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South Wales Argus
20 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Lilli Ives Campion relishing opportunity of home Rugby World Cup
The Red Roses second row made her first Test start for England during the Guinness Six Nations and is part of the 42-player squad that is currently preparing for the 2025 World Cup. She is the youngest forward in the squad, with the likes of Abbie Ward, skipper Zoe Aldcroft and Rosie Galligan among those who are battling for places in her position. With that level of competition for places, the intensity in training is ferocious and Ives Campion is desperate to ensure she does everything in her power to make the final squad that will look to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with the final set to be held at Allianz Stadium on September 27. She said: 'It's been pretty intense, probably one of the most intense things I've done so far. But there is a real sense of togetherness so when it does get tough, it's really nice as a group that we can come together and battle through. We've been really tested a few times now, so it's been good. 'That decision (over selection) will happen but it's what can I do between now and then to put myself in the best possible position to be picked for that squad? You have to be where you are and embrace that and then that is the bigger picture. Whatever will be, will be. I need to go out there and do my best, whatever that looks like, whether it is gym or training. 'I remember watching the World Cup in Ireland in 2017 on TV at home. It was the first time I think I'd ever watched women's rugby on TV. I was playing but just for my local club, I didn't really know anything about rugby at that point. The thought of a home World Cup is so incredible and such a rare opportunity. The impact it is going to have on the game and girls going forward is incredible so I'd love to be involved in that.' Ives Campion, who plays her club rugby for Loughborough Lightning, has enjoyed a rapid rise, going from playing for England Under-20s last summer to being part of the England squad that triumphed in WXV at the end of last year. That came after she had made her Red Roses debut in a warm-up match against France, with Ives Campion then making a first start against Italy earlier this year as England won a seventh successive Six Nations title. It proved to be her only appearance in the tournament, with Ives Campion then taking on a different role of helping her teammates prepare for the remaining four matches, but she is trying to take as much as possible from every training session with her more experienced colleagues. She added: 'That (Italy game) was incredible. Coming into that week, I was super excited and I think it's actually quite nice to start a game. You have nerves with the anthem but the minute the ball is kicked, you lock into the game rather than on the bench, you can sit and watch the nerves just build up and build up. 'My role post-Italy was very much prepping the team, how can I best perform that role for the team? I really embraced that over the few weeks. I feel like I learn a lot. When you see the competition in my position, I'm still only 21 and I have so much to learn. So to have eight weeks like that, it's really important to learn.' Those lessons were learned and it is now a case of trying to put them into practice to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Lilli Ives Campion relishing opportunity of home Rugby World Cup
The Red Roses second row made her first Test start for England during the Guinness Six Nations and is part of the 42-player squad that is currently preparing for the 2025 World Cup. She is the youngest forward in the squad, with the likes of Abbie Ward, skipper Zoe Aldcroft and Rosie Galligan among those who are battling for places in her position. With that level of competition for places, the intensity in training is ferocious and Ives Campion is desperate to ensure she does everything in her power to make the final squad that will look to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with the final set to be held at Allianz Stadium on September 27. She said: 'It's been pretty intense, probably one of the most intense things I've done so far. But there is a real sense of togetherness so when it does get tough, it's really nice as a group that we can come together and battle through. We've been really tested a few times now, so it's been good. 'That decision (over selection) will happen but it's what can I do between now and then to put myself in the best possible position to be picked for that squad? You have to be where you are and embrace that and then that is the bigger picture. Whatever will be, will be. I need to go out there and do my best, whatever that looks like, whether it is gym or training. 'I remember watching the World Cup in Ireland in 2017 on TV at home. It was the first time I think I'd ever watched women's rugby on TV. I was playing but just for my local club, I didn't really know anything about rugby at that point. The thought of a home World Cup is so incredible and such a rare opportunity. The impact it is going to have on the game and girls going forward is incredible so I'd love to be involved in that.' Ives Campion, who plays her club rugby for Loughborough Lightning, has enjoyed a rapid rise, going from playing for England Under-20s last summer to being part of the England squad that triumphed in WXV at the end of last year. That came after she had made her Red Roses debut in a warm-up match against France, with Ives Campion then making a first start against Italy earlier this year as England won a seventh successive Six Nations title. It proved to be her only appearance in the tournament, with Ives Campion then taking on a different role of helping her teammates prepare for the remaining four matches, but she is trying to take as much as possible from every training session with her more experienced colleagues. She added: 'That (Italy game) was incredible. Coming into that week, I was super excited and I think it's actually quite nice to start a game. You have nerves with the anthem but the minute the ball is kicked, you lock into the game rather than on the bench, you can sit and watch the nerves just build up and build up. 'My role post-Italy was very much prepping the team, how can I best perform that role for the team? I really embraced that over the few weeks. I feel like I learn a lot. When you see the competition in my position, I'm still only 21 and I have so much to learn. So to have eight weeks like that, it's really important to learn.' Those lessons were learned and it is now a case of trying to put them into practice to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Lilli Ives Campion relishing opportunity of home Rugby World Cup
