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Wales Online
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Today's rugby news as five All Blacks picked to topple Lions and Farrell warned upset is coming
Today's rugby news as five All Blacks picked to topple Lions and Farrell warned upset is coming The latest rugby news stories from Wales and beyond Former Wallaby James Horwill (Image:for Rugby Australia ) Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, July 2. Five All Blacks to face Lions The British and Irish Lions will face five All Blacks in one of the most anticipated matches of the tour, it has been confirmed. Andy Farrell's men are slated to play a combined Australia and New Zealand team on Saturday, July 12, with some huge names now being officially announced. Shannon Frizell, Shaun Stevenson, David Havili, Folau Fakatava and Ngani Laumape are all now confirmed to be taking part. Talented Blues prop Joshua Fusitu'a is also included. The identities of the Australian players are yet to be revealed with Joe Schmidt still trying to work out which players he will definitely want to be part of his Test squad for the series that begins a week later. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. 'There is plenty of excitement about this fixture, and that's been demonstrated by the number of quality international players eager to be involved,' said Rugby Australia Director of High Performance, Peter Horne. 'We are delighted with the quality of the New Zealand contingent announced today and look forward to naming more players as the squad comes together. Article continues below 'We want this team to entertain the big Adelaide crowd and provide the Lions with a tough contest as they head into their three-Test series with the Wallabies. 'The last time the Lions played a combined Australia-New Zealand side, it went right down to the wire – and we're hoping to deliver another competitive contest.' The squad will assemble in Adelaide this coming weekend to prepare for the match, which will likely be the Lions' sternest test before the main event begins. Lions warned of shock upset Former Australia captain James Horwill believes the Lions are in for a big shock against Wallabies, no matter what the bookmakers say. The tourists are big favourites to win the Test series, which begins on July 19, but Horwill, who was Australia captain against the Lions 12 years ago, believes the underrated Wallabies have the size, pace and X-factor to cause a major upset. "The expectation of our national team is that they win and win regularly," Horwill told the BBC. "We want some good performances and I'm hopeful and confident that the Wallabies can get the job done. "Depending on how [Wallaby head coach] Joe Schmidt goes with selection, I think we might have size in the back five [second and back rows]. "In Rob Valetini and Harry Wilson we have two genuine world-class eights. "I think Fraser McReight will be the starting number seven and he is a difference maker for us. "He's an out-and-out fetcher but also is that link between the forwards and the backs. "On the northern hemisphere tour last year, the only game McReight didn't play was the defeat against Scotland and Australia just didn't have the same flow, understanding or functionality. "He's a key player for us." Tour will help unfamiliar squad learn to play 'the Irish way' Assistant coach Denis Leamy feels the summer tour to Georgia and Portugal will help the new members of the squad soon settle into 'playing the Irish way'. With 16 Ireland players involved with the British and Irish Lions and regular skipper Caelan Doris sidelined, Munster scrum-half Craig Casey will lead a youthful squad into the two Tests. Ireland tackle Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday, then take on Portugal a week later in Lisbon. With Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and some of his assistants away leading the Lions in Australia, forwards coach Paul O'Connell is in temporary charge of the team. Munster defence coach Leamy – who is supporting O'Connell along with Mike Prendergast and Colm Tucker – feels the two Test matches offer the perfect opportunity for the uncapped players to make a lasting impression. 'It is about implementing old and new into the Irish gameplan and playing the Irish way, seeing how players do in this environment and how they can produce big efforts and big performances,' Leamy said at a press conference in Dublin. 'It is about building that catalogue of experience with those players and giving them a feel of what Test rugby looks like. 'Obviously we are missing a big chunk of the players who have gone to Australia with the Lions, but it is a great opportunity for the boys coming in to show what they can do. Article continues below 'It will be very, very similar if not the same (as under Farrell), so that is the plan.'
