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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lions 24-28 Argentina: Pumas deliver Dublin upset to win 1888 Cup in thriller
Dejected: The British and Irish Lions fell to a surprise defeat by Argentina in their 1888 Cup clash in Dublin on Friday night (AP) The British and Irish Lions made a hugely disappointing start to their summer as Argentina pulled off a deserved upset in Dublin. The Pumas, despite missing several key players due to Top 14 commitments in France, claimed the 1888 Cup with a thrilling 28-24 victory at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night, making it a damp squib of a farewell for Andy Farrell's side, who have plenty of work to do as they now head Down Under for a nine-game tour that includes three Tests against Australia. Advertisement It was the perfect warm-up for a looming two-Test home series against weakened England next month for Argentina, who achieved their first-ever win over the Lions at the eighth attempt in their first meeting for 20 years, successfully banishing memories of 2005, when they were denied a famous triumph by a last-gasp Jonny Wilkinson penalty for a flat Clive Woodward team in Cardiff. For the Lions, an unexpected early hiccup as they lost their summer opener for the first time since 1971, when they famously went on to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand. Powering through: Bundee Aki scored the first try of the summer for the British and Irish Lions (REUTERS) Argentina, ranked at No5 in the world and with victories over all of New Zealand, South Africa, France and Australia to their name in 2024, edged the early kicking battle and drew first blood when fly-half Tomas Albornoz made no mistake from the tee. Advertisement Duhan van der Merwe - who would later have his ankle iced on the bench after going off in the second half - looked to respond for the Lions, who thought they had hit back quickly before Luke Cowan-Dickie's score was chalked off for a knock-on. Fin Smith's first Lions points with a penalty levelled proceedings, only for Ignacio Mendy to then cut inside brilliantly and leave Van der Merwe in the dust as a scintillating Argentina attack was finished with a flourish. The conversion was hooked wide left by Albornoz. Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu - starting as part of a formidable Lions centre partnership along with Bundee Aki - weaved through to dive over, but again the try was disallowed for a knock-on. The Lions did finally register their first try of the summer shy of the 20-minute mark, Aki powering through three defenders to touch down after Farrell's men continued their dominance at the scrum. Advertisement Fin Smith's extras had the Lions ahead for the first time by two points at 10-8, though Albornoz responded in kind after an infringement at the ruck after flanker Pablo Matera avoided a yellow card for a high hit on Fin Smith. Albornoz slotted over another penalty late in the first half after an offside call and then turned on the jets to streak home after the ball was knocked loose during a scruffy Lions attack, converting his own score to send the Pumas in at the break leading 21-10. The Lions started the second half in more patient fashion and got their reward with a penalty try given by New Zealand referee James Doleman after Argentina prop Mayco Vivas had pulled down a rolling maul in front of the line, earning himself a yellow card in the process. It was a double blow for the Pumas and they started to creak thereafter, Ellis Genge driving the Lions forward against 14 men with some enormously powerful carries. Celebration: Santiago Cordero's try sealed a famous victory for the Pumas at the Aviva Stadium (Getty Images) They got the go-ahead score as Genge made another terrific line break after an injection of pace and ingenuity at scrum-half from Tomos Williams, one of only two Wales players in the entire Lions squad along with Jac Morgan, Ireland's Tadhg Beirne sent through and Fin Smith making it a three-point lead from the tee. Advertisement Tommy Freeman and Mack Hansen were causing problems for the Lions, but suddenly they were behind again out of nowhere as Henry Pollock missed a tackle and man-of-the-match Albornoz broke forward, with Argentina recycling the ball brilliantly before a kick was collected and touched down by Santiago Cordero. Albornoz's conversion made it a four-point advantage and it was a lead that the Pumas would never relinquish despite soaking up plenty of late pressure, Hansen, Freeman and Pollock with the best of the play for the Lions, who attacked with the clock in the red but lost the ball with a strip as it was booted into touch to seal a famous Argentina win.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch Western Force vs British and Irish Lions: TV channel and live stream today
