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The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Future British & Irish Lions tour of France on the agenda at Melbourne summit
A British & Irish Lions tour of France could move a step closer next week when executives hold talks over 'a new business model' in Melbourne before the second Test of the series against Australia. Abdel Benazzi, the vice-president of the French federation (FFR), held informal discussions with Lions executives in Dublin before the warm-up match against Argentina, and he will travel to Australia next week to further press his nation's claims of facing the touring side again, having previously done so in 1989. France have emerged as leading contenders to face the Lions in a warm-up match before the tour of New Zealand in 2029 and, according to Benazzi, could also fulfil the same role before the inaugural women's tour in 2027, also to New Zealand. More recently, however, there has been a groundswell of support for a tour of France, with leading Top 14 sides such as Toulouse and Bordeaux offering the prospect of competitive warm-up matches before a mouthwatering series against Les Bleus in contrast to the currently one-sided tour of Australia. The former Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips last week became the most recent former Lion to throw his weight behind the prospect, suggesting a tour of France would be a 'gamechanger'. Benazzi, who is also the president of the Six Nations and narrowly lost out to Brett Robinson in last year's election to be World Rugby chair, is seeking to make France regular opponents on the Lions' fixture list. Asked about the prospect of a future tour of his country, Benazzi said: 'If you look at the legacy and the reputation of the Lions, of course they have the tradition with the south, our position as a neighbour is that we can do something together in the future. 'We had contact, not formally, just a friendly chat with the guys from the Lions and they started thinking maybe it would be a good idea. We don't have a formal decision now but maybe we will talk about having two meetings with the [women] and the Lions and the men and the Lions in the future. Maybe in 2027 and 2029. We don't think of just one shot, we think of a programme for the future. It's good for everyone because it's powerful and we want to share it with this institution. 'I want to spend a bit of time with the staff and just think about how we can build a new business model with this institution between France and the Lions. For me and for France, we want to build something interesting for both. How we can build something bigger for rugby, for everyone around the world with this meeting and secondly, how we can build some business between the two institutions, the Lions and France, and everyone will be happy with that.' It is understood the Lions are open to exploring possibilities with France, which would provide an attractive option for supporters unable to afford expensive trips to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Benazzi was eager to stress that France are not looking to replace any of the three southern hemisphere nations but the FFR's interest increases the pressure on the Wallabies to be competitive against the Lions in the coming series. An agreement for the 2029 tour with New Zealand is considered a given but the Lions are not formally committed to tour South Africa in 2033 or Australia in 2037. Benazzi also believes the French public and players would fully buy in to the concept and expressed confidence an arrangement could be reached with the Top 14 to avoid clashing with the end-of-season run-in. 'We don't want to steal something from the south,' he added. 'We just want to do something extra. It's a legacy and that's very important but we have a lot of things to share together. Being neighbours is important for supporters. I spoke with an agency that brings a lot of people to Australia this year and they said to me it would be very good business for people coming from the UK to France. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion 'I think we missed a lot of time since 1989, not using our relationship but now we understand each other. I don't understand why we spent 40 years waiting to start contact with this institution. We want to be part of these meetings, this bold future for everyone. The public, the players, will be excited. They need some challenges like that. Of course we have to look after the health of the players and organise when you can do it but everyone wants to be a part of this experience.'