Lilli Ives Campion is just 21 years old but she knows that the opportunity to play at World Cup on home soil will likely not come around again. The Red Roses second row made her first Test start for England during the Guinness Six Nations and is part of the 42-player squad that is currently preparing for the 2025 World Cup. She is the youngest forward in the squad, with the likes of Abbie Ward, skipper Zoe Aldcroft and Rosie Galligan among those who are battling for places in her position. With that level of competition for places, the intensity in training is ferocious and Ives Campion is desperate to ensure she does everything in her power to make the final squad that will look to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014, with the final set to be held at Allianz Stadium on September 27. She said: 'It's been pretty intense, probably one of the most intense things I've done so far. But there is a real sense of togetherness so when it does get tough, it's really nice as a group that we can come together and battle through. We've been really tested a few times now, so it's been good. 'That decision (over selection) will happen but it's what can I do between now and then to put myself in the best possible position to be picked for that squad? You have to be where you are and embrace that and then that is the bigger picture. Whatever will be, will be. I need to go out there and do my best, whatever that looks like, whether it is gym or training. 'I remember watching the World Cup in Ireland in 2017 on TV at home. It was the first time I think I'd ever watched women's rugby on TV. I was playing but just for my local club, I didn't really know anything about rugby at that point. The thought of a home World Cup is so incredible and such a rare opportunity. The impact it is going to have on the game and girls going forward is incredible so I'd love to be involved in that.' Ives Campion, who plays her club rugby for Loughborough Lightning, has enjoyed a rapid rise, going from playing for England Under-20s last summer to being part of the England squad that triumphed in WXV at the end of last year. That came after she had made her Red Roses debut in a warm-up match against France, with Ives Campion then making a first start against Italy earlier this year as England won a seventh successive Six Nations title. It proved to be her only appearance in the tournament, with Ives Campion then taking on a different role of helping her teammates prepare for the remaining four matches, but she is trying to take as much as possible from every training session with her more experienced colleagues. She added: 'That (Italy game) was incredible. Coming into that week, I was super excited and I think it's actually quite nice to start a game. You have nerves with the anthem but the minute the ball is kicked, you lock into the game rather than on the bench, you can sit and watch the nerves just build up and build up. 'My role post-Italy was very much prepping the team, how can I best perform that role for the team? I really embraced that over the few weeks. I feel like I learn a lot. When you see the competition in my position, I'm still only 21 and I have so much to learn. So to have eight weeks like that, it's really important to learn.' Those lessons were learned and it is now a case of trying to put them into practice to earn a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Tommy O'Brien: 'I don't want to be a one-cap wonder'
All things going to plan, Tommy O'Brien should become a full Ireland international in the next two weeks. It's been a long time coming for the 27-year-old. The fact that it's taken the Blackrock man so long to nail down his place in Leinster's starting XV has been more down to his injury record than any lack of will or ability. Just over six months ago, he made what would have been a bold statement when he said he believed he just needed a run of games to prove to the Irish coaches he was ready to make the step up to Test rugby. He's backed up that talk. At the time, he was priming himself for a return from a hamstring injury which sidelined him for three months. He cruelly picked up the injury in the process of scoring a try in Leinster's opening game of the BKT United Rugby Championship away to Edinburgh, and it was one that ruled him out of the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa. The Irish coaches showed faith in him by giving him a chance to impress for Ireland A against England A towards the end of February and he impressed enough to be brought into the wider senior squad later in the Guinness Six Nations. His form since then has been as good as any winger in Ireland, starting nine of Leinster's final 13 games of the season, scoring three tries and establishing himself as first choice on the right wing for the province, with a highlight reel of moments in both attack and defence. "I've loved my rugby the last few months," the wing said this week, ahead of Ireland's summer Tests in Tbilisi and Lisbon. "I love just getting a run of games. It's something I haven't really had in my career, getting an extended period of games, and thankfully that tied in with the [URC] trophy. "I guess I've known what I can do in training, but it's obviously behind closed doors so the general public wouldn't see it, but I had a bit of confidence in what I was doing, and the fact you're training in Leinster with such high level players, such international quality players, I took a bit of confidence from that and I felt I just needed to get a chance to get a couple of games under my belt." Despite missing three months with that hamstring injury, the 12 games he played for Leinster this season are the most