Wales Online
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Graham Price: The Lions putting hands up for Test places and the 'tactical weapon' Wales face in Japan
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A win is a win and it comfortably got the show back on the road again after the Lions' loss in opening game to Argentina. A 54-7 scoreline appeared to be a satisfying result on the surface - it appeared to be a very comprehensive performance. The Lions will meet stiffer opposition than Western Force as the tour progresses but they certainly made sure that the Lions didn't have it all their own way. If you examine the statistics you will see that they compare favourably with the Lions and they asked a few questions that the Lions will need answers to before they meet Australia in the first Test. The performance in the first half was rather inconsistent. Both teams had been keeping the ball in play for long periods of time. This had a telling effect in the second half once Western Force started to run out of steam and, in particular, when the substitutes came on. The Lions started to play with greater composure and, consequently, there was a marked improvement. Western Force exposed areas of our play in need of improvement particularly in respect of our defence and discipline. I'm sure Andy Farrell would have been appalled at the number of penalties we gave away. All the teams we will face on the tour will use the same strategy of keeping the ball in play for long periods. However, they will be fitter, faster and more capable of making better use of the opportunities than Western Force. We will, therefore, need to improve our game significantly. Regarding the competition for places in the Test team, a few players have already held their hands up after just two games. There is plenty of competition in the front row where Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter are scrapping it out for the loosehead position and Finlay Bealham and Will Stuart have made the most of their chance on the tighthead. I'm rather disappointed with Tadhg Furlong, who, when on form, is much better than both of them. He needs to improve on his performances so far if he wants to get anywhere near the No. 3 jersey. On Saturday, Joe McCarthy really staked a claim to be Maro Itoje's second-row partner in the Tests. James Lowe might not have got his name on the scoreboard but he certainly did his Test place chances no harm with this performance. He made a good contribution to many of Saturday's tries. It looks like Finn Russell will have the No.10 Jersey. The Lions team selection for Queensland Reds has Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park as the probable Test combination at half-back. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. Josh van der Flier had an outstanding all-round game on Saturday. He should be frontrunner for the No. 7 jersey, although I don't doubt that, given the quality of the competition, in the run up to the Test, there are others who will have something to say about that. Then, of course, the name on everyone's lips at the moment is Henry Pollock. I didn't see the point of selecting him for the tour. It's not as if it is an England tour where it would benefit his personal development and, consequently, benefit the England rugby team in years to come. The British & Irish Lions concept is based on the here and now. However, he is actually playing well in the here and now and he could possibly end up challenging for a place in the Test team. However, the saddest moment of the game and a real shame, certainly for any Welsh spectator, was seeing Tomos Williams limp off the field and out of the Lions tour after scoring his sensational try just after half-time. It would have been the moment when Tomos declared that the Test place was not just a one-horse race for Gibson-Park. Well, I did say in last week's column 'to expect the unexpected.' One of the main objectives of last Saturday's game was to get the show back on the road again after the defeat against Argentina. However, this Saturday, there is an even more important occasion from a Welsh perspective in Kitakyushu, Japan. It involves 17 games' worth of getting the show back on the road again, after 17 consecutive defeats stretching back to 2023. This is a must-win game. How many times have we said that over the past couple of years? The result of this game is even more significant because Japan are just one position behind us in the World Rugby rankings. The heat and humidity in Kitakyushu and Kobe will give Japan an advantage over Wales. We have been preparing for the brutal conditions with intense fitness sessions in a heat chamber at their training base in the Vale hotel. However, nothing will replicate the actual conditions. We should not get involved in a frantic end-to-end rugby contest. Keeping the ball in play for long periods of time is asking for trouble in weather conditions that they are used to and we aren't. Japan will be using the heat and humidity as a tactical weapon. They, no doubt, hope that we will run ourselves ragged in the unfamiliar weather conditions. After 80 minutes the tiredness could cause us to lose our discipline and composure and, consequently, result in us losing control of the game, thus presenting them with match-winning opportunities. We should aim to control the play. We have good enough players who, if suitably motivated and pointed in the right direction, can control the game. It may involve kicking the ball off the park rather more often than they normally would but it will give them an opportunity for gain valuable recovery time. However, a win is a much-needed win.
