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Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sam Warburton was left gobsmacked by 'dirty' moment in Lions match
Former British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton was shocked by one opponent's behaviour during their previous tour. During the squad's 2021 tour of South Africa, a rival player saw red for a shameful display of violence. As the Lions prepare for a potentially decisive Test match against Australia this Saturday, tensions are sure to rise in Melbourne. Yet it's unlikely supporters will see anything as underhanded as Jaden Hendrikse's assault on Liam Williams four years ago. Hendrikse, playing scrum-half for the Sharks and just 21 at the time, seemed eager to make an impression in the warm-up clash with the visiting side. But instead of showcasing skill, he left a more literal impact - delivering an illegal elbow to Williams' head after play had stopped. With the game tied at 26-all in the early stages of the second half, forward Dylan Richardson brought Williams down out of bounds. However, Hendrikse took things further, entering the fray and driving his elbow into the Welshman's head while he lay at the breakdown. "I'm stunned at that," said former Cardiff and Wales flanker Warburton, then working as a commentator for Sky Sports. "In this day and age, you think you can get away with that?" Warburton, who holds the record for most Test captaincies for Wales (49), made his living from being a master of the breakdown. And he did so with grace and decorum, despite his controversial dismissal against France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final. Jaden Hendrikse was once sent off against the Lions after the Sharks scrum-half elbowed Lia Williams in the head (Image: SuperSport) He wasn't the only one outraged by what happened that day in Pretoria. Ex-referee Nigel Owens also backed Wayne Barnes' decision to dismiss Hendrikse, after the incident was flagged by TMO Stuart Berry. Owens noted he might have issued a yellow card in the moment had he been officiating. Still, he ultimately accepted the red card given the nature of the offense. "I'm not surprised, to be honest," he added. "It may have not looked [like there was] much force in it, but it was needless. An elbow straight to the head – you don't want that type of thing. That's what we want out of the game. The game is tough as it is. I agree with that decision." Hendrikse followed through with his elbow when he thought no-one was watching (Image: SuperSport) Despite the controversy, the Lions had the final word, routing the Sharks 71-31 in the second of two consecutive matches. Hendrikse was later handed a three-week suspension for the incident - reduced from six weeks following his admission of guilt and formal apology. Now 25, Hendrikse has once again drawn criticism - this time for perceived gamesmanship. During the Sharks' recent URC penalty shootout triumph over Munster, the Springbok playmaker appeared to fake cramp, delaying Jack Crowley's kick, before flashing a cheeky wink. The moment went viral, with many accusing the half-back of poor conduct. Some fans defended it as part of the psychological edge in top-tier sport, but for many viewers - especially in Europe - it reinforced Hendrikse's reputation for controversy.
The South African
3 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Four 'new' players Springboks still want to test out
The Springboks now have a three-week break before the opening Test in the Rugby Championship, and coach Rassie Erasmus has already indicated that selections would be more consistent for that flagship tournament. However, even as Erasmus has cast his selection net far and wide, he has acknowledged that four players need to be brought into the mix at some point. Jordan Hendrikse The Sharks flyhalf did form part of the Springboks' alignment camps earlier this year, but he was then released as Handre Pollard, Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu covered duties at flyhalf. With Hendrikse having featured in two Tests last year, it's no surprise that Erasmus would like to see more of the 24-year-old at international level to see if he is someone who can remain on the road to the 2027 World Cup. Quan Horn The talented fullback has only had one Springbok appearance, off the bench against Portugal last July, and so there is no doubt that he is due for another opportunity. It's unlikely he will come into the mix at the start