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The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Expect Farrell's frustrations to vanish: the Lions will prioritise hunger and energy
The British & Irish Lions' defeat by Argentina will have been shaken out of their system even before the jet lag. It is not difficult to draw a line under it. The tour starts when boots are on the ground in Australia and listening to the noises coming out of the camp, I'd be amazed if Andy Farrell is voicing the same frustrations after Saturday's match against Western Force. The handling errors against the Pumas stood out. I don't mind so much those that were committed in aerial contests – though there were a lot in open play as well – but I think what really frustrated Farrell is that Argentina appeared to be playing with more urgency at the breakdown and when it came to feeding off the loose scraps. The first match is always difficult. There is so much goodwill, so much energy behind the first Lions game of a tour that it can be hard not to force things, not to get carried away with a determination to impress. Bear in mind that Argentina are ranked fifth in the world and the Lions will not face another challenge like the Pumas until we get into the Test series. Clearly there was a desire to move the ball and keep it alive – and I always say that what we see on the pitch is a reflection of what has been worked on in training – but some of the decision-making let the Lions down. Whether it be a two-on-one on the edge that Marcus Smith ought to have spotted, or Duhan van der Merwe's failure to pass inside to Alex Mitchell. The expectation on Saturday is that the Lions demonstrate better decision-making and better accuracy, all underpinned by improvements according to Farrell's frustrations – namely hunger, desire and energy. I'm encouraged by the team that Farrell has selected and while I don't think it will be the Test team, I would have no problem with this XV lining up against the Wallabies. I like the blend of the backline, with pace, creativity and power and the fact that there is plenty of familiarity given the number of Leinster and Ireland players selected can only be a good thing. Last week there were certain similarities in what the Lions were trying to achieve in attack with how Farrell's Ireland go about things and that makes obvious sense. I would say that Ireland have the best attacking framework and structure of the four home nations so it stands to reason. When I talk about structure it can sound like a negative thing, like it can be constraining, but that doesn't have to be the case. Excuse the analogy but when I was doing Strictly Come Dancing, I thought that ballroom dancing would be really quite boring because it was all about 'the frame'. What I soon realised is once you've got the frame built and set, it effectively just becomes a pillar in the foundation. What you do within that frame – shoulders back, traps down, elbows high, fingers pointing, neck long, chin to 45 degrees – once you've got those principles in place, you can do whatever you want. So when it comes to the Lions' attacking structure, it looked similar to that of Ireland but that doesn't mean there is no room for players to act on instinct. A good example was Mitchell's pass out the back when recovering near his own line and I'd have liked to see a bit more of it. I was a bit surprised there was no attempt to tap and go, to up the tempo that little bit more. At this stage it is too early to read too much into combinations and what implications they might have for the Test team. It will only become apparent by the third match of the tour in Australia. Maro Itoje isn't playing Saturday but that's likely because Farrell wants to see him lining up alongside another second row and the time is not yet right for that. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion That said, this is certainly an opportunity for Henry Pollock, who had a mixed introduction off the bench against Argentina, while it will be interesting to see how Tadhg Beirne fares in the back row after the lineout troubles against the Pumas last week. I don't think it's unfair to say that the Lions should beat Western Force emphatically. They are the worst-ranked Australian team in Super Rugby whereas the Lions are now fully stacked, barring the odd injury niggle and Farrell will want them to go out and deliver a statement. The noise has already started coming from one or two former Australia players, claiming even that the Wallabies will whitewash the Lions. I love it when the noise starts but that is quite simply an incredible claim. I don't mean to get all Chris Whitty, but we have to follow the evidence and it simply doesn't exist to suggest the Lions will be whitewashed. Bold statements like that do, however, signal that the tour is up and running.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