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
All Black launches live TV rant at 'disrespectful' France
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info All Blacks legend Justin Marshall has heavily criticised France for sending a vastly underpowered squad to New Zealand this summer. The average age of the French squad is just over 25, with head coach Fabien Galthie deciding to leave out 20 'premium' internationals for the Test series against the All Blacks. That means the likes of Romain Ntamack, Damien Penaud and Gregory Alldritt will be staying at home this summer. Speaking on Sky Sports New Zealand's 'Breakdown' show, Marshall labelled their decision to leave out key players as "complete BS". The French Rugby Federation (FFR) and National Rugby League (LNR), who are in charge of the clubs, agreed in October last year that players who feature in the Top 14 final cannot take part in the mid-year internationals. This was an amendment to Galthie's premium player policy that rested players key to the national set-up, regardless of where they finished. With Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles taking part in the Top 14 final last weekend, that means a large chunk of elite French players could not be selected for the summer's tour. "To be honest, I'm really disappointed, the way the side that the French have brought is clearly underpowered, the average age of 25 ,the average number of caps is 9.3," Marshall told The Breakdown on Sky Sports. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. "This is a side that has a very little amount of experience and then at the end of the day, 49% of the players have got no caps at all. So it's a development team with a few senior players involved. "In my mind, it's complete BS the way that they're treating this tour, the way that the French always seem to have come up with excuses to not bring their top players, I feel they disrespect the international window. "I'm not going to say that it's not going to be a contest out there, but our fans deserve to see their best players playing in our country against our All Blacks because we do that in November to them, we send our very best players for filling their stadiums and giving the fans the best experience they can get by seeing the best players in the world. "They are not doing that and if they keep doing this, which is quite regular for them, just don't invite them. We'll play someone else, it's still going to be a good series, and they'll be competitive, and they've got depth. "But the reality is, they've left 70% of their best players in France, and I just don't feel that that is within the decency and the respect of the game." Watch the clip below. Speaking to L'Equipe, Galthie clarified why France do this. "We follow a hundred players. But above all we have identified a 'premium' group of 20 players," he said. "We want them to have consistent development. We want to work hand-in-hand with the league and the clubs. Our goal is for players to be able to give the best of themselves in the French team, but also in club. We want to go further while taking into account the challenges of the clubs. "Players will benefit from four mandatory weeks off and four weeks without matches." Galthie also argues that northern hemisphere players take part in seven or more games than their southern hemisphere counter-parts, which means Les Bleus feel they must manage the workload to avoid injury. (Image: (Photo by)) Conversely, French players reportedly do not agree with this policy, and view a tour New Zealand as a unique opportunity. "He's run into some real opposition over that from his own players," commentator Tony Johnson told Sport Nation's Afternoons with Staffy. "They want to come on this tour. They still see a series in New Zealand against the All Blacks as one of the ultimate challenges in rugby - perhaps the ultimate challenge outside of the World Cup." When this system was implemented by France in October, New Zealand Rugby even asked World Rugby for clarity around the rules, with regulation nine stating that players must be made available for international windows.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Lions boss Andy Farrell issues Tomos Williams update after Wales star's injury
