Latest news with #British&IrishLions
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'He knows exactly what we think of him': Farrell lauds non-Test Lion Van der Flier
Andy Farrell lauded Josh van der Flier as the epitome of a British & Irish Lions tourist after explaining why the former World Rugby men's player of the year will not be playing a minute of Test rugby in Australia. The head coach has stuck with a tried and tested starting back row for Saturday's third and final Test against the Wallabies with Tom Curry retained in van der Flier's position at openside flanker alongside Irish duo Tadhg Beirne, on the blindside, and No.8 Jack Conan. That trio will have started all three Tests barring any last-minute disruptions while the replacement back-rower for the series opener in Brisbane was Ben Earl, and Jac Morgan in last Saturday's dramatic second-Test win at the MCG in Melbourne. On Thursday, Farrell switched from a 5:3 bench to a 6:2 split of forwards and backs but again looked past van der Flier in favour of both Earl and Morgan. The Leinster star, world player of the year in 2022, has been a Farrell favourite since he became national team head coach after the 2019 World Cup, starting van der Flier in 44 of the 50 Ireland Tests, calling him off the bench a further three times against Italy (twice) and Romania for a 2023 World Cup pool game. Indeed the only matches the 32-year-old has missed were against Tier Two opponents Fiji and the USA and the Italians again in a World Cup warm-up two summers ago. Yet though van der Flier will return home to Ireland a proud British & Irish Lion, number 874, he will be one of a dozen squad members not to have played a minute of Test rugby against the Wallabies. Finley Bealham, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Fin Smith, Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe of the original squad of 38 plus late arrivals Thomas Clarkson, Jamie George, Jamie Osborne and Ben White are the non-Test squad members. Elliot Daly and Tomos Williams were early departures from the tour due to injury, while Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose have also missed out due to fitness issues and would likely have started. Farrell credited them all for their commitment to the cause throughout the tour but said of van der Flier: 'Josh has epitomised what it takes to be a Lions tourist. 'Him, like the rest of the guys who haven't put the shirt on as far as the Test matches are concerned, is disappointed but at the same time delighted. The conversation I had with him over the last three or four weeks, and obviously there have been many conversations with everyone, it is just about the nature of the position and how competitive that is and the balance of the back row. 'He knows exactly what we think of him and his response to all that has always been to train the house down and prepare the team as best he could and the other thing he said after his disappointment yesterday would have been that he has had the time of his life. It says everything about the man.' Farrell has made no apology for his selection policy and in using just 27 players across the three Tests has utilised four fewer than his Lions predecessor, Warren Gatland, in South Africa four years ago. 'We all came together from day one and said it's not just about the squad, the only thing that matters is the squad and that's it, full stop. 'So we've all been in this together from day one. Every single one of us, there's been no separation, we've all trained together, it doesn't matter whether you've played the day before or whatever, you've always helped the next team that's going out there and you all know that the modern-day game is always about the 23 that take the field, not the 15 anymore. 'But it's way beyond that for us. It was about the 38 or the 41 or the 44, whichever way you want to look at it.'
TimesLIVE
7 hours ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
No let-up as Lions put out strongest side for final Australia Test
British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell has made only two changes to his starting team for final Test against Australia on Saturday with his sights firmly focused on sealing a 3-0 series sweep. With the series already won after last week's victory in Melbourne, Farrell resisted the temptation to give squad players a run and said he had selected a team he thought was best able to finish the tour with a third Test win. 'It would mean the world to us, it's something that we promised ourselves that we were going to chase after,' he said on Thursday. 'It's a big ask, but it's something that we're determined to do. This is the best 23 to take the group forward.' Farrell said one of the most pleasing elements of the tour had been the way all the players had bought into the concept of squad unity, regardless of whether they were selected for the Tests or not. 'It touches you, it really does. It touches you in the sense of how much it means to them. For example, you come in after such a big victory on Saturday night [and] the people that were celebrating the most were the guys that hadn't put the shirt on.' Kicking practice with one of the greats... Tap below to watch the latest episode of The Ultimate Test 🦁 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 30, 2025 Blair Kinghorn, who missed the first Test because of a knee injury, replaces James Lowe on the left wing as he did during last week's win in Melbourne, while James Ryan starts in the second row in place of Ollie Chessum. Chessum drops to the bench, where Ben Earl comes in as back row cover alongside Jac Morgan with Farrell opting for a 6-2 split in favour of the forwards for what is forecast to be a wet weather Test at Stadium Australia. The starting back row and halfback pairing remain the same for the third consecutive match, while Tadhg Furlong will start his ninth straight Lions Test in the front row. 'It's amazing,' Farrell said of the Irish prop. 'It's been well documented how much he loves playing for the Lions ... and it isn't just the performances that have been through the roof, it's also his manner on a Lions tour as well. 