Latest news with #BenYoungs
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
England women's head coach John Mitchell vows his team will learn lessons of 2015 after taking Ben Youngs tips ahead of home World Cup
England women's head coach John Mitchell said a discussion with men's record caps holder Ben Youngs will help his team avoid the mistakes of the country's horror 2015 campaign. A decade ago, England's men's team – which included Youngs – bombed out of their home World Cup under the guidance of Stuart Lancaster, failing to qualify from their pool. This summer, Mitchell's Red Roses will play on English soil as firm favourites to win the women's competition having won 55 of their last 56 matches. The last time England women lost a match was their heartbreaking defeat by New Zealand in the World Cup final of 2022. 'I spoke to Ben and he was very insightful,' said Mitchell, who worked with Youngs while an assistant coach with England's men's side. 'He said that over his four World Cups, he enjoyed the ones where it didn't feel like a high performance jail. I think that little nugget was key.' In 2015, the pressure on England's men's side to become world champions on English soil was immense. Ultimately, the expectation proved too much, with discussion over the best position in which to play rugby league convert Sam Burgess dominating. Players involved in that campaign have spoken in the years since about how with such a desire to win, there was no enjoyment about the build-up. That tension resulted in poor on-field performances, England's men's side losing to Wales and Australia. Mitchell is determined there won't be a repeat this summer. 'It's exciting. You hear this word pressure all the time but it's just a word. If you frame it negatively it becomes about the risk of failure,' he said. 'I see it as an opportunity to be successful. That's where my head is at.' On Thursday, Mitchell confirmed his 32-player squad for the tournament – one made up of 18 forwards and 14 backs. There were no real surprises. ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD Forwards (18): Zoe Aldcroft (capt), Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman Abi Burton, May Campbell, Mackenzie Carson, Kelsey Clifford, Amy Cokayne. Maddie Feaunati, Rosie Galligan, Lilli Ives Campion, Sadia Kabeya, Alex Matthews, Maud Muir Marlie Packer, Morwenna Talling , Abbie Ward Backs (14): Holly Aitchison, Jess Breach, Abby Dow, Zoe Harrison,Tatyana Heard, Natasha Hunt, Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, Lucy Packer, Helena Rowland, Emily Scarratt, Jade Shekells, Emma Sing Experienced centre Emily Scarratt has been selected for her fifth global showpiece – a record for an England player, either man or woman. Natasha Hunt and Lucy Packer are the only two out-and-out scrum-halves. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, normally a wing, will be the other No 9 cover. Hunt was a shock omission for the 2022 tournament, which was delayed a year by the Covid-19 pandemic, but is now first-choice in her position. England will be captained by forward Zoe Aldcroft. 'It's been a two-and-a-half year process on selection,' said Mitchell. Thursday's squad announcement at Allianz Stadium saw more than 100 members of the media attend – a record for an England rugby press conference. It was a reflection of the incredible growth the female game has enjoyed in the last three years. England's women are taking inspiration from the Lionesses who will play Spain in the final of EURO 2025 on Sunday. A huge summer of women's sport in England awaits.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Queensland Reds v Lions preview, teams and how to follow
Queensland Reds v British and Irish LionsDate: Wednesday, 2 July Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Time: 11:00 BSTCoverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and mobile app. The British and Irish Lions will seek to build on their convincing win over Western Force when they play Queensland Reds in their second tour match in Australia on Lions cruised to an eight-try 54-7 victory in Perth on Saturday but Wednesday's game is expected to be much tourists will then play three more matches before the opening Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on 19 Queensland Reds' form, to team news and how to follow the game on BBC Sport - here's all you need to know. Where is the match being played? Wednesday's match will take place at the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium - the venue for the first Test on 19 July, as it was in the Lions' triumphant 2013 every Lions match in Australia, the game will kick off at 11:00 BST (20:00 local time).The Lions edged out the Reds 22-12 when the teams met during the 2013 tour with Owen Farrell kicking 17 points and Ben Youngs scoring the side's only try in a physical Reds will seek to emulate the class of 1971 who beat the Lions 15-11 in the opening match of that tour. How can I follow the game on BBC Sport? You can follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app, with build-up starting from 10:00 BST. There will also be post-match reaction and analysis online and via Radio 5 Live and the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, which is now producing daily sure to follow BBC Sport's dedicated British and Irish Lions page for updates from our reporters in game is being shown live on Sky Sports. Queensland Reds' recent form The Reds won eight and lost six matches to finish fifth in the Super Rugby Pacific beat Western Force 28-24 in both their matches and were the second-best Australian team in the league after ACT Brumbies, who finished in third Reds' league season ended on 6 June when they lost 32-12 to eventual champions Crusaders in the Kiss' side thrashed a young Bristol team 82-21 before overcoming Ulster 38-31 during a pre-season tour of the northern hemisphere. British & Irish Lions team news Head coach Andy Farrell has made 14 changes to his starting line-up, with fly-half Finn Russell the only player to keep his Itoje returns to captain the Lions after sitting out the match against Western Hugo Keenan and Jamison Gibson-Park make their first appearances on tour at full-back and scrum-half. Gibson-Park steps in for Tomos Williams, who is now out of the squad through injury. Who is in Western Force's team? The