The South African
14-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Springboks gets English referee for All Blacks Test at Eden Park
The match officials have been confirmed for this year's Rugby Championship which takes place between 16 August and 4 October. A total of 11 referees representing six nations, and boasting 331 Tests worth of experience, will take charge of the 12 matches. There are once again no South African referees among those 11 assigned matches during the tournament. The Springboks are the defending Rugby Championship champions. The 2025 edition of the Rugby Championship will see four of the world's top seven ranked teams battle it out across four continents and 11 cities. Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) will take charge of the opening match between South Africa and Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 16 August, with Andrea Piardi (Italy) to referee the last match between Argentina and South Africa at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on 4 October. In between, New Zealand's James Doleman will referee the Springboks' match against Australia in Cape Town, while England's Karl Dickson will have the whistle for South Africa's first clash against New Zealand in Auckland. The second Test between the two bitter rivals in Wellington will be handled by Georgia's Nika Amashukeli. Australian Angus Gardner will take charge of the Springboks' clash against Argentina in Durban. South Africa v AustraliaEllis Park, Johannesburg Saturday, 16 August Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR)Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZR)Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR) FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR) Argentina v New ZealandEstadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba Saturday, 16 August Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA)Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU)TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU) FPRO: Damon Murphy (RA) South Africa v AustraliaCape Town Stadium, Cape Town Saturday, 23 August Referee: James Doleman (NZR)Assistant Referee 1: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR)Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)TMO: Richard Kelly (RA) FPRO: Tual Trainini (FFR) Argentina v New ZealandEstado Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires Saturday, 23 August Referee: Nic Berry (RA)Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR)Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU)TMO: Damon Murphy (RA) FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU) Australia v ArgentinaQueensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Saturday, 6 September Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU)Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (SRU)TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU) FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR) New Zealand v South AfricaEden Park, Auckland Saturday, 6 September Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) Australia v ArgentinaAllianz Stadium, Sydney Saturday, 13 September Referee: Christophe Ridley (FFR)Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR)Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (SRU)TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR) FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU) New Zealand v South AfricaSKY Stadium, Wellington Saturday, 13 September Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA)Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) FPRO: Brett Cronan (RA) New Zealand v AustraliaEden Park, Auckland Saturday, 27 September Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU)TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU) South Africa v ArgentinaHollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban Saturday, 27 September Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR)Assistant Referee 2: Angus Mabey (NZR)TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) FPRO: Damon Murphy (RA) Australia v New ZealandOptus Stadium, Perth Saturday, 4 October Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR)Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU)TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU) FPRO: Marius Jonker (SARU) Argentina v South AfricaAllianz Stadium, Twickenham, England Saturday, 4 October Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU) FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR) Andrea Piardi will referee two matches, a year on from becoming the first Italian official to take charge of a Rugby Championship match. Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) and Angus Gardner (Australia) are the most experienced referees on the panel with 50 Tests. Three assistant referees will make their tournament debuts in Morné Ferreira (South Africa), Sam Grove-White (Scotland) and Angus Mabey (New Zealand), along with one Television Match Official in Andrew Jackson (England). World Rugby High Performance 15s Match Officials Manager Joël Jutge said: 'Our collective focus continues to be on delivering the best match officials for the world's best tournaments. The Rugby Championship 2025 will include some of our most experienced match officials, while at the same time allowing others to gain experience in such a high-level tournament.' 'Unashamedly our goal is ensuring we are fully prepared for men's Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia with the match officials' team performing to its fullest potential, facilitating an exciting game for players and fans. 'The Rugby Championship represents a major milestone on the journey to Australia for match officials and anticipation is again high for the 2025 tournament as the top talent from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do battle for southern hemisphere supremacy.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Ya Biladi
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Family of French-Moroccan rugby player calls for expanded investigation into tragic death
Eleven months after the tragic death of Medhi Narjissi, a 17-year-old French-Moroccan rugby player who was swept away by waves at Dias Beach in South Africa during a training camp with the French U18 team, his family is calling for a broader investigation, reports La Dépêche. Two staff members, the team's physical trainer and manager, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. However, Medhi's family is urging the justice system to go further. According to his parents, Medhi was brought to a location known for its dangerous conditions. «There were twelve adults, nine on the beach, who allowed this reckless venture into the water. For us, there's no hierarchy of responsibility», said his father, Jalil Narjissi, a former Moroccan international rugby player, speaking to France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The family denounces a lack of supervision, the absence of immediate rescue, and serious lapses in risk management. The family's lawyer, Édouard Martial, is relying on a damning report by the Ministry of Sports to push for further investigation, including into the president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), Florian Grill, and the travel agency responsible for organizing the trip. The agency, operated by a French national based in South Africa, is accused of failing to meet safety requirements despite being fully aware of the site's risks. So far, the FFR has not provided the contract linking the federation to the organizer, something the family's legal team is strongly criticizing. A new request will be submitted at the start of the next judicial term, with a new investigating judge expected to take over the case. A parallel investigation is also ongoing in South Africa, where the family plans to file a complaint. On May 24, a sports complex in Sainte-Colombe-en-Bruilhois, in the Lot-et-Garonne, was inaugurated in Medhi's honor. «It was our way of telling you that you will not be forgotten», said Jalil Narjissi during the ceremony, La Dépêche reports.