Lions boss Andy Farrell issues Tomos Williams update after Wales star's injury Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams hobbled off injured against Western Force on 50 minutes Lions coach Andy Farrell speaking to Sky Sports (Image: Sky Sports ) Andy Farrell has provided an update on Tomos Williams after the Wales star limped off injured in the win over Western Force on Saturday. The Lions began their tour with a comprehensive victory over the Perth-based side but they were made to work for it in the first half, with the hosts fronting up well. After the break the away team pulled away, eventually running out 7-54 winners. Williams scored two of the tourists' eight tries in an impressive 50 minutes on the pitch, but there will be huge concern in the Lions camp tonight after the Gloucester man sustained an injury while scoring his second. After good link-up play with Mack Hansen, Williams dotted the ball down in acrobatic fashion but immediately clutched his left hamstring when rising from the turf. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. England international Will Greenwood, working for Sky Sports, said after it happened: "I'm just hoping Tom Williams is OK. Rob Howley, 1997, right in amongst it, did his shoulder against the Sharks. Article continues below "And a hamstring.... ooooh.... fingers crossed for him." Sam Warburton added: "Firstly you take no chances, especially with fast and explosive players like Tomos, get him off straight away. "If he's going to be limping like that, you're looking like he's going to miss next week, the midweek game for certain." Williams was replaced by Alex Mitchell. Farrell has now provided an update on the former Cardiff Rugby number nine, saying on Sky Sports post-match: "It's a tight hamstring, so. "You don't know what these things are like. Hopefully it's a bit of cramp. We'll assess that, certainly in the morning." On the game, Farrell added: "Again, a new-ish team. Plenty of learning from last week and the same again from this week. "When we get out composure in the second half we were able be nice and calm. "I mean, let's be honest, the Force took it to us. I thought they played a tough high-percentage game. They kept the ball really well and we kept them in good field position through our ill-discipline. "It was a real good test for us in that first half, glad how we composed ourselves at half-time and kept our composure throughout the second half. "There are nine new caps there. A couple of lads have not played they will get to play in the next couple of games. "It is nice to get tries on the board and a few good individual performances. That is all good for the future, and we have to keep pushing one another. Article continues below "If you want to look what a Lion should do for his team-mates is when Mack Hansen went up and down the field and fought for his team-mates. "That's the sort of spirit we want." The Lions are back in action in midweek against Queensland Reds on Wednesday (11am UK time).
Wales Online
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as All Blacks called in to face Lions and Feyi-Waboso picked despite ban
Tonight's rugby news as All Blacks called in to face Lions and Feyi-Waboso picked despite ban The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Tele'a (right) is set to be called in to face the Lions, according to reports Down Under These are your evening rugby headlines on Monday, June 23. All Blacks called in to face Lions - reports New Zealand internationals Hoskins Sotutu and Mark Tele'a are set to be among the players who will join up with the AusNZ invitational team that will face the British & Irish Lions next month, according to reports. The team, led by Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss and former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster, take on Andy Farrell's men in Adelaide on July 12 and are set to have some major firepower among their ranks. Up to half a dozen players are set to be released by New Zealand Rugby for the clash, including Blues duo Sotutu and Tele'a, according to a report from The Sydney Morning Herald. The publication says it believes the number eight and wing are "very good chances" to be involved against the Lions, while they "will be joined by players of similar calibre". Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Neither Sotutu nor Tele'a were named in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad on Monday, with some of those not included in the Māori All Blacks squad - which be unveiled on Tuesday - also set to join up with the AusNZ side. It comes after Rugby Australia - who have scrambled to assemble a squad in time to face the Lions - reportedly made a number of requests to their counterparts in New Zealand, submitting preferences by position as well as individual players. Article continues below They previously tried to land the 56-cap All Black Richie Mo'unga to take part in the match, only for a broken hand he suffered while playing in Japan to end those hopes. Aside from Sotutu and Japan-bound Tele'a, other players that could feature include Xavier Numia, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Folau Fakatava, Josh Jacomb, AJ Lam and Naitoa Ah Kuoi. Asked ahead of announcing his squad whether he would be open to releasing players for the fixture, Robertson said: 'If it works, yes. 