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Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Five things we learned as Lions secure victory over Western Force in Perth
Big Joe and Josh make early gains in bid for Test starts Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier put themselves in the driving seat for a Test match start when the Lions meet Australia in Brisbane on July 19th. There is many a slip betwixt cup and lip over the next three weeks but the Leinster lock and openside flanker both had outstanding performances against Western Force and both were to the fore during the Australian side's strongest phase of the match in the first half. McCarthy's all-round game, his ability to break and get stuck in, as well as his natural size and strength, will match up at Test level. Van der Flier also rose as the Lions struggled, his commitment to the defensive line, his engine and gainline breaks eye-catching throughout. It is too early for predictions but if they play once more like they did on Saturday they are in. Dylan Pietsch of the Western Force runs away from Lions tacklers during the game in Perth. Photograph:First-half defensive display would be fatal against Wallabies So, what if the Lions turn up against Australia in three weeks' time and put in a defensive display like the first half on Saturday. The short answer is they will be so far behind at half-time that the Wallabies will be out of sight. The breakdown area and the tackling were so far off that Western Force looked at one stage that they were going to force the Lions into a chasing game. Some Lions players were stepping up, others were standing off, some high, some low, some drifting across the pitch and when they got there were making ineffective edge tackles. The breakdown area lacked focus, accuracy and but for a few players, a physical commitment and the hard edge required to set a tone and drain any of the confidence the opposition might have had. It was addressed at half-time by Andy Farrell . But against Joe Schmidt's side anything similar will prove fatal. READ MORE Finn Russell tackles Matty Proctor of Western Force. Photograph: Billy Sitckland/Inpho Finn Russell's skill set to the fore in Perth Finn Russell, the Marmite man. Many people see just his errors and other people see just his ability. The coaches always weigh one against the other, but the outhalf charmed the socks off his fans with his feints and delayed passes, his vision and his sharpshooter kicking from both his hands and the tee. Russell has also added a bit of rough and tumble to his game. His defence had been questioned in the past but it looked better against the Force and he was prepared to put his body on the line when the Lions were on the back foot. That said, Farrell will rightly want Russell on the ball going forward to stick defenders as they close him down, have them move for passes that he does not throw and make them try to anticipate what he is going to do next. Not a bad skill set. Josh van Der Flier and Jack Conan celebrate the win over Western Force. Photograph:Leinster players have cohesive effect Cohesion was the word that Farrell mentioned most after last week's defeat by Argentina, or the lack of it. And maybe that is why he picked eight Irish starters against Western Force, or over half the Lions team. Three more in backrow Jack Conan, hooker Rónan Kelleher and prop Andrew Porter came into the match in the second half and kicked on to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The next few matches will tell whether Farrell has settled on an Irish way of playing with Irish players dominating the selection as a means of short-circuiting the lack of time the team have been together. While there is plenty more to get right over the next three weeks, there is no doubt the Leinster players flooding back into the squad helped what Farrell has missed in spades last week in Dublin. Tomos Williams clutches his left hamstring as he is replaced. Photograph:Jack van Poortvliet should keep his phone charged When Lions scrumhalf Tomos Williams dived over the line after his brilliant exchange with James Lowe to sore his second try of the match, he appeared to immediately grab his hamstring and left the field for England's Alex Mitchell. With Jamison Gibson-Park yet to play a match on the tour, it leaves the Lions with a what to do next question with regards to the scrumhalves. Farrell was equivocal about the seriousness of Williams injury describing it as '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.' Last week Leicester Tigers and England scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet flew into Dublin to train with the Lions as they prepared for the 1888 Cup fixture against Argentina. Can you hear his phone ringing?
