Costigan to captain Ireland against France in opener
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South Wales Argus
15 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Packer still has role to play for England, says Hunter
Sarah Hunter believes Marlie Packer still has an important role to play in England's World Cup campaign. Packer was replaced as captain by Zoe Aldcroft ahead of the 2025 Women's Six Nations, with the back row playing two of England's five matches as they won the Grand Slam. Despite her reduced role, former skipper Hunter, who now works as England's defence coach, believes there is a place for her in the squad. 'Marlie Packer had a bit of change in role from captaincy, now vice-captain,' Hunter explained. "This is her fourth World Cup, she brings so much experience. 'She's been captain so she can support Zoe really well, in terms of what it is like to be captain, what it is like to be at a World Cup. 'But that is not taking away from what she can deliver on the pitch. Some of her performances in the Six Nations, she put her head in places where people probably don't want to put them. 'She is this bundle of energy that you need within a squad, you need in those close World Cup game.' The Rugby World Cup begins on 22 August in Sunderland with Bristol's Ashton Gate set to host both semi-finals. Hunter hopes she and England will be there for one of them, having transitioned into coaching after retiring in 2023 and one of the first cohort in the Gallagher High Performance Academy. The World Rugby initiative aims to increase the number of female coaches in elite rugby by providing workshops and mentors as well as embedding coaches with unions at major tournaments. Hunter's first tournament was WXV in 2023, which England won, and she has helped stretched the Red Roses win streak to 25. Her work in the defence means she will work closely with Packer, who Hunter believes will fulfil any duty asked of her. She added: 'Marlie is reliable, she is dependable, she is someone that gets it, she is so passionate about playing for her country. 'She will do anything she can, she will play the role that she needs to for whatever game that is. 'She is very team-first, she will put people before herself to ensure whatever it is that is needed, she will ensure that either she does it or she supports the people who need to do it.' Gallagher is Right Here for Rugby; Right Here for Business; and Right Here for You.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Owen Farrell does not drop his standards
Former British and Irish Lion Alex Cuthbert says he could see England using the 10-12 combination of Fin Smith and Owen Smith was England's starting fly-half by the end of this year's Six Nations after displacing Marcus Smith, with Farrell out of the Test picture at Racing Farrell, who played outside fly-half Fin Smith at inside centre in the Lions' 24-19 win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, is now back in the Test picture after nearly two years following his return to Saracens."It is Owen Farrell. He has got his standards and he doesn't ever really go below it," Cuthbert told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast."He took some big shots against that Pasifika team, as did Fin Smith. I liked that Fin Smith and Owen Farrell combination. It is an option for Steve Borthwick."The Lions won the first Test against Australia in Brisbane and face the Wallabies in the second Test on Saturday at Melbourne Cricket Blair Kinghorn overcame a knee injury sustained against the Brumbies for his first game on tour since 9 believes Kinghorn's performance on Tuesday has played his way into the Test team over Ireland's Hugo Keenan, who started the first Test."I could see Kinghorn come in at full-back so where do you put Keenan? Andy Farrell has got a lot of scenarios [in terms of who he goes for on the bench]," Cuthbert, a try scorer against Australia in the first Test in 2013, added."I really like Kinghorn in the way he hits the line and he won nearly everything in the air, whereas Keenan, who is a great player, lost a few 50-50s in the first Test."Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Darcy Graham injury overshadows Lions' scrappy win as Blair Kinghorn stakes claim despite brain fart
Tourists maintain winning run but poorest performance yet 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... Darcy Graham scored a try but his injury curse struck again and his debut for the British and Irish Lions lasted only 16 minutes in Melbourne. The Scotland winger was unlucky not to be part of Andy Farrell's original tour squad but was called up last Monday and made his Lions debut in the scrappy win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The sight of Graham hobbling off so early was gut-wrenching, particularly given how lively he had looked, scoring the tourists' second try in the 24-19 victory at Marvel Stadium. Pain is etched on the face of Darcy Graham as he receives treatment for an injury during the British and Irish Lions' win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne. | AFP via Getty Images 'It's so upsetting because he was so upset,' said head coach Andy Farrell. 'It shows how much it means to him. He hobbled off, but he's got a Lions cap, he played for the British and Irish Lions, he's scored a try and he'll remember that forever.' Winger wearing a protective boot Graham looked devastated as he came off and his damaged left ankle was in a protective boot by the end of the match. It's the latest setback for the Edinburgh winger who missed the Six Nations in 2023 and 2024 through injury. At least he has his try to look back on. The tourists were already 7-0 up through Jamie Osborne's converted score when Fin Smith found Graham in acres of space on the right wing and the Hawick man was never going to waste such an opportunity. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He had already been involved in one of the game's more contentious moments, being on the receiving end of a high tackle from Triston Reilly which earned the Aussie sevens international a deserved yellow card. But it was a tackle in the 13th minute which did for Graham as he found himself trapped under a ruck of bodies. The injury was taped up and he tried to continue but eventually bowed to the inevitable and was replaced by Garry Ringrose. British and Irish Lions' Darcy Graham scores a try against the First Nations & Pasifika XV as Blair Kinghorn celebrates in the background. | AFP via Getty Images Graham was one of six Scots in the Lions starting side in Melbourne, with another three on the bench for a game against an invitational side representing indigenous First Nations peoples and Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Maori and Cook Island cultures. The Lions looked like they were going to blow the opposition away in the early stages, racing into a 14-0 lead after 11 minutes, but the departure of Graham seemed to signal a change in momentum and the hosts fought back to go in level at the turn thanks to tries from Reilly and Seru Uru. 'We lost the run of ourselves' Two more Lions tries in the second half through Osborne - his second - and Duhan van der Merwe made it 24-14 but the First Nations and Pasifika XV finished the stronger side. Rob Leota's try brought them to within a score but the Lions hung on for victory. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 100 per cent win rate in Australia has been maintained but this was their poorest performance of the tour and few players put their hands up for selection for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies. 'We lost the run of ourselves after going 14-0 up, playing some fancy rugby that was never on,' lamented Andy Farrell. Blair Kinghorn is one who will give the head coach pause for thought. Returning to the team after suffering a knee strain against the ACT Brumbies, the full-back was one of the Lions' liveliest attackers, linking up well with his Scotland team-mates Graham and van der Merwe in the early stages. Kinghorn was finding pockets of space, particularly on the right, and using his long, galloping stride to pin back the hosts. He was good under the high ball, too, most notably in the second half when the First Nations and Pasifika XV were putting the Lions under pressure. Darcy Graham was wearing a protective medical boot after being injured in the British & Irish Lions' 24-19 win. | Getty Images It wasn't perfect from Kinghorn. He had one brain fart moment which gifted the hosts their first try, as his looped pass intended for Owen Farrell was intercepted by Reilly. There was another interception just half-time but van der Merwe got him out of jail on that occasion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kinghorn offers more in attack than the Irishman The good outweighed the bad, though, and he pushed his case to be part of the Test 23 at the MCG this weekend. Whether he can dislodge Hugo Keenan from the No 15 jersey remains to be seen but Kinghorn certainly offers more in attack than the Irishman. Ben White was another who shone on a night when few in red did. Unfortunately for the Scotland nine, the scrum-half roles looked to be locked in, with Jamison Gibson-Park certain to start on Saturday and Alex Mitchell likely to be on the bench. Van der Merwe started all three Tests in South Africa in 2021 but finds himself on the periphery this time, even though he is the Lions top try-scorer of the tour. He took his tally to five with a neat finish in the second half after good work by Fin Smith and Owen Farrell. Blair Kinghorn was a potent attacking threat for the British and Irish Lions in the win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium. | Getty Images His great friend and Scotland team-mate Pierre Schoeman had a quiet game but his own standards, with few of his trademarks surges. The Lions scrum also struggled at times, with penalties conceded amid the flurry of errors in the first half in particular. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cummings makes his mark Scott Cummings had a more satisfactory evening in the second row, stealing one First Nations lineout, claiming kick-offs with authority and proving himself a menace as he charged down opposition kicks. With a question mark around Joe McCarthy's fitness Cummings has an outside chance of making the bench on Saturday. There were Lions debuts for Gregor Brown and Ewan Ashman, who both came on in the second half along with Rory Sutherland who was a Test player in 2021. All three linked up with the squad this week after being part of the Scotland party in New Zealand. It is likely to be their only tour action in red but a proud moment nonetheless. Teams and scorers Scorers: First Nations & Pasifika XV: Tries: Reilly, Uru, Leota. Cons: Beale 2. Lions: Tries: Osborne 2, Graham, van der Merwe. Cons: F Smith 2. Yellow cards: T Reilly, (First Nations, 4min), J Ryan (Lions, 22min) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad First Nations & Pasifika XV: A Muirhead; F Daugunu, L Foketi, D Feliuai, T Reilly; K Beale, K Thomas; L Ieli, B Paenga-Amosa, T Tupou, D Swain, L Salakaia-Loto, S Uru, C Gamble, TT Tualima. Replacements: R Asiata, M Pearce, M Doge, M Vocevoce, R Leota, H Goddard, J Debreczeni, J McLeod. Lions: B Kinghorn; D Graham (G Ringrose 16), J Osborne, O Farrell (capt), D van der Merwe; F Smith (M Smith 66-72), B White; P Schoeman (R Sutherland 74), J George (E Ashman 74), F Bealham (T Clarkson 54), J Ryan (G Brown 54), S Cummings, J Morgan (B Earl 50), J van der Flier, H Pollock. Replacement: A Mitchell.
