Latest news with #GibsonPark
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Lions have quality everywhere and have the power to improve'
Tom Shanklin 2005 British and Irish Lion - "Finn Russell was amazing, him and Gibson-Park are quality, the way they pull the strings, the time they have on the ball, their decision-making makes everyone's jobs so much easier."This is probably the most competitive Lions squad ever, there is quality everywhere, two amazing half-backs, the power of the pack, people putting in 80-minute shifts in the back row."Fair play to Farrell, he has nailed it."
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Captain Itoje extends Lions' lead over Queensland Reds
Update: Date: 12:12 BST Title: Gibson-Park setting tempo Content: Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions Ugo Monye2009 British and Irish Lion Gibson-Park has been quietly involved in a lot of the action which is to be expected for such an influential scrum-half. He has crucially helped set the tempo or linking to the space and assisting tries. Update: Date: 51 mins Title: Replacements - Lions Content: Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions Queensland Reds win a penalty and fire it into the Lions' 22. We have a few changes as Finlay Bealham is on for Will Stuart. Andrew Porter is off for Ellis Genge. Luke Cowan-Dickie is also on for Ronan Kelleher. Update: Date: 12:09 BST Title: Last 30 minutes crucial Content: Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions Chris JonesBBC rugby union correspondent The Lions have the score which should kill this as a contest. But the next 30 minutes are crucial for the Lions who need to build cohesion and combinations, improve accuracy, and keep discipline. Update: Date: 49 mins Title: Post Content: Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions The hosts go through some phases but are not really going forward. It is impressive Lions defence. Update: Date: 47 mins Title: Post Content: Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions Will Stuart is pinged for a high shot. That's the small details that could decide Test spots. Update: Date: 45 mins Title: Converted try - Queensland Reds 12-28 Lions Content: Maro Itoje (con Finn Russell) Captain fantastic. Bundee Aki makes the initial dent, Jamison Gibson-Park then snipes and finds Maro Itoje, who stretches over. Update: Date: 44 mins Title: Post Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Queensland Reds have a go from deep in their own half. It does not come off after a poor pass from Seru Uru. They had numbers, it was on. Would Australia have punished the Lions? Update: Date: 41 mins Title: Post Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions The Lions are unable to claim the ball back from their own line-out. Maro Itoje does not look happy. Update: Date: 12:00 BST Title: Kick-off Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions We are back under way. Update: Date: 11:59 BST Title: Story of the half Content: HT: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Queensland Reds took the lead with an early try before Tommy Freeman replied for the Lions. Josh Flook's try restored the hosts' lead but Andrew Porter barged over to nudge the Lions ahead. Duhan van der Merwe's try in the left corner ensured the Lions went into the break with a hard-earned lead. Update: Date: 11:58 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcrugby, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Half-time and this game has some entertainment value, if only the Lions can get that cohesion in attacks. Defence looking quite good Anon Update: Date: 11:56 BST Title: Match stats Content: HT: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Reds - Lions Possession: 50%-50% Territory: 49%-51% Metres made: 122-262 Clean breaks: 2-4 Defenders beaten: 11-12 Turnovers conceded: 6-10 Tackles made/attempted: 71/83 - 88/99 Penalties conceded: 4-3 Update: Date: 11:54 BST Title: Offloading game continues to serve Lions well Content: HT: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Nigel RinglandBBC Sport at Suncorp Stadium Rather like the first half in Perth on Saturday, the Lions started out making a litany of mistakes but when you look at the scoreboard at half-time, they're ahead, scoring three converted tries in a similar vein to what they did against Western Force. They aren't getting discouraged when things don't work and are still pressing hard in attack with eight first-half offloads that has helped them build the lead. However, they won't be pleased with the number of turnovers. It's a gameplan that is exciting to watch but is high risk. However, they are sticking to it. Update: Date: 11:51 BST Title: High-tempo Lions Content: HT: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Chris JonesBBC rugby union correspondent Apart from the odd clearance, the Lions barely kicked the ball in that first half. They seem committed to playing a high-tempo and ambitious gameplan, but it is being compromised by handling errors and players not quite being on the same page. Will they continue with this style in the Test matches? Update: Date: 11:48 BST Title: Post Content: HT: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Andy Farrell will be pleased with his side's problem solving. It has not always gone to plan but they have regrouped well. Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell should only grow together from here. That looks like the Test nine and 10. Update: Date: 11:45 BST Title: Half-time - Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Content: The Lions are certainly in a game. Update: Date: 11:44 BST Title: Curry and Morgan very busy Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Ugo Monye2009 British and Irish Lion Tom Curry and Jac Morgan were quiet in Dublin against Argentina, but both are looking very busy here. It's far more competitive at the breakdown from both sides compared to the game against Western Force, which is suiting the Lions flankers. Update: Date: 39 mins Title: Post Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Ronan Kelleher drops a loose pass from Huw Jones. It was slightly high but the Lions had numbers. A likely try butchered. Update: Date: 11:42 BST Title: Daly playing his way into the Test team Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions Chris JonesBBC rugby union correspondent Elliot Daly went on this tour as a useful utility player, but he's currently playing his way into the Test match number 15 shirt. As usual from Daly it's nothing flashy, but he is knitting together the Lions attack really well in the wider channels. Both Blair Kinghorn and Hugo Keenan are top operators, but with neither yet to step foot on a pitch in Australia, Daly is seizing his chance. Update: Date: 11:42 BST Title: No try Content: Queensland Reds 12-21 Lions The ball goes dead before it is grounded. That all came from no-one taking the restart, which has been a theme. Rule number one after you score is deal with the restart.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Debutants galore as Lions change it up for Force battle
A total of nine players could make their British and Irish Lions debut in Saturday night's tour match against the Western Force, but Irish duo Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan will be given more time to recover. Lions coach Andy Farrell has named Irish and Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan as captain against the Force, while club teammates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van Der Flier will also make their debuts. A further four players are set to make their Lions debuts off the bench - England and Leicester Tigers lock Ollie Chessum, Scotland and Glasgow Warriors centre Huw Jones, Ireland and Leinster Rugby prop Andrew Porter and England and Bath Rugby prop Will Stuart. Irish scrumhalf Gibson-Park (glute) and fullback Keenan (calf) arrived in Australia with injury concerns and won't be risked against the Force. Farrell didn't mince his words following the Lions' shock 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin last weekend, and he's looking for a response against the Force. Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu and Irish forward Tadhg Beirne are the only two starters from the game against Argentina who have retained their place in the XV. Even if the Lions had beaten Argentina, Farrell would have still overhauled his side to get a better look at the 38-man squad at his disposal. "We have had a good week of training and all of the travel and time zone changes have been managed really well, so we are good to go," Farrell said. "Dan Sheehan gets the opportunity to lead the side against Western Force, which is a great honour for him and his family - so congratulations to Dan as he captains the side on his Lions debut. "We know the quality and experience the Force have and the opportunity to play against the Lions always brings out special performances from the Super Rugby sides, so we expect them to be at their best." The Lions beat the Force 69-17 at Subiaco Oval in 2013 when the teams last locked horns. But the Force are expected to be much stiffer competition this time around, with a crowd in excess of 45,000 expected at Optus Stadium. Although Kurtley Beale has been ruled out with the hamstring injury he suffered at training on Tuesday, the Force team boasts a wealth of current or former Wallabies. Ben Donaldson, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White and Dylan Pietsch have all been released from Wallabies camp to play against the Lions. LIONS XV: Elliot Daly (Saracens/England), Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland - capt), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland). RESERVES: Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England).
BreakingNews.ie