Queensland Reds team includes nine Australian internationals and two former All Blacks as they seek to cause an six Wallabies, including flanker Fraser McReight, scrum-half Tate McDermott and fly-half Tom Lynagh, are missing as they are being held back for Australia's Test match against Fiji on pack has been strengthened by the arrival of prop Aidan Ross, who signed for the Reds after playing for the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby who played a Test for the All Blacks in 2022, will form a front row with Wallaby hooker Matt Faessler and former New Zealand prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen."We have to be very good at the breakdown and aerially," said Kiss, who is set to take over from Joe Schmidt as head coach of Australia next year."They've shown their attacking side too. We have to meet those challenges but we'll put our brand of rugby out there as well. "We'll keep backing ourselves. Why can't we put our best foot forward, rip in and see what happens? This is a great opportunity for our Reds players." Line-ups Queensland Reds: Campbell (capt); Anderson, Flook, Paisami, Ryan; McLaughlin-Phillips, Thomas; Ross, Faessler, Toomaga-Allen, Canham, Salakaia-Loto, Uru, Bryant, Nasser, Blake, Fa'agase, Smith, Blyth, Vest, Werchon, HenryBritish and Irish Lions: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Aki, Van der Merwe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Chessum, Curry, Morgan, ConanReplacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Bealham, Ryan, Earl, Mitchell, F Smith, Ringrose Who are the match officials? Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (New Zealand)Assistant Referee 2: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO): Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Foundations for Tigers success in place
Michael Cheika says he leaves Leicester Tigers knowing it is a club capable adding to its record 11 Premiership titles in the coming 58-year-old Australian's final match at the helm of the East Midlands club was Saturday's narrow 23-21 Grand Final defeat by decorated former Australia and Argentina boss, who was also previously at the helm of Leinster, New South Wales Waratahs and Stade Francais, re-established Tigers as a highfliers in his solitary season at Mattioli Woods Welford Road after they finished eighth in the Premiership 12 months will be replaced by former England and Tigers lock Geoff Parling after the 41-year-old finishes his commitments as Australia assistant coach this summer."I hope they will have some foundations here that they can go on and deliver Championships over the next few years," Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester."The basis of a great playing squad is there." The squad that Parling inherits will be one without a cast of iconic Tigers at Twickenham marked the end of the careers of scum-half Ben Youngs and prop Dan Cole - England's two most capped male players in history, who also shared nine Premiership titles between England full-back Mike Brown, who was left out of the decider, has also retired, while Tigers captain Julian Montoya and two-time World Cup winning South African fly-half Handre Pollard has left the who said after the final defeat that he will "forever be a Leicester fan now", insists the club is "in a good spot" despite the number of departures."You lose some big players but there are some great youngsters coming through at Leicester, and we are always going to be competitive," he in former team-mate Parling, Youngs sees a rookie head coach capable of bringing "fresh enthusiasm" to a club that has already been rejuvenated by Cheika."Michael Cheika has been there , done it and seen it all - he has all the experience in the world," Youngs said."Geoff will be desperate to make an impression because it is his first time as the head guy. And it is a group that has come so close, so they will be thirsty and desperate to come here [Twickenham] to do one better."The three tries Tigers scored in the Grand Final defeat came from players remaining at the club, with two of them coming from homegrown stars in England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and flanker Emeka Ilione, who earned his first call-up to the senior national side this Tigers and England winger Tom Varndell, who is a match summariser on BBC Radio Leicester, says Parling will need "patience and time to grow" in the role after seeing Leicester come so far in just one season under the hugely experience Cheika."It is going to be tough for Geoff in the first half of the season, he has get to know all the guys, and the players will have to buy into his gameplan, his way of thinking and his coaching," Varndell said. "It's not going to be plain sailing. We must not lose focus that this is a completely new look squad and team, and it is going to take time for Geoff to get the squad to where he wants it."But Varndell says there will be "a lot of positive energy" after Cheika had them challenging for silverware once more."From where they had been 12 months ago to where they are now is incredible," he said."For them to get to the final, I really couldn't have imagined that 12 months ago so the progression has been really positive."The important thing now is how they kick on for next season."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Hurt but proud' - retiring Youngs on final defeat
Ben Youngs won the last of his five Premiership titles in 2022 [Rex Features] "Proud. Emotional. Gutted." In three words, Leicester Tigers great Ben Youngs summed up what it meant to finish his illustrious rugby union career with a narrow Premiership Grand Final defeat by Bath. Advertisement England's most-capped male player of all time came off the bench to replace his Tigers and international scrum-half successor Jack van Poortvliet with 26 minutes remaining at Allianz Stadium Twickenham. The ingenuity and influence that has been the hallmark of nearly two decades of Youngs with Tigers was instrumental in getting them so close to glory. But ultimately, they were overcome 23-21 by a Bath side who lifted the trophy for the first time in 29 years. "It hurts, but I'm proud," Youngs told BBC Radio Leicester. "My emotions are all over the place right now. You have so much ambition to win today and you don't, and you have that to deal with as you try to take it in. It's a