'I've never seen him in such good spirits, so he's ready to go again.' Captain Maro Itoje will start his eighth straight Lions Test having played the first match of the 2017 series in New Zealand off the bench. 'Look at the quality of player they are,' Farrell said. 'Look at the standing that they have with any group that they represent. Those two lads epitomise what it takes to be a top level international player.' Four Lions Tours, and some unforgettable moments along the way... Don't miss the latest episode of The Ultimate Test, available now on the Lions @YouTube channel 🦁 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 30, 2025 The Wallabies' Rob Valetini will miss the third Test but scrumhalf Nic White has been given a chance to sign off his international career. Flanker Valetini, who missed the first Test with a calf injury, was outstanding as Australia took an early 23-5 lead in last week's second Test but is being 'managed' ahead of two matches against the Springboks in South Africa. 'He's not right this week,' coach Joe Schmidt told a press conference on Thursday. "[The calf] just tightened up so ... it's probably precautionary not playing him this week.' Valetini will be replaced in the back row by Tom Hooper, one of four changes to the starting line-up from the second Test. Tighthead Allan Alaalatoa suffered a shoulder injury last week that could rob the Wallabies of one of their leaders for the rest of the season. Taniela 'Tongan Thor' Tupou brings his considerable bulk into the front row in Alaalatoa's place for his first appearance of the series. White's inclusion at scrumhalf for Jake Gordon was not enforced but gives the 35-year-old a chance to win a 73rd cap before standing down from Test rugby, a decision he announced earlier on Thursday. 'Whitey's got such huge respect inside the squad that it seemed a fitting way for him to finish,' said Schmidt. 'And I'm not a sentimentalist, it's a Test match, and you pick people who are capable of playing that Test match, and we believe that Nick is.' Schmidt has reverted to a 5-3 split in favour of the forwards on the bench, bringing outside back Andrew Kellaway back into the matchday squad for flanker Carlo Tizzano. Teams Australia: 15 — Tom Wright, 14 — Max Jorgensen, 13 — Joseph Suaalii, 12 — Len Ikitau, 11 — Dylan Pietsch, 10 — Tom Lynagh, 9 — Nic White, 8 — Harry Wilson, 7 — Fraser McReight, 6 — Tom Hooper, 5 — Will Skelton, 4 — Nick Frost, 3 — Taniela Tupou, 2 — David Porecki, 1 — James Slipper. Replacements: 16 — Billy Pollard, 17 — Angus Bell, 18 — Zane Nonggorr, 19 — Jeremy Williams, 20 — Langi Gleeson, 21 — Tate McDermott, 22 — Ben Donaldson, 23 — Andrew Kellaway. B&I Lions: 15 — Hugo Keenan, 14 — Tommy Freeman, 13 — Huw Jones, 12 — Bundee Aki, 11 — Blair Kinghorn, 10 — Finn Russell, 9 — Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 — Jack Conan, 7 — Tom Curry, 6 — Tadhg Beirne, 5 — James Ryan, 4 — Maro Itoje, 3 — Tadhg Furlong, 2 — Dan Sheehan, 1 — Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 — Ronan Kelleher, 17 — Ellis Genge, 18 — Will Stuart, 19 — Ollie Chessum, 20 — Jac Morgan, 21 — Ben Earl, 22 — Alex Mitchell, 23 — Owen Farrell.
The Star
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Australia coach says abused Tizzano's ruck recoil was involuntary
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia coach Joe Schmidt said Carlo Tizzano's reaction to the contentious clear-out by British & Irish Lions forward Jac Morgan in last week's second test was not voluntary but the result of the amount of force he was subjected to. Morgan's clear-out came at a ruck just before the Lions scored a match-winning try last week in Melbourne and the Welshman's action was cleared by referee Andrea Piardi after reference to the Television Match Official (TMO). Tizzano was pilloried online for recoiling away from the ruck with his hands to his head after the contact, with some former players likening his reaction to a soccer player diving for a penalty. Schmidt, though, said it was simply a matter of physics. "He's had a really tough week, Carlo, he's copped a lot of online abuse," the former schoolteacher told reporters on Thursday. "There were just over 54Gs of direct force that went through the neck, along with almost 2200 (radians) of rotational force, which is enough to cause serious injury. "I think we're all aware of Newton's third law, that for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction when that force hits him and the speed of his head collapsing down. "He recoiled out the back of the ruck. And I don't think he wanted to recoil like that, but that's the nature of force, that there's an equal and opposite reaction." Schmidt left Tizzano out of his team for Saturday's third test after he turned up sore at training on Tuesday, although he said the 25-year-old had returned to his normal "irrepressible" self by Thursday. The New Zealander made it clear after last week's match that he felt the clear-out was illegal and said it made a mockery of World Rugby's campaign for player safety. That did not go down well with World Rugby chief Alan Gilpin but on Thursday Schmidt said he wanted to put it in the past and look forward to Saturday's dead-rubber third test in Sydney. "We've got a test in 48 hours, and you can lament all sorts of things," he said. "I actually feel like Andrea Piardi had a good game, there's a couple of decisions we might not agree with, but I thought he refereed well. "So we're not looking at refereeing decisions, we're looking at what we could have done better, making sure that we try to repair those things." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ken Ferris)
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Lions hooker Dan Sheehan insists all eyes are on series whitewash over Australia