he's ever logged in a season, with his injury history limiting him to just 31 games in the previous five campaign. If there is a silver lining to O'Brien's (below) injury this season, it's that he's coming into the summer feeling fresh rather than fatigued. "It probably is something that potentially stood to me. I think I played 13 or 14 games this year where some guys would be in the 20s. "It's not something I'd trade, I would rather play the 20-something games, but it's almost as if my season started in February or whenever I started playing games. So I'm enjoying that now and the body's feeling good. "Injuries-wise I guess it was weird, I always would have been able to come back and have full faith - it's probably a credit to all the physios - but I never really felt coming back that I was running at 80% or 75% or whatever. "Once I was back, I felt like I had full confidence in myself to be able to do whatever I felt like I needed to do." Now that he's in the Ireland squad, he's planning to stay there. With 16 Ireland regulars currently away on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, this summer's squad has an inexperienced feel to it, and O'Brien is one of 12 uncapped players in the squad of 32, which will be captained by Craig Casey and coached by Paul O'Connell. And having got a taste of international rugby for Ireland A in February (below), he believes he's ready for the real thing, either on the wing or at centre. "I definitely don't want to be a one-cap wonder. Hopefully this is the start for me now of being in this squad and pushing for places. "Obviously, there's guys away, Lowey [James Lowe] and Mack [Hansen] are away with the Lions, so there's two wingers there for Ireland, but I want to try stake a claim and make myself a mainstay in this squad and try to push [for a place in future squads]. "Obviously there's this summer tour and then you've November internationals and Six Nations and stuff. "I'm dying to play a game for Ireland, so wherever they play me, I'll happily play. "I think I probably have been viewed more as a winger at the moment, but if it's wing, if it's centre, if it's the 23 role, yeah, I'm happy to play wherever. "It's what you dream of as a kid, getting to represent your country. There's 12 of us in here who haven't done it yet, so fingers crossed now as many of them can get that first cap."
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ben Murphy: Stuart Lancaster can bring Connacht to next level
Ben Murphy believes Stuart Lancaster can take Connacht to the next level when he takes over as head coach next season. The former England and Racing 92 head coach was confirmed as Connacht's new boss on a two-year deal earlier this month, replacing Pete Wilkins who stepped down in May following a period of sick leave. Murphy briefly crossed paths with his new coach at Leinster when he was in the academy and Lancaster was part of the senior coaching staff. And the scrum-half says news of his appointment has generated a lot of "excitement" in the province's squad, as they look to get back on track following a 13th place finish in the URC last season. "I didn't feel we were too far away from being very good. And I think Stu has the ability to take us to that next step," Murphy said. "He's been left a good foundation by the staff that were there last year but were ready to take that next step obviously next year. "Any dealings I had with him, I've always had massive respect for him and I think you can see the development in the likes of a lot of the [British and Irish] Lions who've gone in, who've worked with him in Leinster. "How he's brought them up from 19, 20-year olds to now hopefully Lions internationals in a few weeks. "He is very good, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch in building leadership skills and driving a team so I'm looking forward to hopefully picking his brain a bit on that." Murphy left Leinster last summer to join Connacht, and while the 24-year-old's signing had gone under the radar at the time, he was a revelation at the province in his debut season, scoring nine tries in 16 games. That form saw him called into the Ireland squad a training panellist for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations, and he's now likely to make his Ireland debut in the coming weeks as part of the tour of Georgia and Portugal. Although very few would have had him on the Ireland radar 12 months ago, the Bray native insists he had been quietly targeting this summer, having expected so many Irish players to be away with Andy Farrell's Lions squad. "From the outside looking in it probably would have been far-fetched but I kind of felt that with the movements this year, Lions year and all that, that there was going to be an opportunity for a young scrum-half to come into the squad and I just wanted to put my best foot forward to be the one to be in that position. "Thankfully I got an opportunity earlier with Connacht. I've managed to push forward and get into the squad so delighted." Murphy (below) is one of 12 uncapped players in the squad of 32, coached by Paul O'Connell, and while he's still very much a new face in this group, he's grateful for getting the chance to dip his toe into the Ireland squad back in January. "Yeah it definitely feels a little bit more comfortable because you've had them experiences. "Whether I was a training panellist or whether I'm in the normal squad you go out to train in the same way, try and earn your opportunity to play, that hasn't really changed. I suppose in that aspect its been similar but I think those experiences have helped me. "There's not a whole lot of experience in the group but the lads who've been in for the last couple of years, obviously Craig [Casey] as captain has been great, he's been great to myself and Doaky [Nathan Doak] as well. "I've worked with both 10s before, they're very good at setting up the team and getting their messages across. And then there's obviously lads like [Ryan] Baird, Stuart McCloskey, who've been around for a little bit longer again. "I think there's a really good mix of that experience and then I feel that with so many new caps or potential new caps that brings a bit of enthusiasm as well which I think all together is a good mix."