funny old feeling." Advertisement For fellow retiree and Tigers luminary Dan Cole, who is second only to Youngs for England caps, his last game will live in the memory for a moment he will regret. Less than six minutes after the prop was brought on, he was sin-binned for clattering into Finn Russell when attempting to charge down a kick in the 69th minute. It allowed Russell to tee up the kick that effectively sealed Bath's victory, even though a converted Emeka Ilione try soon after set up a tense finish. In a gruelling match on a draining, sun-soaked day, the late yellow card had Tigers down a man for a second time. Before the break, it was another departing player in captain Julian Montoya who spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a high tackle on Ted Hill. Advertisement Youngs said it took a "monumental" effort for Tigers to push Bath, a side who completed a trophy treble after winning the European Challenge Cup and Premiership Rugby Cup already this term. And while it was a loss that also marked the end of Michael Cheika's one-year reign at the helm of the East Midlands club, the decorated head coach could only reflect on what the loss meant to those Tigers greats on their way out. "I just feel disappointed and sorry that I didn't prepare the guys in a good enough way to get them what they deserved today," the Australian said. "I love this group of guys and love the club, and I'm so proud of the players for the way they stayed in it right to the end. Advertisement "We gave ourselves a chance to win it right at the end, but unfortunately it didn't go our way." Cheika also made every effort to avoid getting himself into "strife" when talking about decisions throughout the game - most pointedly Cole's sin-binning - and said he would take it up with the RFU's officiating chief Paul Hull as a "final bit of banter". With two-time World Cup-winning South African fly-half Handre Pollard also moving on in the summer, the decider was seen as the "last dance" for an all-star ensemble. Pollard's high-profile three years at Mattioli Woods Welford Road ended empty-handed but he said that lack of silverware paled in comparison to what Tigers failed to accomplish for two of the club's finest servants. Advertisement "It's very disappointing, and not so much about losing the game and the trophy but it's more about sending Ben Youngs and Dan Cole and those guys off with a loss in the final," Pollard said. "That's the one that gets you. "We'll have great memories with this team and I've enjoyed every minute." For Youngs, who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after the match with his children and other family crowded around him, missing out on a sixth Premiership title will not stop him cherishing one of English rugby's greatest careers. "The ink is dry, I'm proud of my contribution and I'll miss it," he said. Advertisement "But I'll forever be a Leicester fan now."
Rhyl Journal
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Bath's Ben Spencer says ‘the sky's the limit' after they wrap up historic treble
Leicester came up just short of a fairytale farewell for scrum-half Ben Youngs and prop Dan Cole, who have both called time on their careers after this season and were introduced after the break. Bath held on after a late Tigers surge narrowed the deficit to two points – despite going down to 14 men after Cole was controversially sent to the sin bin – through a late Emeka Ilione try to raise the Twickenham tension. TREBLE COMPLETE 🏆🏆🏆@BathRugby are #GallagherPrem champions 🎆#GallagherPremFinal — Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) June 14, 2025 'Just relief, pride,' said Spencer, when asked to sum up his feelings. 'This has taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people. Relief not just for me, but for the players, the staff, and the fans. The fans are a massive part of why I joined the club. 'I think the future of this club is unbelievably bright, no matter who pulls on the shirt. I can't speak highly enough of the guys coming through. Their work ethic is second to none, and as long as we keep our feet on the floor and wanting to get better, the sky's the limit for this team.' Bath's tries came from Thomas du Toit and Max Ojomoh on what became a brilliant afternoon for Scotland's Finn Russell, who overcame early frustrations to kick 13 points, also teeing up Ojomoh after snatching an interception from inside his own half. Jack van Poortvliet opened the scoring with a try for Leicester, while second-half tries from Solomone Kata and Ilione nearly sparked a comeback. Handre Pollard added three Leicester conversions but the World Cup-winning South African fly-half will rue what might have been after a rare penalty miss. Bath Rugby are Premiership Champions!! 🔵⚫️⚪️ — Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) June 14, 2025 Tigers twice had men sent to the sin bin – departing captain Julian Montoya late in the first half, while Cole's swansong concluded unceremoniously with a controversial yellow. Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: 'Our whole focus this season was on winning the Premiership. We gave ourselves that goal, kept that within the circle.' The South African coach said he would now pause for a moment of reflection before focusing on next season. He added: 'The day you stand still is the day somebody catches you. You must always train like number two because the other guys are coming. The best is yet to come.' A season we will never forget. Fighting until the very end for one another. #COYT 🐯 — Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 14, 2025 Leicester head coach Michael Cheika – to be replaced by Geoff Parling – will leave this summer at the end of his one-year contract, in addition to Argentina hooker Montoya, Pollard and former England back Mike Brown. And although he felt he would get himself 'in strife' for disclosing what he felt about some of the decisions that went against his side – vowing to take it up with the RFU's officiating chief Paul Hull as a 'final bit of banter' – Cheika was delighted by his team's resilience and felt the future of the club was bright. He added: 'I feel like if we can take those things that are intangible around belief and the standards you need to have to be able to compete, then it won't be long before they are on that podium themselves.'