22-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan carry injuries as Lions land in Australia
The British and Irish Lions touched down in Australia with head coach Andy Farrell revealing there are lingering injury concerns over Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan. Farrell's squad arrived into Perth after a 20-hour journey from Dublin via Doha ahead of Saturday's opening fixture on Australian soil against the Western Force. Advertisement There is doubt over whether Ireland duo Gibson-Park and Keenan will be able to take part at Optus Stadium because of respective glute and calf problems, but Scotland centre Huw Jones has recovered from an Achilles issue and is available. Settling in for the long haul ✈️🇦🇺 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 22, 2025 'We'll see how they pull up in midweek,' Farrell said of Gibson-Park and Keenan. 'Huw Jones is good, he's been training. He trained fully with us last week so he's up and running.' Farrell confirmed that the team against Western Force will mostly be made up of players from Leinster, Bath and Leicester, who joined up with the Lions after last Saturday's United Rugby Championship and Gallagher Premiership finals. Advertisement There were no fresh injuries arising from Friday's 28-24 defeat by Argentina at the Aviva Stadium, with Farrell keen not to dwell on the disappointing tour send-off. Andy Farrell says the Lions will learn from their defeat to Argentina (Niall Carson/PA) 'We're here to build for what's going to be a fantastic Test series. We want to play some good rugby along the way,' he said. 'We'll find out more about each other as we keep on going. Of course we'll analyse what went on against Argentina and why, but that's all part of the journey – to understand where we need to go next. 'It's great to be here, this is what it's all about. We're here for a good time. Hopefully we can start this part of the tour off really well on Saturday.' Advertisement
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
IRFU's ‘A' Interprovincial Championship providing valuable game time for players
Last weekend Leinster won the reconstituted 'A' Interprovincial Championship by beating Ulster 35-21 at Gibson Park, a result that went unheralded in the media – not even worth a brief with the scoreline, never mind a report. The teams contained a liberal sprinkling of outstanding young talent alongside several names that will be familiar from the senior provincial match day squads. The IRFU relaunched the competition with a view to not only celebrating its 150th anniversary but also as a playing outlet going forward to provide game time. The IRFU's performance director David Humphreys said at the time: 'With the success of the Emerging Ireland tours, coupled with the return of an 'A' international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows. 'Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local clubs.' READ MORE Despite the lukewarm reaction from mainstream media and supporters, the tournament has proved to be a godsend for academy players in the four provinces, for whom the majority would otherwise have been largely limited to playing AIL club matches. Nothing wrong with that if a player is lining out in Division 1A but there's a significant drop-off in standard for every rung of the ladder beneath. There is no substitute for matches, where practice examines theory. All the training and gym work in the world can help to nurture, but won't refine, a player's rugby IQ. But matches, specifically URC and either Champions Cup or Challenge Cup, were in relatively short supply for many players in the four provincial academies. At the start of the 2024-2025 season there were 74 players listed in provincial academies across a three-year cycle. They were ascribed as follows: Leinster 22 (Year 1 – 10, Year 2 – 7, Year 3 – 5); Ulster 20 (7, 11, 2), Munster 19 (7, 6, 6) and Connacht 13 (4, 5, 4). In macro terms Connacht played the fewest academy players in URC and Challenge Cup games, three of 13 (23 per cent). Ulster, in URC and Champions Cup, gave competitive game time to five of 20 (25 per cent); Munster, likewise, to seven of 19 (37 per cent); while Leinster provided the most opportunities to academy players with 14 of 22 (64 per cent), seeing game time in URC and Champions Cup. Leinster academy hooker Gus McCarthy made his Ireland debut against Fiji in the November internationals. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Taken in an overall context, roughly 60 per cent of academy players in the four provinces – 45 out of 74 – did not see a single minute in either the URC or Champions and Challenge Cups in Europe. A magnificent seven first-year academy players played senior provincial tournament rugby, with the standout performer Ulster outhalf Jack Murphy, who notched 894 minutes across 13 matches with 11 starts. Four Leinster players, hooker Stephen Smyth (five games – 65 minutes), scrumhalf Oliver Coffey (two games – 14 minutes), wing Reuben Moloney (one – three minutes) and secondrow Alan Spicer (one – two minutes); one Munster player, hooker Danny Sheahan (one – 15 minutes); and two Ulster players – Murphy and centre Wilhelm de Klerk (two – 104 minutes) also managed the landmark achievement. US-born tight head prop Niall Smyth has gone from year-one academy to a senior contract for next season despite missing most of the season following shoulder surgery. There were other eye-catching numbers, not least Murphy's former Pres Bray team-mate Finn Treacy (eight matches – 489 minutes) who had a brilliant season with Connacht, while in Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy (14 – 583 minutes), who was also capped by Ireland, secondrow Diarmuid Mangan (12 – 667 minutes), wing Andrew Osborne (10 – 669 minutes) and centre Charlie Tector (10 – 589 minutes) all enhanced their status. It is germane to point out that Munster prop Darragh McSweeney, backrow Luke Murphy, centre Fionn Gibbons and prop Ronan Foxe had seasons curtailed by injury; so too prop Alex Usanov (Leinster) and secondrow Spicer (Leinster). The pointy end of the decision-making process comes in year three where, if a player hasn't already received a senior contract, it is the end of the line with the buffers in view. Only scrumhalf Jack Oliver of that cohort hasn't progressed at Munster, released early to take up a contract with the Glasgow Warriors. In Leinster, centre Ben Brownlee, Aitzol Arenzana-King and Rory McGuire leave the province, with the latter two heading for contracts with Richie Murphy's Ulster. The other year-three players, Mangan and Tector, have upgraded to senior contracts as have a plethora of year-twos in Munster and Leinster. The new intake to the academies will be announced shortly (Ulster have released five players) but, as this season has proved, trying to find space to expose them to elite-level rugby is a difficult challenge and for many a composite itinerary of A interpros and club matches will have to suffice. Leinster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Aitzol Arenzana-King (Year 3) 22 Wing 2 (1) 62 Ben Brownlee (3) 22 Centre 0 0 Oliver Coffey (1) 20 Scrumhalf 2 (0) 14 Hugh Cooney (2) 21 Centre 5 (4) 325 Billy Corrigan (1) 19 Secondrow/Backrow 0 0 Casper Gabriel (1) 20 Outhalf 0 0 Fintan Gunne (2) 21 Scrumhalf 12 (3) 368 Diarmuid Mangan (3) 22 Secondrow/Backrow 12 (8) 667 Gus McCarthy (2) 21 Hooker 14 (7) 583 Henry McErlean (2) 22 Fullback 2 (1) 80 Rory McGuire (3) 22 Prop 5 (0) 51 Hugo McLaughlin (1) 20 Fullback 0 0 Reuben Moloney (1) 21 Fullback 1 (0) 3 Liam Molony (2) 21 Flanker 0 0 Conor O'Tighearnaigh (2) 22 Secondrow 1 (1) 50 Andrew Osborne (2) 21 Wing 10 (9) 669 Niall Smyth (1) 19 Prop 0 0 Stephen Smyth (1) 20 Hooker 5 (0) 65 Andrew Sparrow (1) 20 Prop 0 0 Alan Spicer (1) 20 Secondrow 1 (0) 2 Charlie Tector (3) 23 Outhalf/Ccentre 10 (7) 589 Alex Usanov (1) 19 Prop 0 0 Munster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Max Clein (2) 21 Hooker 0 0 Seán Edogbo (1) 21 Backrow 0 0 Ronan Foxe (2) 22 Prop 3 (0) 15 Michael Foy (1) 19 Secondrow/Backrow 0 0 Fionn Gibbons (3) 22 Centre 0 0 George Hadden (2) 22 Prop 0 0 Dylan Hicks (2) 20 Outhalf 0 0 Shay McCarthy (2) 22 Wing 6 (3) 307 Darragh McSweeney (3) 22 Prop 0 0 Luke Murphy (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Evan O'Connell (3) 21 Secondrow 5 (3) 213 Ben O'Connor (2) 20 Fullback 7 (5) 414 Gene O'Leary Kareem (1) 19 Centre 0 0 Jake O'Riordan (1) 20 Scrumhalf 0 0 Jack Oliver (3) 22 Scrumhalf 0 0 Ruadhán Quinn (3) 21 Backrow 11 (2) 306 Kieran Ryan (3) 23 Prop 8 (0) 113 Danny Sheahan (1) 21 Hooker 1 (0) 15 Gordon Wood (1) 20 Centre 0 0 Ulster Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Sam Berman (1) 21 Centre 0 0 Jack Boal (2) 22 Prop 0 0 Jacob Boyd (2) 20 Prop 1 (1) 48 Tom Brigg (2) 20 Backrow 0 0 Wilhelm de Klerk (1) 20 Centre 2 (0) 104 Cameron Doak (2) 20 Prop 0 0 Ethan Graham (2) 21 Wing 0 0 Joe Hopes (3) 21 Secondrow 0 0 Charlie Irvine (2) 22 Secondrow 1 (1) 80 Lukas Kenny (2) 20 Wing 0 0 Clark Logan (1) 19 Scrumhalf 0 0 Ben McFarlane (2) 20 Fullback/wing 0 0 James McKillop (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Jack Murphy (1) 20 Outhalf 13 (11) 894 Jonny Scott (1) 20 Centre 0 0 Zac Solomon (2) 20 Hooker 0 0 Josh Stevens (2) 20 Backrow 0 0 Rory Telfer (3) Wing 4 (1) 151 Henry Walker (2) 19 Hooker 0 0 Bryn Ward (1) 20 Backrow 0 0 Connacht Age Position Matches (starts) Minutes Fiachna Barrett (2) 22 Prop 1 (0) 20 Billy Bohan (1) 19 Prop 0 0 John Devine (3) 21 Centre 0 0 Tomás Farthing (1) 19 Scrumhalf 0 0 Max Flynn (1) 20 Flanker 0 0 Daniel Hawkshaw (3) 23 Centre 0 0 Shane Mallon (3) 23 Wing 0 0 Éanna McCarthy (1) 20 No 8 0 0 Seán Naughton (2) 20 Outhalf 1 (0) 21 James Nicholson (2) 21 Fullback/Wing 0 0 Finn Treacy (2) 20 Wing/Centre 8 (7) 489 Matthew Victory (2) 21 Hooker 0 0 Harry West (3) 22 Outhalf 0 0