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Saturday sport: Lions thrash Western Force, All Ireland Football quarter-finals
Rugby The British and Irish Lions have strolled to a big victory to open their tour of Australia. They stormed to a 54-7 win over Western Force in Perth. Advertisement Dan Sheehan, Garry Ringrose and Joe McCarthy all crossed over for tries for Andy Farrell's team. Scrum-half Tomos Williams went off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the second-half. The three-Test series against Australia begins on the 19th of July with 4 more warm up games to come. MOTM 🍾 That was some performance from Joe McCarthy today ⭐️ Watch every match live on @SkySports . #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 28, 2025 GAA A place in the All Ireland Football championship semi-finals is up for grabs. Advertisement Rivals Donegal and Monaghan face off in the opening game of the day with throw in at Croke Park at 4pm. Then Tyrone and Dublin face off at HQ with throw in at 6:15pm. The final round of group matches takes place in the All-Ireland senior camogie championship this afternoon. At 2pm in Group One, Cork will look to maintain their 100-percent record against Wexford while Tipperary go up against Clare from 3pm. Advertisement The clash between Galway and Waterford is just underway in Group Two while Dublin go up against Derry in an hour's time. Semple Stadium in Thurles is the venue for tonight's All-Ireland minor hurling championship final. Clare play Waterford, with throw-in at 5.15pm. Soccer Lee Carsley's England have the chance to win a second successive European under-21 Championship crown. Advertisement They take on Germany in the final, with kick-off at 8pm in Bratislava. Chelsea are in last 16 action at the Club World Cup tonight. Enzo Maresca's side face Benfica from 9pm Irish time in Charlotte. Golf Leona Maguire and playing partner Jennifer Kupcho hold a one shot lead heading into day 3 of the Dow Championship on the LPGA Tour. Advertisement Yesterday's excellent round of 60 leaves them on 13 under par so far and just ahead of Gemma Dryburgh and Cassie Porter Maguire's team, nicknamed the Irish Goodbyes, will take to the course for their third round in Michigan just before 7pm Irish time. Padraig Harrington is looking to win his second US Senior Open tournament in 3 years this weekend. The Irishman is in a share of the lead after shooting a second consecutive round of 67 to lie on 6 under par after two rounds. He's joined at the top of the leaderboard by Stewart Cink and Mark Hensby. Harrington lifted the title back in 2022. Racing There's racing at the Curragh this afternoon. The first is off at a 1:15pm. Meanwhile, British racing legend Barry Hills has died at the age of 88. The Englishman began training in 1969 and continued to have winners up until his retirement in 2011 with 3,000 victories in all under his belt. His most notable successes were four victories across both Guineas, a St Leger, an Oaks and a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Barry was also father to Classic-winning jockeys Michael and Richard Hills and has been remembered as "a great figure of our sport" by the British Horseracing Authority.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leinster ace to captain Lions as Andy Farrell announces team to face Western Force with eight Irish inclusions
DAN Sheehan has been selected to captain the British & Irish Lions in the opening game of the Australia tour against Western Force in Perth. Andy Farrell will be looking for a good response from his side following the Advertisement 2 The former England international was handed a shock loss in the Aviva last Friday 2 This is a huge responsibility given to the 26-year-old on his Lions debut The 2025 Lions team have already achieved an unwanted historical feat as the Lions have not lost an opening tour game since 1971. Sheehan was absent in the Lions send off game in Dublin where Farrell's side fell to a shock 28-24 loss to Argentina. The Dublin native will be used to the weight of the captaincy having led Ireland in the The Irish hooker is one of five Leinster players set to make their Lions debut having been unavailable to play Argentina due to featuring in the Advertisement Read more on Irish sport Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose and James Lowe are the other debutantes in the starting XV alongside Leinster teammate Leinster prop Andrew Porter will be hoping to make his debut off the bench where he is joined by Scotland's Huw Jones and England's Will Stuart and Ollie Chessum hoping to achieve the same. Ronan Kelleher who appeared off the bench for the Lions last week and With this squad announcement, James Ryan and Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union Farrell has put out an experimental side as he makes 13 changes from last weeks starting team and five new names are added to the bench. It is a difficult task to balance finding his best team to face Australia in the test matches and giving appropriate rest time to his players. 