David Campese in brutal criticism of four Lions
Australia legend David Campese launched a scathing attack on four British and Irish Lions following the defeat to Argentina on Friday night in their first warm-up match. Marcus Smith, Duhan van der Merwe, Jac Morgan and Tommy Freeman were all in the crosshairs in Campese's column for Planet Rugby, where he also said the Lions would get hammered 3-0 by Australia if they did not buck their ideas up. Here, Telegraph Sport analyses his key criticisms and whether 'Campo' was right or wrong. Marcus Smith Then you have Marcus Smith at full-back. Yes, in attack he was threatening and he played a part in two of the Lions' tries, but, and it's a big but, Australia is the land of the physical, athletic full-back and the spiral bomb. That's what we do – we're brought up on Aussie Rules and the skills transfer. The Lions simply cannot afford the luxury of Smith's defence at 15. He doesn't understand the positional requirements and he's simply too small and light to compete one to one. Yes, as an impact player or starting ten, he will do a great job, but as a starting full-back? Come on! What we say: There is a lot going on here and it is perhaps worth adding a touch of nuance. It is completely understandable that Smith is still learning the positional requirements of full-back. Friday was only his eighth start there in his senior career to date. Defensively, he was not at fault for any of the Pumas' tries. For the first, Argentina outflanked a narrow front line because the Lions did not fold enough men around the ruck. For the second and third, the Pumas savaged the Lions in transition situations. Campese is certainly correct that aerial duels are not a strength of Smith's, but I wonder whether these contests are so chaotic now after the crackdown on escort runners blocking off chasing wings – even Freddie Steward struggled in the Premiership final thanks to the commitment of Will Muir – that Farrell put more stock in the up-side of a secondary playmaker. It was Smith or Elliot Daly for that first game anyway, because neither Hugo Keenan nor Blair Kinghorn were available. Farrell would never admit as much publicly, but I looked at the match against Argentina as an 80-minute audition for Smith to be a versatile, impactful replacement on a six-two bench. In that respect, the run-out was worthwhile for the reason Campese highlights himself: the proactivity Smith demonstrated when the Lions had possession. Duhan van de Merwe I simply can't understand how Duhan van der Merwe, a man of 6'5', fails under the high ball in the way he does. He's bloody massive yet managed only one from five in the air in a dismal display under the ball. Tommy Freeman worked hard- 15 carries and the most line breaks, but he was turned over four times- twice in the air and twice on the floor. What we say: Van der Merwe did look vulnerable aerially on Friday night and, generally, it is not a strength of his - and the tweak to the law regarding escort runners has made it even harder for wings - but it is fair to reflect that he can do things that other wings can't and that it was his first appearance since March owing to ankle ligament damage. Certainly, however, the Scot did little to dampen the narrative surrounding James Lowe, and how he is odds-on to start the first Test on the left wing. Jac Morgan I had to check to be sure Jac Morgan was even playing, such was his lack of impact. Yes, he grabbed one good turnover, but when your openside spends 55 minutes on the pitch, makes four carries for six metres, and manages six tackles (one every nine minutes!) you wonder why he's failing to execute the basic roles of his position. He also failed to control anything around the drop zone, a key factor, and generally went missing in action in a woeful personal performanc e. What we say: Harsh from Campo! Morgan might not have been ubiquitous and, certainly, he is now in a race against time to put pressure on his competitors for a Test berth but there were a couple of punchy carries and there was a notable jackal turnover amid the industriousness. Campo criticises Morgan's ball-carrying but is that really what you pick your openside for? The Welshman was not alone in looking a bit subdued at times on Friday night. Tommy Freeman Tommy Freeman worked hard — 15 carries and the most line breaks — but he was turned over four times — twice in the air and twice on the floor. That aerial battle — Rodrigo Isgro and Ignacio Mendy absolutely cleaned the Lions out at the contestables. What we say: Is this like when cricketers seek out a star player for additional sledging? Freeman was not without fault. He threw one overeager offload to Smith in the first half. Much later, in the second period, he coughed up an Argentina clearance in the back-field under no pressure. However, the promise outweighed the errors by some margin. Freeman roamed around the field to pick up touches, clearly settling into the role that the Lions coaches have asked of him. Sione Tuipulotu should have gathered an early offload from the rangy wing off the tail of a line-out and Freeman's work in the air was excellent. As good as the Pumas duo were, the Lions man reinforced his reputation as one of the best in this area. Campese might be clutching at straws, here, because Freeman still seems set for a big tour.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