Keys to the attack: Finn Russell will start at fly-half for the Lions against Western Force (Getty Images) The British and Irish Lions officially begin their Australia tour today, meeting Super Rugby's Western Force in Perth. The summer got off to a disappointing start last week as Andy Farrell's side were beaten 28-24 by Argentina in a warm-up clash in Dublin, losing their claim to the 1888 Cup. Advertisement They came back into contention after trailing 21-10 at the break thanks to a well-timed booking for Mayco Vivas, but could not get the comeback over the line. The Lions have not had long to get themselves shipshape, with a run of nine games over six weeks looming large. The tour Down Under will culminate in a Test triple-header against the Wallabies. After finishing ninth of 11 in their 2025 Super Rugby campaign, the Western Force could present a good opportunity for the Lions to get back to winning ways. They have named a strong side for the tie, though, after Lions CEO Ben Calveley warned Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt about releasing Australia players for tour matches. Advertisement After meeting the Western Force, the Lions will face the Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and both an Invitational Australia and New Zealand XV and First Nations and Pasifika XV, in addition to their Test matches. How to watch Western Force vs British and Irish Lions TV channel: Today's match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action. Coverage begins from 10am BST ahead of an 11am kick-off at Optus Stadium in Perth. Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can catch the action online via the Sky Go app. The match will also be available via NOW TV. Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport's live blog.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
'It felt like a gut punch': Scotland star Rory Darge opens up on British and Irish Lions heartache after narrowly missing out on tour Down Under
Rory Darge admits it felt like a 'gut punch' to miss out on selection for the British and Irish Lions. But the Scotland star insists he will be ready to answer the call if it comes from Andy Farrell over these next few weeks. Darge narrowly missed out on making Farrell's 38-man squad for the tour of Australia when it was announced last month. The head coach has an embarrassment of riches in the back row, arguably the most competitive area in the whole squad. Darge will instead captain Scotland on their summer tour of the South Pacific, featuring games against the Maori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa. With injuries part and parcel of any Lions tour, however, the 25-year-old would only be a phone call away if anyone was to be ruled out. While that is not necessarily his main focus, the fact he is in the same part of the world as the Lions would do his chances no harm. 'Before the squad announcement, I wasn't particularly expecting to be there,' admitted Darge. 'Part of that might be you're protecting yourself a little bit for when you don't get announced. But I also just think my position is so competitive. 'Even still, when the names are getting read out and you're watching it on TV, they are going in alphabetical order and it gets past your name, it does feel like a gut punch. 'I was obviously delighted for the other boys who did get picked. But it's a weird mix of emotions. I've got a lot on my plate with Scotland at the moment and we're focusing on trying to get three wins from three. 'The Lions obviously aren't my main focus. But, yeah, if the call was to come, I would certainly be ready for it.' Scotland's tour begins next weekend against the Maori All Blacks, with Gregor Townsend selecting a strong squad for the three-game series. Darge's first ever visit to rugby-mad New Zealand will be enough to focus his mind. 'I have never been before. It's cool to experience these places and it's something I know that, if it wasn't for rugby, I wouldn't be able to do,' he added.
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Mack Hansen: Lions should win every game on this tour
Winger Mack Hansen said the British and Irish Lions are conscious they will get their 'heads absolutely chewed off' if they slip up in another warm-up game. Head coach Andy Farrell reacted with barely concealed fury to the 28-24 defeat by Argentina in Dublin last Friday and the squad are under no illusions about what happens if they lose to the Western Force at Perth's Optus Stadium on Saturday. Argentina are at least ranked fifth in the world and the Lions will be overwhelming favourites in their remaining warm-up games against the Super Rugby franchises and an invitational Australia and New Zealand side. Hansen, though, says the Lions are embracing that sense of expectation having witnessed what happens when they fall short of those standards. 'If you put the jersey on, we're four of the best teams in the world, so the expectation is to win regardless of who you're playing,' Hansen said. 'I know there were things about, we hadn't been together very long. There were a few excuses that we could have had but we've thrown them out the door. At the end of the day, four of the best teams, some of the best players in the world. You should be winning every time, so every time it's a loss, it just isn't good enough. 'That's the best thing that this group has on its shoulders at the moment, that we know that and as disappointed as we were, we don't want to feel that again. If anything, it's good to feel it early and then we know that we'll get our heads absolutely chewed off if it happens again, so the plan is to win from here on out. 'That's how everyone is thinking, it's not just me by any means. You know that expectation before you even come in so it makes it easy enough to adjust to it. It's not like you get in and you're like 'Woah, what's going on here?' If you get the opportunity to be on this tour and play in the red jersey, yeah, you should be winning games. 'A lot of the chat has been about us and what we need to improve. The only thing that can beat us is us really. If we are not on it and doing things to the best of our ability; that's what is going to let us down. That's been a lot of the focus.' 🏃💨 Mack Hansen's speed is still 😱 @IrishRugby #IREvTGA — Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) September 16, 2023 Australia-born Hansen, 27, is uniquely placed to offer an insight about the challenges that the Super Rugby franchises will pose having been in the stands as a Brumbies supporter when the Lions lost 14-12 in Canberra on the 2013 tour. 