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Aiming to open Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro by August 15, says BMRCL MD as demand grows
Amid growing demand to open the Yellow Line of the Bengaluru Metro connecting RV Road and Bommasandra via Electronic City, Maheshwar Rao, the managing director of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has assured that the agency is targeting to commission the stretch by August 15. This comes after Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya along with Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan and other BJP MLAs held a citizens' protest rally under the slogan 'Yellow Line na open maadi (Open Yellow Line)' at Lalbagh Main Gate on Saturday, urging BMRCL to commission the much-awaited stretch. Additionally, Surya also demanded that the metro rail corporation make public the fare fixation report, which had recommended over 100 per cent hike in Metro fares, triggering public ire. Addressing the gathering at the protest site, Rao said, 'Currently, we have three trains, with the third train having arrived last month. Since these are automated train operating systems, an independent safety assessment test is underway which will check the safety controls of these driverless trains. We are expecting the report by July 7.' He added, 'Once the report is submitted within next week, we will request regulatory clearance and approvals from CMRS (Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety). The entire regulatory process and necessary approvals will need at least a month's time. Therefore, tentatively, we are targeting to operationalise the stretch by August 15.' Rao also stated that due to insufficient train supply, BMRCL is likely to operationalise the stretch using only three trains with a headway of 20 minutes. 'The trains will stop at only five to six stations. We will study the ridership patterns, including demand for services, till Bommasandra and streamline the operations accordingly. We are expecting two trains every month from the Titagarh Rail System starting August,' he said. Meanwhile, Rao stated that finalisation of loans for Phase 3 of the Bengaluru Metro is expected by March 2026. Phase 3, which includes two elevated corridors spanning 44.65 km with 31 stations, is estimated to cost Rs 15,611 crore. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is likely to provide a significant loan, with approximately Rs 7,577 crore (60%) expected to be sourced from it. Rao said that pre-preparatory works will be done by September and tenders will be floated by October, subject to JICA approvals. Slamming the BMRCL in connection with the lack of transparency over the fare fixation report (FFR), Tejasvi Surya said, 'Metro and bus services are the two most crucial modes of public transport. Recently, BMRCL hiked Metro fares by up to 100%. Before announcing the revision, a committee had gone on an international tour and submitted a report, based on which fares were increased by as much as 130%. Since the hike, Metro ridership has dropped by nearly 1 lakh commuters every day.' He added, 'Several journalists and activists have filed RTI applications seeking details of the report. However, even after three months, the report has not been made public. What is the BMRCL trying to hide? FFR is no national secret that publishing it would help India's enemies.' The BMRCL MD said he will respond to Surya in this regard through a letter. Meanwhile, on the status of the Hebbal–Sarjapur Metro corridor, Rao said, 'The government of India has asked us to rework the cost. An independent agency has been engaged to explore whether the cost can be brought down. The MP raised concerns about the proposed tunnel road on the same alignment. We will look into it.'
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Top French players could feature against All Blacks as agreement with Top 14 reached
France could yet field some of their stars against the All Blacks after agreement was reached with the Top 14 to make several top players available. Fabien Galthie 's Six Nations champions had been due to travel on the summer tour of New Zealand with a virtual second-string squad, as has become custom for the side over the last few years. France face the All Blacks in a three Tests from 5 July in a series that begins just one week after the Top 14 final concludes the domestic season. With the league possessing real heft in negotiations, it appeared that the play-offs and concern over player workload would leave Galthie to take mostly fringe figures on tour, yet the France boss has been given a boost. While a 42-man squad will be mostly comprised of players who were little used or did not feature in the Six Nations, a maximum of five players from the two finalist clubs will be permitted to be included provided they have not had too much playing time across the campaign. Jean-Marc Lhermet, vice-president of the French rugby federation (FFR), said: "This agreement perfectly illustrates the shared desire of the FFR and the LNR to combine sporting performance and player protection. 'By maintaining the balance between the demands of the calendars and the necessary management of players' playing time, we are giving the French team the means to prepare for this tour to New Zealand with ambition and serenity. This innovative system demonstrates our ability to work together, in the interest of French rugby and its players." Toulouse currently top the Top 14 table with Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles in second. It is unlikely that wings Louis Bielle-Biarrey or Damian Penaud will be permitted to travel after featuring heavily this season, while Toulouse fly half Romain Ntamack is reportedly expected to undergo surgery on a knee injury. Antoine Dupont remains sidelined after tearing his ACL during the Six Nations win over Ireland. France took an inexperienced squad to Argentina and Uruguay last July, splitting their two-match series 1-1 with the Pumas. A France XV will also face an equivalent England selection at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham this summer, with a 28-player squad comprised of those not involved in the Top 14 semi-finals to feature in the fixture on Saturday 21 June.