THE DUHAN DILEMMA: Lions head coach Andy Farrell needs to see big improvement from van der Merwe if he's to make Test team after costly blunders against Argentina
Given that he had only played 11 minutes of rugby since the end of the Six Nations in March, it was always likely Duhan van der Merwe would have to overcome some ring-rust on his return to action. Pitched in from the start as the British and Irish Lions began their campaign against Argentina in Dublin last Friday night, the Scotland international would have been hoping to blow off the cobwebs. As one of the most explosive finishers in world rugby, he would no doubt have envisaged marking his comeback with a trademark try and a demonstration of his lethal running power. While he didn't manage to score, Van der Merwe made a couple of powerful carries in the first half and was involved in most of the Lions' best moments in attack. And yet, a lot of that good stuff was undone by his mistakes. By the end of a difficult night for Van der Merwe and the Lions as a whole, questions were already being asked. Such as whether his attacking brilliance and try-scoring prowess outweigh his defensive deficiencies. It's an issue which doesn't tend to be spoken about much with Scotland. His place in Gregor Townsend 's team is pretty much guaranteed. With the Lions? Not so much. His selection will have been playing on Andy Farrell's mind as the squad travelled to Australia following their 28-24 defeat to the Pumas. Van der Merwe was at fault for two Argentina tries in the first half. The first saw him miss a vital tackle as winger Ignacio Mendy stepped inside to score. The second, right on the cusp of half-time, saw the South African-born 30-year-old lose the ball cheaply in contact as Argentina countered brilliantly and scored through fly-half Tomas Albornoz. Having made a couple of high-profile errors which led directly to the concession of two tries, Van der Merwe was later seen on the sidelines with ice on the same ankle that had put him on the injury list for three months. By all accounts, not a great night. Some critics even suggested that Van der Merwe may have played himself out of the Test team before the plane had even taken off. That's probably a slightly premature assessment of his chances, but the Scotland star certainly didn't do himself any favours. With the travelling party touching down in Perth on Sunday night, Van der Merwe will arrive in Australia as a player rapidly needing to find some form if he's to regain the trust of Farrell. When the Lions squad was selected in early May, Van der Merwe was fretting over whether or not he would be part of Farrell's plans at all. Speaking after his selection had been confirmed, he said: 'Since I've picked up the niggle, you have doubts and you start thinking: 'Is this going to have an effect on me going on the tour?' 'Then you start taking yourself back to the Six Nations. Did I have my best Six Nations? Good at times, but probably a wee bit average at times. 'Then you start thinking: 'Am I the type of winger Andy Farrell likes'? You think about that every single day. So I'm definitely a wee bit shocked, but at the same time, I'm absolutely buzzing.' If Van der Merwe was fully fit and firing on all cylinders, most observers would have him in their starting XV for the three Tests against the Wallabies. At his best, he remains a force of nature. In reality, his inclusion is not cut and dry. He is still working his way back to full fitness. Other wingers in the squad, most notably James Lowe and Mack Hansen, have Farrell's trust from Ireland duty. Tommy Freeman finished the season as one of the form players on the planet, scoring a burst of 15 tries in 10 matches for England and Northampton. Van der Merwe's problem that these defensive frailties are not especially new. They are not a one-off that can be brushed aside and forgotten Over the past few years, for all we have marvelled at some of the brilliant tries he has scored for Scotland, he has often been a weak link in defence. He misses too many tackles and, for a man of his physique, loses the ball far too often in contact. That kind of stuff can be forgiven when he's running the length of the field to score against England. But Farrell might not be so willing to overlook such deficiencies, especially with a player who is still working his way back to full fitness. Ultimately, it will be a case of does the head coach stick or twist with Van der Merwe? Van Der Merwe attempts to make the breakthrough for Lions during a tough night in Dublin Farrell was never going to be naive enough to single out any player for criticism on the back of the defeat to Argentina. It was scrappy and disjointed, but it wasn't a night to reach for the flamethrower. 