'It was my dad, my brother and me,' Hansen said. 'We were sitting behind the goalposts watching it. It was mad. You don't expect anyone to actually do it, but I talked to guys after that and they'd been pumped up for the game for weeks, working towards it. They saw it as the be-all and end-all.' Hansen has no doubt that a Western Force side containing six Wallabies as well as his former house-mate Bayley Kuenzle will adopt precisely the same mindset. 'You know yourself when you are coming up against a big team, such as us, those guys will definitely be able to get up for that,' Hansen said. 'They've only got one game and then they are on holidays. You can really rev yourself up for these games. We are not expecting anything easy by any means. They've got this then it will be 10 toes up for the next five weeks. I'm sure they are going to give it their all. 'We want to win every game but we're not playing the Force this week with them saying, 'All right boys, let's go out and lose by 40'. They'll be coming out thinking, 'We can cause an upset'. Things do happen. But it's about your mind-set and we are not taking anyone lightly.' Magic hands against @westernforce in 2013 ✨ — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 25, 2025 Twelve years ago, Hansen says the prospect of returning to Australia as a Lion would have seemed like something from an 'alternate universe'. Opportunities proved limited at the Brumbies but Hansen quickly burst onto the international scene with Ireland, whom he qualifies for through his Cork-born mother, after joining Connacht in 2021. 'It's been the best decision I've ever made, so I haven't really looked back at it at all and wondered, 'What if?',' Hansen said. 'I've just been going forward with Ireland. As I said, I have no regrets with that. I've got a new life over there, new friends, new family. For me, it's definitely the best decision I've ever made.'
Irish Times
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Return of the Mack: Hansen ‘living the dream' on Lions trip back to Australia
Mack Hansen says he feels like is living in 'an alternate universe' on the eve of his first start for the British & Irish Lions in his native Australia. The winger, qualified for Ireland through his Cork-born mother, was a youngster in the crowd when the Lions last toured Australia 12 years ago and cannot wait to line up against one of his old housemates this weekend. The 27-year-old represented his homeland at under-20 level but says relocating to Europe was 'the best decision I ever made'. Nevertheless he has been pinching himself ever since flying in as a member of the 2025 Lions squad. 'It feels like I'm properly living the dream,' admitted Hansen before Saturday morning's fixture against Western Force, for whom his former Brumbies colleague and good friend Bayley Kuenzle now plays. 'On the last Lions tour I was at the game in Canberra and the Brumbies beat them. My dad, my brother and me were sitting behind the goalposts watching it. It was mad. It seems like an alternate universe. I remember the buzz around Australia and seeing these players you didn't really get to see. It was amazing. I always loved the Lions and I didn't know it would be something that I'd get to do. But I'm here and I'm enjoying it.' Tom Court - Ireland's accidental Lion Listen | 40:32 That formative experience also taught him just how desperate the local Super Rugby sides are to take down the Lions. 'You don't expect anyone to actually do it but I talked to guys [at the Brumbies] after that and they'd been pumped up for the game for weeks. They saw it as the be-all and end-all.' READ MORE Hansen, who has 28 Test caps, has absolutely no regrets about declaring for Ireland, where his allegiance is so complete he has a tattoo of Andy Farrell's face on his leg. 'I haven't really looked back at it and wondered: 'What if?' I've just been going forward with Ireland. I've got a new life over there, new friends, new family. For me, it's definitely the best decision I've ever made.' He also says his Aussie mates will now be expected to support the Lions – 'I'm expecting them to be wearing red; if not they won't be getting tickets' – but accepts the touring team need a victory following their 28-24 defeat against Argentina in Dublin last week. 'If you get the opportunity to play in the red jersey then, yeah, you should be winning games. We're [drawn from] four of the best teams in the world, so the expectation is to win regardless of who you're playing. 'There were a few excuses we could have had but we've thrown them out the door. At the end of the day [we have] some of the best players in the world. You should be winning every time. So every time it's a loss it just isn't good enough. We know we'll get our heads absolutely chewed off if it happens again so the plan is to win from here on out. The only thing that can beat us is us really.' Hansen's experience of Ireland's tactical approach, currently in the process of being transplanted to the Lions, could further enhance his prospects of making the Lions Test side, with the Western Force game offering an ideal chance to press his claims ahead of, among others, England's Tommy Freeman. 'We've all got different strengths. The other guys would be a bit quicker and more physical than me. That's not my game. For me, my main strength is my work off the ball. That's my focus a lot of the time: keep working hard and try and get into the game wherever I can.' – Guardian
