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Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Gerry Thornley: As Lions phoney war nears an end, Irish players push hard to dominate first Test line-up
If Andy Farrell and the British & Irish Lions squad were a tad concerned about another patchy performance in beating the Brumbies 36-24 , they certainly weren't inclined to show it. Not long after the players' adapted version of Rockin' All Over The World had reverberated from the away dressing room in the Gio Stadium, the Lions head coach cut a relatively sanguine figure about the state of his team just 10 days' out from the first Test. Tadhg Furlong of the Lions powers through a tackle against Brumbies in Canberra, Australia. Photograph:'It is good, we get a good blend of different stuff every single week that gets thrown at us,' said Farrell after their fourth win out of four on Australian soil, even if this shadow Test side ought really to have won more convincingly. 'It is good preparation for what is going to be a fantastic Test in 10 days' time. I thought our game control was pretty good which allowed us to keep the pressure on at the right end of the field, so that is a step forward.' Watching on from behind a glass screen somewhere in the ground alongside Laurie Fisher, Farrell's counterpart Joe Schmidt was positively beaming when the camera picked him out, perhaps in response to something his assistant had said. READ MORE For the fourth game running, the Australian opposition made the breakdown an issue for the Lions and despite scoring three nice tries and playing some eye-catching rugby, this has disrupted the flow of the tourists' game. At times, it seems as if not enough players are committing to the breakdown, but either way Schmidt's Wallabies will be even more inclined to flood that area after witnessing the Lions four matches to date. Ireland impress as the Lions struggle Listen | 26:21 Farrell effectively admitted this is a concern for him. 'As far as the breakdown is concerned, we knew that was going to be the case,' he said. 'Historically Australia have always gone hard at the breakdown and if anyone analyses the way we have been playing, that is what you would do. 'The pressure at the breakdown is no surprise to us. Sometimes it is a mess, we have got to make sure we keep asking for clarity as far as that is concerned . . . but first things first, we need to look after our own ruck.' Farrell perhaps took some comfort too, along with frustration, in the knowledge that the Lions really should have won more emphatically. The Lions' Jack Conan is tackled by Liam Bowron of the Brumbies. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho 'Overall, bigger picture stuff, I thought we dominated the game. If you got the game and fast forwarded through it you would see that. On the back of that we scored some lovely balanced tries, but the other side of the story is we certainly left three out there and maybe more. That kept the Brumbies in the game and they were good enough to be able to capitalise on some of our errors and disciplined to score some points themselves. Plenty to do obviously.' The possibility of an all-Irish front-row is not out of the question Perhaps Farrell has also had enough of this phoney war. Asked if he thought these somewhat low-key warm-up games - and this was another relatively flat atmosphere - might be an ominous portent, Farrell maintained: 'No, not at all. You wait. You wait until everyone comes to terms and see what builds up in regards to the first Test etc . . . It's going to be fantastic.' One ventures too that Farrell had a fairly good idea as to the composition of his team for that match, and even more so now. That said, there remain conundrums, not least fullback, a jersey which continues to have some bad luck attached to it. [ Kangaroo leaves Ronan O'Gara speechless as never-ending Lions tour trundles on Opens in new window ] Blair Kinghorn went off in the 25th minute with a knee injury, but needless to say Farrell couldn't shed much light on the extent of this problem ahead of an early Thursday morning flight to Adelaide. But the door must be ajar now for Hugo Keenan in the expectation that he starts on Saturday against the AUNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide. It still looks like a close call between Tommy Freeman and Mack Hansen, who will have caught Farrell's eye with his cameo on his old stomping ground, covering across his wing to save a try and being centrally involved in the final attack. On the premise that it's one national pairing or the other, the Bundee Aki-Garry Ringrose combination looks to be in pole position over the Scottish duo after this showing, and while Farrell would like to have seen Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell play more than twice together, the third time will surely be on Saturday week. The possibility of an all-Irish front-row is not out of the question given it still looks a close call between Andrew Porter and Ellis Genge, while Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy also appear set to play together for just a third time in the first Test. That said, Ollie Chessum's strong performance and the option of Tadhg Beirne means that is not nailed on, although the latter is perhaps weary after a very heavy season. Jack Conan led both the Lions' carrying and tackle counts with 17 and 14. He looks set to continue his hold on the Lions Test '8' jersey. But despite setting up one try, in the light of Tom Curry twice coughing up possession when forcing passes, Josh van der Flier still appears to be the better fit in Farrell's team at '7'. Possible Lions Test team : Keenan; Freeman, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong; Itoje (capt), McCarthy; Chessum, Van der Flier, Conan. Replacements: Kelleher, Genge, Stuart, Beirne, Pollock, Mitchell, M Smith, Hansen.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘You have to realise it comes to an end': But Johnny Sexton enjoying new phase as a coach after stellar career