'Some people will have done themselves proud,' he said. 'They'll be hurting for the team because they're all team players. 'Some players will be happy, others won't and will be dying to get another chance.' It's fair to say that Van der Merwe fell into the latter of those two categories, although it should be said he was far from alone in that regard. Especially under the high ball, he and a few of his team-mates in the backline looked decidedly shaky. You can bet your last Dingo dollar that Australia head coach Joe Schmidt will have taken note of that. 'We weren't as consistent as we would have liked to be,' said captain Maro Itoje. 'We only showed glimmers of what we can do. 'When we were on it, we looked good, we just need to do it more consistently. We want to be more aggressive but we are building. We will live, learn and get better. 'Argentina showed us where we are lacking. I am happy we had a hard-fought game. As we improve our relationships, and spend more time together in training and understanding each other's triggers, it will come. Van der Merwe has been left with a point to prove after his performance against the Pumas 'There are no excuses. We should have been better today but, as with other areas of the game, we'll learn and get better together. This is only match one.' It would be foolish to write off the Lions on the basis of what happened in Dublin. The same is true of Van der Merwe's chances of making the Test starting XV. If he can prove his fitness and recapture his best form, it will be difficult for Farrell to leave him out. But, right now, he has landed in Australia as a player with a point to prove. Van der Merwe started all three Tests on the tour of South Africa four years ago. The chances of him doing the same in Australia feel much less certain this time around.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
British and Irish Lions 24 Argentina 28: Lions stunned by Pumas to lose opening match for first time in 54 years
MARO ITOJE's Lions failed to roar as they were mauled by the Pumas to start their summer with a flop. Itoje's side will fly to Australia with a massive hangover from this reverse and only days to sort themselves out down under. 3 3 3 Itoje himself was replaced with nine minutes left and although his side chucked everything at it in the final 10 the Pumas held out. The Lions had fought back from 11 points down at half-time thanks to a penalty try and a score from Tadhg Beirne made by Tomos Williams' pass. Most of the team on show have only had 10 days together and it showed with dropped passes and some wonky line outs before they hit their stride in the second half. In 2021, the Lions beat Japan 28-10 in Edinburgh in a warm-up and seven of the starters made into the run-on team in the first Test against South Africa in Cape Town. So this was an audition which England wing Tommy Freeman passed with flying colours but Duhan van der Merwe fluffed his lines. The Argentinians beat all of the southern hemisphere big dogs in the Rugby Championship last year and are no mugs and are ranked fifth in the world, three places above Australia and ahead of England, Scotland and Wales. And the best of British were 21-10 down at the break as their defence was ripped open too often for comfort. The Pumas were quickly 8-3 up thanks to a score from wing Ignacio Mendy who cut inside a back tracking Duhan van der Merwe to touch down. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Then Itoje's side had tries for Luke Cowan-Dickie and centre Sione Tuipulotu chalked off by the TMO. Cowan-Dickie dropped the ball over the line and Alex Mitchell knocked on in the build-up to Tuipulotu's effort. The Lions scrum held up well and their attacking finally got some change out of the visitors when Bundee Aki went route one to bulldoze over on 18 minutes. But Puma fly-half Tomas Albornoz added a try from his own half to his three first-half penalties just before half-time. But Farrell must have had some harsh words at the break as the Lions came out firing and were soon over for the penalty try and Beirne's score put them into a 24-21 lead but Santiago Cordero's score grabbed it back and the Pumas stayed in front.