'Jack Crowley he's coming for you' jokes Peter O'Mahony's wife Jess as son practices his rugby skills Munster man The second row sees a complete makeover from the Argentina match with Joe McCarthy partnering Scott Cummings while Maro Itoje is dropped out of the squad completely. Advertisement Connacht winger Mack Hansen earns his first start for the Lions having made his debut off the bench in Dublin last week. Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu is the only familiar face in the backs as he makes the switch from outside centre to replace Bundee Aki at inside centre where he will partner Ringrose. British & Irish Lions team to place Western Force: Forwards: 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Dan Sheehan (capt), 3. Tadhg Furlong; 4. Scott Cummings, 5. Joe McCarthy; 6. Tadhg Beirne, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Henry Pollock. Advertisement Backs: 15. Elliot Daly; 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. James Lowe; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Tomos Williams. Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Andrew Porter, 18. Will Stuart, 19. Ollie Chessum, 20. Jack Conan, 21. Alex Mitchell, 22. Huw Jones, 23. Marcus Smith.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Ollie Chessum warns Lions against complacency on Australia tour
Argentina celebrated a maiden victory over the Lions in eight attempts after emerging 28-24 winners and Chessum knows all opponents will be eager to claim a special scalp. Roll on Saturday 🦁 Game two, and our first on Australian soil: @westernforce in Perth 📍#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 23, 2025 'For people playing against the Lions, this is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' said the England forward, who is on course to make his debut for the tourists this weekend. 'I'm sure that for the Western Force lads and all the teams we face in the future, to be part of a team that beats the Lions would be massive. 'We expect that from everyone we face, but we also expect to put the best of ourselves out there. 'If I get the opportunity, I'm like everyone in the camp – chomping at the bit to put on the shirt and play for the Lions.' Enemies have become friends in Perth as Chessum revealed he has been rooming with Joe McCarthy, the Ireland second row he has battled since they were teenagers. 'I'm with big Joe, so it's two young locks have been paired together. They're big beds and there's a nice bit of space in the room,' Chessum said. Ollie Chessum is rooming with Joe McCarthy, pictures (Brian Lawless/PA) 'It's a bit surreal. We played against each other when I was with England county schoolboys, so not even the academy pathway. Joe was playing for the Irish equivalent. 'We played against each other at Donnybrook, which we drove past when we had our stint together in Dublin last week. 'To be rooming together on a Lions tour six or seven years after we were playing against each other at Donnybrook is cool.'
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Ollie Chessum warns Lions against complacency on Australia tour
Andy Farrell's men face Western Force in Perth on Saturday in the first fixture Down Under following their send off against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium. Argentina celebrated a maiden victory over the Lions in eight attempts after emerging 28-24 winners and Chessum knows all opponents will be eager to claim a special scalp. Roll on Saturday 🦁 Game two, and our first on Australian soil: @westernforce in Perth 📍#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 23, 2025 'For people playing against the Lions, this is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' said the England forward, who is on course to make his debut for the tourists this weekend. 'I'm sure that for the Western Force lads and all the teams we face in the future, to be part of a team that beats the Lions would be massive. 'We expect that from everyone we face, but we also expect to put the best of ourselves out there. 'If I get the opportunity, I'm like everyone in the camp – chomping at the bit to put on the shirt and play for the Lions.' Enemies have become friends in Perth as Chessum revealed he has been rooming with Joe McCarthy, the Ireland second row he has battled since they were teenagers. 'I'm with big Joe, so it's two young locks have been paired together. They're big beds and there's a nice bit of space in the room,' Chessum said. Ollie Chessum is rooming with Joe McCarthy, pictures (Brian Lawless/PA) 'It's a bit surreal. We played against each other when I was with England county schoolboys, so not even the academy pathway. Joe was playing for the Irish equivalent. 'We played against each other at Donnybrook, which we drove past when we had our stint together in Dublin last week. 'To be rooming together on a Lions tour six or seven years after we were playing against each other at Donnybrook is cool.'
