident differently to Schmidt. Farrell felt Morgan's clear-out was legal. "I thought it was a good clear-out live," he said. "I couldn't understand what he [Piardi] was going back for. They seem to go back for everything these days, don't they? "But I'm so pleased the referee held his nerve." When Wilson was remonstrating with Piardi, Lions captain Maro Itoje rushed in to confront the Wallabies skipper. Itoje agreed with Farrell's assessment of Morgan's clear-out. "Naturally, their captain was trying to get their point across and trying — in my view — argue for something that didn't happen," Itoje said. "I guess I was arguing for something that did happen. "Fortunately, Jac was accurate with what he was doing and everything was fine." Lions fly-half Finn Russell was in the vicinity of the ruck when Morgan made contact with Tizzano. "They [Wallabies] had boys over the ball and Jac just cleared them out … it was a hard clear-out, that's all it is," Russell said. "I think he [Tizzano] obviously popped up holding his head as if it's illegal, which it wasn't." The Lions tour will wrap up in Sydney next Saturday night with the third Test at Stadium Australia. The Wallabies had lost the series opener in Brisbane last weekend, going down 27-19 to the Lions.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
How many close friends do you really need?
In 2025, many of us are living alone. Or we live with housemates, cotenants, flatmates – people who may share a fridge, a lease, even a dog, but not necessarily our inner world. While the population swells in our cities, and digital devices keep us constantly connected, many of us live in a kind of emotional isolation. We go to work, we cook our meals, we scroll our phones, we answer messages – and still feel deeply alone. For generations, it was a given that our romantic partner, our spouse, was also our closest confidante – the person we could cry in front of, confide in, lean on when the day had simply been too much. But for some, the presence of a partner only throws the lack of connection into sharper relief. Intimacy cannot be assumed. And for the growing number of people living solo, the question becomes starker: if not a partner, then who? The answer, it turns out, is friends. Not a friend. Friends – plural. Research from News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank reveals that those with the best self-reported mental wellbeing are also those with the most people in their corner. On average, people with high wellbeing have five people they can rely on; those with poorer mental health report just over three. Australia is in the grips of a mental health crisis, and people are struggling to know who to turn to, especially our younger generations. Can We Talk? is a News Corp awareness campaign, in partnership with Medibank, equipping Aussies with the skills needs to have the most important conversation of their life. That gap might sound small, but in practice, it's enormous. It's the difference between feeling like there's always someone you can call, and running through a dwindling mental list of names when things start to unravel. The data is compelling. It confirms what many of us know instinctively, but sometimes forget to prioritise: that connection is not an optional extra — it is vital. Friendship is not decoration for a busy life. It is one of the structures that hold us upright. And yet, many Australians don't feel able to build or rely on that structure. The research also found that nearly half of us feel unprepared or unsure how to talk about mental health – even when someone turns to us for help. And when it comes to talking about our own struggles, we hold back out of fear: not fear of judgement, but fear of burdening others. We silence ourselves to protect the people we care about, not realising that this silence builds barriers where we need bridges. What emerges from this research is not just a picture of loneliness, but a profound uncertainty about how to connect in meaningful ways. Many of us are deeply social in practice – attending events, replying to group chats, showing up for work drinks – but feel emotionally cut off. We keep things light. We're funny, dependable, generous. But not vulnerable. Not fully ourselves. And in doing so, we miss out on the nourishment that true connection can bring. It's tempting to try to solve this with another app, a new social initiative, a government-funded campaign. And those all have their place. But there's something more elemental at stake here – something that doesn't require policy or innovation, but courage. We need to talk to our friends. Really talk. We need to be brave enough to say, 'I'm not okay.' Or even just, 'I'm struggling today.' We need to listen to each other without scrambling for solutions. To be present, even if we don't have the perfect words. Of course, that kind of honesty doesn't appear overnight. It takes time, and trust. But the alternative – isolation, both physical and emotional – carries its own costs. Mental ill-health is not just a personal issue. It's a public one. It affects families, workplaces, healthcare systems, communities. And it's growing. We cannot afford to pretend that mental wellbeing is something people can cultivate entirely alone. The most resilient among us still need others. That's why the link between support networks and mental health is so powerful. It gives us something tangible to work with. If we want to improve wellbeing, we can start by expanding our circles. That might mean reaching out to old friends and suggesting a catch-up that's more than just a walk-and-talk. It might mean gently probing when someone gives a breezy 'I'm fine' that doesn't ring true. It might mean noticing who is always the listener and never the speaker – and inviting them to take up space. These small actions don't always feel like mental health interventions, but they are. A text message that says 'thinking of you' might be the first step out of someone's emotional fog. A regular coffee catch-up might become someone's only appointment they truly look forward to. We don't need to be therapists to be impactful. We just need to be consistent, and willing to show up – even imperfectly. And we need to remind ourselves, too, that we are not burdens. If someone cares for us, they probably want to know how we really are. It is not weak to need others. It is human. In a culture that prizes independence and stoicism, this may feel radical. But if the research tells us anything, it's that no one thrives in isolation. We thrive in connection. We flourish in friendship. So maybe the real message from all this data isn't about mental health campaigns or social trends. Maybe it's simpler. Maybe it's this: pick up the phone. Send the message. Make the plan. Build the net before you fall. Because one day, you might need it. And so might someone else.
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
Finau Shed the Weight to Lift Her Family's Future
This Week on Radio Australia: On Nesia Daily, ABC's Fiji correspondent Lice Movono reflects on the incredible legacy of music legend George "Fiji" Veikoso. On Pacific Pulse, host Melissa Maykin welcomes a dietician who shares her personal journey of breaking the cycle of poor health in her family. And on Nesian Footy, hosts Sam Wykes and Will Hopoate catch up with the CEO of Pacific Rugby Players, diving into the latest developments in the sport. Relax into your Sunday morning with two hours of the best stories from across the Pacific. Host, Kuntamari Crofts will take you on a Pacific Sundays journey, bringing you stories that will inspire, entertain and inform you.