'We've had a couple of requests, and of course we'll work with them on it. I'm all about opportunities to play.' Feyi-Waboso picked despite ban By PA Sport staff Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has been included in England's 36-man summer tour squad, despite being suspended for the first two matches. Hooker Jamie George and fly-half George Ford will co-captain the group, which contains 10 uncapped players, for two Tests against Argentina and one against the United States. Exeter wing Feyi-Waboso was sent off for a high tackle on Antoine Hastoy in the first half of Saturday's 26-24 loss to a France XV on his first appearance since suffering a dislocated shoulder in December. Due to his ban, the 22-year-old will been unavailable for the matches against Los Pumas on July 5 and 12 in La Plata and San Juan respectively. Subject to completing a tackle course, Feyi-Waboso, who has scored five tries in eight international caps, will return to contention for the clash with the USA on July 19 in Washington DC. Joe Carpenter, Seb Atkinson, Guy Pepper and Oscar Beard, who were involved in the non-capped contest with France, are joined in the squad by fellow potential Test debutants Charlie Atkinson, Arthur Clark, Emmanuel Iyogun, Will Muir, Luke Northmore and Max Ojomoh. The squad will train at England's base in Surrey on Tuesday before flying to Buenos Aires later in the day. In addition to the 13 players away with the British and Irish Lions, Joe Batley, Fraser Dingwall, George Furbank, Ollie Lawrence, Alex Lozowski, George Martin and Ollie Sleightholme were not considered for selection. Head coach Steve Borthwick said: 'The three-Test series is a huge challenge and a valuable opportunity for the continued development of this squad. 'For some of the younger players, this will be their first experience of touring overseas with England. Travelling together helps strengthen team bonds and offers a valuable chance for new players to integrate into our environment. 'It's an exciting test for us and we're looking forward to seeing how we continue to evolve as a team.' England squad: Forwards (20): F Baxter (Harlequins), A Clark (Gloucester), A Coles (Northampton), C Cunningham-South (Harlequins), B Curry (Sale), T Dan (Saracens), T Davison (Northampton), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), C Ewels (Bath), J George (Saracens, co-capt), J Heyes (Leicester), T Hill (Bath), N Isiekwe (Saracens), E Iyogun (Northampton) C Langdon (Northampton), A Opoku-Fordjour (Sale), G Pepper (Bath), B Rodd (Sale), S Underhill (Bath), T Willis (Saracens). Backs (16): C Atkinson (Gloucester), S Atkinson (Gloucester), O Beard (Harlequins), J Carpenter (Sale), I Feyi-Waboso (Exeter), G Ford (Sale, co-capt), W Muir (Bath), C Murley (Harlequins), L Northmore (Harlequins), M Ojomoh (Bath), H Randall (Bristol), T Roebuck (Sale), H Slade (Exeter), B Spencer (Bath), F Steward (Leicester), J van Poortvliet (Leicester). Easterby: We need to get on same page British and Irish Lions assistant coach Simon Easterby has urged his players to get on "the same page" after kicking off their summer with a disappointing defeat to Argentina. The squad arrived in Perth less than 48 hours after they were beaten 28-24 by the Pumas in Dublin on Friday evening, with an error-strewn performance seeing them head Down Under on a losing note. Head coach Andy Farrell laid down the law after the defeat at the Aviva Stadium, as he labelled his side's mistakes as "unacceptable". While Easterby says it will take time for the familarity to grow within the squad, he agreed that they needed to "fix things very quickly", with the Lions facing Western Force on Saturday. 'We probably just didn't quite impose ourselves as much as we would have liked,' the former Ireland captain told reporters in Perth. Article continues below 'It just takes a little bit of time to build cohesion, different combinations. We've had some pretty good time together, but we know that we're going to have to fix things very quickly and move on.' He added: 'It's important that the team has a clear understanding of how we want to defend as a Lions team,' said Easterby, who managed Ireland in Farrell's absence during the Six Nations earlier this year. 'So we need to make sure that we allow those players to express themselves defensively within a system that allows them to have a framework."