of the Rugby Championship, but perhaps he could be considered for the games against Argentina. Renzo du Plessis The dynamic flanker is undoubtedly an exciting prospect for the Springboks, and as they go in search of the next 'Kwagga Smith', Du Plessis certainly looks to be someone who would fit that bill. The 23-year-old has yet to earn a Springbok Test cap, but he is on the coaches' radar, and that opportunity should come sooner rather than later. Jaden Hendrikse In some ways, the older Hendrikse brother has become a bit of a forgotten Springbok after dropping down the pecking order as someone like Morne van den Berg has put his hand up for the Springboks. Hendrikse already has 20 Test caps to his name, but he has yet to feature this season, and so it will be interesting to see when he might be reintegrated. The Springboks return to action on 16 August at Ellis Park when they meet Australia in the Rugby Championship. 'We'll name 36 guys on Tuesday for the Australia series and within that squad there'll be one or two guys that we experiment with, but the bulk of that squad will be experienced players who are suited to the way we want to play,' Rassie Erasmus said. 'The nice thing is that we've got a group of 48 players or so that we've used this year and there's quite a couple that we'd also like to give opportunities to like Jaden (Hendrikse), Jordan (Hendrikse), Quan Horn, Renzo (du Plessis). 'But this was a series where we wanted to experiment a little bit so getting the scorelines we did is pretty satisfying. But the Rugby Championship is definitely a step up.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Rassie Erasmus to scale back on experimenting for Rugby Championship
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he would revert to a more settled squad for the Rugby Championship after completing the July series with a nine try romp against Georgia at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. Erasmus said he was satisfied with the 55-10 result, but attributed a stop-start performance to having rotated the squad throughout the four-match series (including the non-Test match against Barbarians). In the three matches since the opener against the invitational team in Cape Town, the Springbok selectors made 10, 15 and 16 personnel changes in successive weeks. 'We're fairly happy if you look over the four games,' said Erasmus. 'We scored close to 50 points in each match and apart from the first Italy Test defended pretty well. 'Georgia were physical and disruptive but that's not an excuse for us making so many errors, but I guess we must understand that if we chop and change teams like we have as we're building squad depth, you'll lose rhythm. 'We found that again in the last 20 minutes and we can be fairly happy with the scoreline although one can always do better.' The Springboks now have a three-week break before the opening Test in the Rugby Championship with Erasmus indicating selection would be more consistent. 'We'll name 36 guys on Tuesday for the Australia series and within that squad there'll be one or two guys that we experiment with, but the bulk of that squad will be experienced players who are suited to the way we want to play,' he said. 'The nice thing is that we've got a group of 48 players or so that we've used this year and there's quite a couple that we'd also like to give opportunities to like Jaden (Hendrikse), Jordan (Hendrikse), Quan Horn, Renzo (du Plessis). 'But this was a series where we wanted to experiment a little bit so getting the scorelines we did is pretty satisfying. But the Rugby Championship is definitely a step up.' It was the Springboks' second successive victory by a margin of 45 points – following the previous week's 45-0 win over Italy – and took the try tally to 22 in the three Incoming Series Tests with just four conceded. Starting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed four conversions from five attempts but Erasmus revealed that the player suffered a hip pointer injury in the warm-up. 'We weren't quite sure if we should push him through the game, but he wanted to play but that's not an excuse for the way he kicked at poles,' the Springbok coach said. 'He ran it out and we like guys that try things and not just play safe and he's certainly not of the guys that made the most errors.' The Springboks return to action on 16 August at Ellis Park when they meet Australia in the Rugby Championship. 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.
IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus 'fairly happy' with stuttering defeat of Georgia in Mbombela
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said his team's misfiring performance in beating Georgia 55-10 at Mbombela on Saturday was largely due to his policy of rotating players throughout their four-match block that precedes the Rugby Championship. Erasmus has given game time to more than 30 players in games against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia as he deepens his depth ahead of matches next month against Australia (twice) and then New Zealand (twice) in September before finishing with two matches against Argentina. In the three matches since the opener against the Baabaas in Cape Town on June 28, the Bok selectors have made 10, 15 and 16 personnel changes in successive weeks as they get newcomers up to speed. 'We're fairly happy if you look over the four games,' said Erasmus. 'We scored close to 50 points in each match and apart from the first Italy Test, we defended pretty well. 'Georgia were physical and disruptive, but that's not an excuse for us making so many errors, but I guess we must understand that if we chop and change teams like we have, while we're building squad depth, you'll lose rhythm. 'We found cohesion in the last 20 minutes and we can be fairly happy with the scoreline, although one can always do better.' The Springboks have a three-week break before the opening Test in the Rugby Championship, with Erasmus indicating selection will be more consistent. 'We'll name 36 guys on Tuesday for the Australia series, and within that squad there'll be one or two guys that we experiment with, but the bulk of that squad will be experienced players who are suited to the way we want to play,' he said. 'The nice thing is that we've got a group of 48 players or so that we've used this year, and there are quite a few that we'd also like to give opportunities to, like Jaden (Hendrikse), Jordan (Hendrikse), Quan Horn, and Renzo (du Plessis). 'But this was a series where we wanted to experiment a little bit so getting the scorelines we did is pretty satisfying. But the Rugby Championship will definitely be a step up.' It was the Boks' second successive victory by a margin of 45 points – following the previous week's 45-0 win over Italy – and took the try tally to 22 in the three Tests with just four conceded. Starting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed four conversions from five attempts but Erasmus revealed that the player suffered a hip pointer injury in the warm-up. 'We weren't quite sure if we should push him through the game, but he wanted to play but that's not an excuse for the way he kicked at the posts,' the Bok coach said. 'He ran it out and we like guys that try things and not just play safe and he certainly was not one of the guys that made the most errors.' The Springboks return to action on 16 August at Ellis Park when they meet Australia in the Rugby Championship.
The Irish Sun
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I live life on the edge' – Watch Peter O'Mahony storm off after wife Jessica startles him while gardening
JESSICA O'Mahony joked she "lives life on the edge" after nearly ending Peter's via a heart attack. She pranked him perfectly by initially stalking him in their garden like a tiger pursuing its prey. 4 Poor Peter was minding his own business while working away with his leaf blower Credit: @jeskaomahony 4 Not even he was able to look tough in the moment of truth Credit: @jeskaomahony 4 He was less than impressed after she'd spooked him Credit: @jeskaomahony 4 So much so that he stormed off Credit: @jeskaomahony The 35-year-old may be a hulking figure known for being tough even by rugby standards - but he's still not immune from getting startled. And so it proved as he nearly jumped out of his crocs before throwing a death stare her way that was usually reserved for only the tetchiest moments of his Munster and Ireland career. He did of course play his final competitive game in Technically he does still have one game left before he hangs up his boots as Read More On Irish Sport But Only last week he Unfortunately, that weekend was wide open on account of his career with Munster being brought to a painful end in Durban. In spite of an almighty effort across 100 minutes, Most read in Rugby Union After drawing 24-24, neither side could find a winning score in extra-time. The game boiled down to kicks from the 15- and 10-metre lines, where Rory Scannell missed his effort. Inside Leinster's boozy celebrations as stars dance on team bus while leaving Croke Park as URC champs The Sharks kicked all six of their attempts. It was also Afterwards captain Munster took the lead after nine minutes when The game burst into life after the break and Sharks' Ethan Hooker cut in from the right, weaving around the Munster defence to score, with Hendrikse converting and then adding a penalty. Fineen Wycherley squeezed through a gap to cross, with Crowley's kick successful. The Reds extended their lead when Sharks were unable to defend Mike Haley's kick, allowing Diarmuid Kilgallen to pounce. But Sharks pulled a try back when Aphelele Fassi crossed, with Hendrikse converting. Fez Mbatha then struck, as Hendrikse again added the extras. Murray's monster penalty levelled matters at 24-24 to send the game to extra time. Beirne added: 'I'm massively proud of the boys. We fought to the bitter end.'