The Independent
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Argentina spoil Lions' leaving party as tour begins with defeat in Dublin
Perhaps the British and Irish Lions will stop inviting Argentina to their pre-tour party. 20 years on from a narrow escape and dispiriting draw kicked things off with a whimper in Cardiff for the 2005 vintage, the current crop were beaten as the Pumas had their day in Dublin. The result here, of course, is only a mere piece of a wider puzzle that Andy Farrell and his stuff will put together as they gear up for the three Tests against the Wallabies but an opening-game defeat is unique this century; to term this game portentous for the tour as a whole would be perhaps to overplay it but the Lions have set off on the wrong foot. With a cough and a splutter, then, the steamer is sailing on its slow journey to Australia. There were plenty of good bits in a spritely performance to excite Farrell but plenty also for him to chew over as the travelling party navigate south. A surprisingly bruising affair left Duhan van der Merwe's ankle on ice and several other tourists taking bruises and balms through security at Dublin Airport tomorrow. A faulty lineout, a few curious kicks and some anticipated handling errors on a sweaty night were other possible bugbears, though there is plenty of time to touch up certain areas before the more consequential business to end the tour. That said, this was a true test if not a true Test, the intensity shown by both sides befitting a fully-fledged fixture rather than the warm-up affair it may come to be known as in retrospect. If, for some, games like this are sacrosanct to the Lions idea – the concept of a touring team perhaps betrayed by them now playing so regularly on home soil – there could be no doubting that this was some occasion, scarlet stands right around the Aviva Stadium with the sea of red flooding Dublin. They were treated to a cracker of a contest, settled in some style by a sparkling score from Santiago Carreras and a performance from fly half Tomas Albornoz to bedazzle any occasion. As if in ruby slippers, the left-footed Argentina No 10 patrolled, controlled and sashayed with his own dancing feet. The Lions would have been happy enough with large parts of their showing yet their opponents were far from undeserving victors. After months and months of speculation, how welcome to at last have actual action to analyse. These opening fixtures of the tour are rarely classics, the Lions still familiarising themselves one another, still translating the texts to become sacred come the Tests. A slightly shaky start is to be, somewhat, expected given the uniqueness of the enterprise, the melding and moulding only just underway. Yet there had been a different feel about the 2025 crop, as rugby-focussed a group as any Lions assembly in recent memory. This selection had rather chosen itself given the significant crop involved in finals last weekend and thus, perfectly rightly, not risked, but there was still plenty of intrigue in Farrell's line-up, from a backline built to bludgeon to a locking combo that may end up back stoking the fires in the engine room come Test-time. Farrell will have confidence that there are a few more cylinders still to fire but this was a bright enough performance in many ways, with plenty of invention and ingenuity on show in their attacking play. It appeared the Friday night mass would have reason to roar inside eight minutes when Luke Cowan-Dickie showed serious strength to thrash to the line from a back of a maul, but the hooker's hands were imprecise, fumbling as he attempted to ground awkwardly over his shoulder. Instead, there were muffled boos as Maro Itoje pointed to the posts; Fin Smith nonetheless replied to Albornoz's early penalty. The Lions had shown early glimpses of their attacking talent but the Pumas claws were just as sharp. A wonderful Albornoz pass, singeing Lucio Cinti's midriff as it fizzed into the hands of Santiago Carreras beyond, set up a deft finish from Ignacio Mendy, before the Lions has a seconds score chalked off, this time for an Alex Mitchell knock-on in a tangle of limbs before Sione Tuipulotu collected. It was, however, third time lucky as an undeniable Bundee Aki bashed through. Two more pings from the impressive Albornoz's cultured left boot nonetheless left the Pumas in front before the fly half finished off something rather more telling. With the Lions searching for a strike before the interval down the left, the ball popped free and Argentina swarmed, Rodrigo Isgro and Carreras willing couriers before their 10 romped home to complete a special delivery. An 11-point lead felt vital given the callowness of Argentina's bench – but that advantage, and their resources on the pitch, were soon eroded as prop Mayco Vivas cynically inserted himself from the side to halt a driving maul a metre from the line. The temptation would be to say that Vivas's absence proved key as the Lions struck again quickly, though had his opposite number been on the pitch, Ellis Genge might have run over him two. Three or four would-be tacklers were scattered by a cannonball charge from the Lions loosehead, setting up the position from which Tadhg Beirne could knife in. The South Americans were not, however, going to go away. Albornoz may lack the profile of some other sporting Argentine No 10s but he is increasingly making the shirt his own, and sparked another spectacular with a delicate dummy as Santiago Cordero applied the finishing touches. Up went the volume as the Lions reinforcements arrived, Henry Pollock, Mack Hansen and Tadhg Furlong all on to escalating cheers; the introduction of Pierre Schoeman bringing a familiar Scottish battle cry. Argentina raised the ramparts for a last stand as Elliot Daly found the corner, and the Lions soon erred, a Beirne neck roll scuppering a penalty under the posts with the margin four points. So it would remain.