Now that the celebrations for securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead have subsided, the Lions have hardened their resolve to sign off their expedition Down Under with a 100 per cent record. If they triumph at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Saturday, they will become the first Lions side in almost a century to win every Test. History made 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 A dramatic 29-26 victory in Melbourne has placed Andy Farrell's men on the brink of greatness, but Sheehan admits the review of the second Test was 'not pretty watching for a lot of it'. 'It would be disappointing if we didn't show up on Saturday,' the Ireland hooker said. 'It would be different if the series was in the balance, but we've always been pretty clear on our goals – to go unbeaten overseas and win the series 3-0. So we just need to stick to what we said. 'There are a lot of people who have put a lot of effort into travelling out for this game and a lot of our families will be here as well, so there's plenty of motivation. And I can only imagine what the Australians are feeling now as well. 'We are searching for an 80-minute performance this weekend. The people and the talent we have are crazy. We just need to get them all working. 'There's also an individual onus on how you show up to a game – myself included because there are a few moments in the second Test when you're wondering what you were doing. We can be a lot better, definitely in that first half. 'But that's part of rugby. It's such an imperfect game that you've got to get over those moments pretty quick. And you get another chance on Saturday, hopefully.' Farrell names his team on Thursday and must decide to what extent fresh legs are needed following two bruising Tests against the Wallabies, but the indications from the management are that the strongest possible XV will be fielded. That rules out rotation for anything other than those players who are running on empty, which could include flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne after their lung-busting shifts in Brisbane and Melbourne. Second row Joe McCarthy, centre Sione Tuipulotu and wing Mack Hansen all come into contention after recovering the injuries that forced them to miss the second Test. If he has fully proved his fitness by Thursday, Hansen has an especially strong chance of being involved given wings James Lowe and Tommy Freeman have yet to impress in the series. Blair Kinghorn is also an option to start. Sheehan's excellent form will see him continue at hooker and the 26-year-old will continue to find novel ways to unlock defences after his 'superman' try from close range during the second Test. 'I took the first free-kick and got absolutely melted trying to go low. Then for the second one I just thought 'if I have a dive here…',' he said. 'I didn't know if they had anyone in the back. It was just a throw and hope and I slipped through. I can see all the controversy about it, but I did know that you can dive in the air if you score.'
Leader Live
a day ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Lions hooker Dan Sheehan insists all eyes are on series whitewash over Australia
Now that the celebrations for securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead have subsided, the Lions have hardened their resolve to sign off their expedition Down Under with a 100 per cent record. If they triumph at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Saturday, they will become the first Lions side in almost a century to win every Test. History made 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 A dramatic 29-26 victory in Melbourne has placed Andy Farrell's men on the brink of greatness, but Sheehan admits the review of the second Test was 'not pretty watching for a lot of it'. 'It would be disappointing if we didn't show up on Saturday,' the Ireland hooker said. 'It would be different if the series was in the balance, but we've always been pretty clear on our goals – to go unbeaten overseas and win the series 3-0. So we just need to stick to what we said. 'There are a lot of people who have put a lot of effort into travelling out for this game and a lot of our families will be here as well, so there's plenty of motivation. And I can only imagine what the Australians are feeling now as well. 'We are searching for an 80-minute performance this weekend. The people and the talent we have are crazy. We just need to get them all working. 'There's also an individual onus on how you show up to a game – myself included because there are a few moments in the second Test when you're wondering what you were doing. We can be a lot better, definitely in that first half. 'But that's part of rugby. It's such an imperfect game that you've got to get over those moments pretty quick. And you get another chance on Saturday, hopefully.' Farrell names his team on Thursday and must decide to what extent fresh legs are needed following two bruising Tests against the Wallabies, but the indications from the management are that the strongest possible XV will be fielded. That rules out rotation for anything other than those players who are running on empty, which could include flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne after their lung-busting shifts in Brisbane and Melbourne. Second row Joe McCarthy, centre Sione Tuipulotu and wing Mack Hansen all come into contention after recovering the injuries that forced them to miss the second Test. If he has fully proved his fitness by Thursday, Hansen has an especially strong chance of being involved given wings James Lowe and Tommy Freeman have yet to impress in the series. Blair Kinghorn is also an option to start. Sheehan's excellent form will see him continue at hooker and the 26-year-old will continue to find novel ways to unlock defences after his 'superman' try from close range during the second Test. 'I took the first free-kick and got absolutely melted trying to go low. Then for the second one I just thought 'if I have a dive here…',' he said. 'I didn't know if they had anyone in the back. It was just a throw and hope and I slipped through. I can see all the controversy about it, but I did know that you can dive in the air if you score.'
