Travel travails, best Test centre combo and a Lions tour of France?
The latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast is now live, as Gareth Rhys Owen and I check in on the intrepid Tom English in Perth for the Nations Pod.Tom outlines his travel travails – from Edinburgh to Istanbul, Dubai and beyond – before we get stuck into the Lions team to play Western Force.Could this midfield be a Test team combination? Why have some players yet to start a game? And what do you do as a player if you get stuck in the midweek team – through no fault of your own?Gareth makes his case for a Lions tour of France, and we debate whether Australia as a rugby nation is under pressure to prove it should host again in 12 years' time.You can listen on BBC Sounds and all the usual podcast places.
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Daily Mail
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- Daily Mail
Aussie teen Maya Joint wins crucial Wimbledon warm-up tournament - while opponent was left in tears
Teenage sensation Maya Joint has earned an epic, backs-to-the-wall maiden grass-court triumph at the Eastbourne International to give Australia's challenge at Wimbledon the perfect launch pad. The remarkable US-born 19-year-old, who's been making a stratospheric rise in the sport since relocating to Queensland less than two years ago, saved four match points on her way to defeating fellow rising star Alexandra Eala in a pulsating tiebreak finale on Saturday (Sunday AEST). It meant Joint became the first Australian player to win the women's title in the 50-year history of the British seaside event which has become the traditional curtain raiser for the grass-court grand slam which begins on Monday. 'It's been an amazing year, an amazing two years,' beamed Joint at Devonshire Park, while saluting the Aussie coach Chris Mahony she credits for transforming her career. 'Thank you for everything you've done. You're a lifesaver,' she told him on court. The astonishing 6-4 1-6 7-6 (12-10) win rocketed Brisbane-based Joint, who only turned 19 in April, to No.41 in the world when she kicks off her maiden Wimbledon with a tough opener against Russian No.19 seed Liudmila Samsonova on Tuesday. 'I'm very happy right now, feeling very relieved as well. It was a very difficult match. In that third set, and I'm proud of myself for coming back and staying in the match, even though I'd lost about nine of the last 10 games,' said Joint. She had been 5-2 down, and almost out, in the final breaker, having to come up with fabulous defensive scrabbling to stay in contention as Eala came agonisingly close to becoming the Philippines' first ever WTA champion. But the teenage daughter of former Sydney squash professional Michael Joint demonstrated real courage and calm in a terrific showdown which, after a nervy spell from both players as they both homed in on the title, really hit the heights in the youngest final since Tracy Austin and Andrea Jaeger in 1981. For Eala, who's become a young heroine in the Philippines, it was all so crushing after Joint sealed the deal with a backhand cross-court winner that the 20-year-old ended in tears, with the Australian trying to console her that 'we will definitely play in more finals'. Remarkably, Joint's run to her first WTA title on the clay at the Morocco Open five weeks ago also came on the weekend before a grand slam, and she then got knocked out in the first round by Ajla Tomljanovic. 'It's really great preparation. I've got a lot of matches in before Wimbledon, and hopefully I can be in Wimbledon a little bit longer than I was in the French,' said Joint. 'I think this time's a tiny bit different. I get one more day of rest, and I'll just detach myself a little bit more from the last match, and just focus on the match coming up. 'But I'm just really excited to get to London later today, and step into Wimby for the first time.' For Eala, who's become a young heroine in the Philippines, it was all so crushing that the 20-year-old ended in tears Of Samsonova, a tough customer who's reached the last-16 in three grand slams, Joint shrugged: 'I haven't played her before, so I don't know too much about her. 'When I get to Wimbledon, I'll just take a walk around, have some strawberries and cream - I love strawberries and cream.' The news quickly spread to the youngster's friends and colleagues at Wimbledon 120km north of the seaside town, leaving Daria Kasatkina, who won the tournament last year before she switched her allegiance to Australia, delighted for her Eastbourne hitting partner. 'I practised with her before Eastbourne, and she actually had a little struggle playing on grass, and I could see she was a bit, let's say, depressed about the practice,' revealed the woman who's Australia's No.1 ahead of Joint.
The Guardian
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Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Pollock relishing 'big occasions' after eye-catching performance in Lions opener
PERTH, June 29 (Reuters) - British & Irish Lions forward Henry Pollock said he is relishing the competition for places in Andy Farrell's line-up after a stand-out performance in the 54-7 win over the Western Force in Perth on Friday kicked off the squad's six-week Australian tour. The 20-year-old number eight, making his first Lions start, put on a lively showing in front of a big crowd at Perth Stadium, setting up one try before earning field position for another as well as picking up a yellow card in the first half. "I love the big occasions," said Pollock, who is the youngest member of the Lions squad. "What a great group and I just wanted to be here." Pollock was included in the travelling party despite playing just once for England. The Northampton Saints forward scored a pair of tries on his debut against Wales in the Six Nations in March. He was prominent from the start against the Force, and it was his line-break in the 15th minute that set up Welsh scrumhalf Tomos Williams to give the Lions a lead that Farrell's side would not relinquish. Pollock was sin-binned in the 39th minute and then put the Lions in the perfect position to score through Joe McCarthy in the 53rd minute when he chased down his own chip behind the Force defence. "It was a fun game and we all really enjoyed it," said Pollock. "It's an amazing group and environment to be part of - we're the four best nations, the best players in the northern hemisphere. "I'm honoured to be here ... this kind of campaign and this kind of group is only together for a short amount of time and we're trying to write history. "So we're just trying to get as close as we can together. "There's loads of boys fighting for positions and that's what you want." Pollock's lack of experience saw his inclusion in the squad questioned in some quarters, but Farrell is confident the Englishman will continue to improve as the tour progresses. "He is certainly a point of difference," said Farrell. "He is learning all the time."