ACT Brumbies v British & Irish Lions Venue : Gio Stadium, Canberra Kick-off : 8pm local time/11am Irish time On TV : Live on Sky Sports Johnny Sexton was a non-playing member of the Lions squad when they last visited Canberra a dozen years ago and the tourists suffered a first loss to Australian provincial opposition in 40 years. He'll be back in the stands at the Gio Stadium as part of the tourists' coaching ticket and, recalling the cold of that night, will most likely be wearing every layer of clothes he has. READ MORE 'It was a tough game that night. We had a lot of disruption with a lot of new players coming in. I think we brought maybe five guys in fresh into the team. There wasn't a lack of effort, but we couldn't get a performance out there that warranted a victory,' he said of the 2013 game. More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for what will be the biggest attendance at a Brumbies home game this season on Wednesday – albeit the National Rugby League (NRL) have put the State of Origin on at the same time – but that night in 2013 serves as a reminder of the hurt for all those involved for the Lions . 'I remember what happened 12 years ago, I remember what happened 24 years ago,' Sexton said, the latter reference being to the Lions' dramatic 30-28 win in 2001. 'These games stick in people's memories despite it not being as important as the Test. So, you've got to make the most of every opportunity you have in the jersey.' On a chilly, if sunny Australian winter afternoon now, Sexton has been overseeing the Lions' array of kickers: Finn Russell, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Blair Kinghorn, Owen Farrell and Jamison Gibson-Park. Time was, until less than two years ago and for almost two decades beforehand, when Sexton would have been practising his kicking and getting his bearings of another away stadium. Does he miss it? 'Of course. I think I'll miss it until the day I die,' he said candidly with a wry smile. 'But you have to realise that it comes to an end one day and now I'm here to help the guys who are here. I'm enjoying it so far.' In the latter stages of his playing career, Sexton assumed more responsibility, becoming captain of his province and of his country as well as the outhalf strategist and placekicker. Now he does none of those things and one would imagine it must be difficult to adapt to such a comparatively hands-off role. British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell, left, and assistant coach Johnny Sexton before Saturday's Lions match against Waratahs in Sydney. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA 'For this tour in particular, no, it's not, because I knew the role I was going into. With Ireland the role will be a little bit different – there might be a bit more responsibility. That is something to get my teeth into, but what that is I don't know yet. Andy [Farrell, Lions and Ireland head coach] has been a bit busy for the last six months to decide. Hopefully, step-by-step, I will build up responsibility and have some areas to be passionate about and be involved in. 'But for now it is about helping these guys out. Whether it is the 10s, whether it is the kickers, or if Maro [Itoje, Lions captain] needs what I think about certain things. He hasn't asked me about dealing with the refs yet,' said Sexton with a laugh in acknowledgment of his own sometimes-fraught relationship with referees. 'I'm still waiting, and I might be waiting a long time. Maybe he'll ask on the plane on the way home.' Owen Farrell was a replacement here 12 years ago and a Test team-mate of Sexton's and unsurprisingly he gave a ringing endorsement of Farrell jnr's call-up. 'He's already up to speed, with how he has trained. He came off the plane and knew the plays and everything that was going on. He has trained really well today. You can see the touches he had and you could see how he was helping the number 10s, because he was at 12 today, in the bibs team, as we call them, the second team. He carved us open a couple of times. Lions player Owen Farrell during the Captain's Run training session on Tuesday in Canberra. Photograph: Billy Stickland/INPHO 'So, we can see the value that he's going to bring for the rest of the tour. How could you not bring him? He's a world-class player. I know he's had a little bit of injury, but so has Sione [Tuipulotu] and so has Huw Jones.' Sexton recalled Seán O'Brien being picked in 2017 and playing himself into form and fitness, akin to himself on that tour. 'Experience is experience. He's a world-class player. Look at what he's won. He's not just a guy who has hung on to the coattails of other people, he's the one who has been driving those teams. He's been fantastic to have in camp and I'm sure he's going to add loads for the rest of the tour.' Nor did he see Farrell's call-up undermining morale among the other outhalves in the squad, while also hinting he will be a contender for inside centre. 'Well, I know from playing 10 that if he's at 12 it's a dream. It helps you and makes your job easier. He's another organiser and another playmaker who can control the game. He's a leader. I could see the excitement on the 10s' faces when he was picked.' Sexton also recalled his own disappointment, rather than relief, when Jonny Wilkinson was not part of the 2013 Lions. 'I presume that's what it's like now for the other guys here. They want to learn from the best. I can see the relationship he [Farrell] has with Finn Russell and it must be from four years ago because they seem to get on really well. I can't see any negative from bringing him out.' ACT Brumbies : Andy Muirhead; Ben O'Donnell, Ollie Sapsford, David Feliuai, Corey Toole; Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan (capt); Lington Ieli, Lachlan Lonergan, Rhys van Nek, Lachie Shaw, Cadeyrn Neville, Tom Hooper, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima. Replacements : Liam Bowron, Cameron Orr, Feao Fotuaika, Lachie Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton. British & Irish Lions : Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland). Replacements : Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England), Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England), Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland). Referee : Pierre Brousset (FFR) Forecast : The Lions shadow Test side to have a statement win
