Latest news with #JoshvanderFlier
Irish Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Star Wars of Lions v Australia awaits Josh van der Flier after long wait
It is written in the stars that Josh van der Flier's Lions debut will come against The Force. The Wicklow man's family had a video player instead of TV channels when he was a kid and his watching options largely consisted of watching the Lions or Star Wars. He didn't grow up to become a Jedi but the force is finally with the 32-year-old Leinster and Ireland star after he departed Dublin for Australia on Saturday with Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad. His debut is expected to play against the Western Force on Saturday, a moment that has been a long time coming for the 73-times capped Ireland star. "Gosh, I always wanted to play (for the Lions)," he admitted. "I didn't really know that rugby was a job when I was younger, it probably wouldn't have been something I verbalized. "But I used to watch an Irish game or a game on TV and then go out to the garden and pretend to be someone who played for Ireland or the Lions. It's probably the pinnacle. It's hard to compare with playing for your country but it is a very hard thing to do, so it's pretty cool." When he wanted to watch the Lions when he was a child he popped across the road to his grandparents' house. "I just have a vague memory of it, I would have been quite young," van der Flier recalled. 'I distinctly remember, I think it was 2005, we had a family video and we taped over it by mistake. "It was Lions against New Zealand that year, we used to watch that over and over again. It was either that or Star Wars or something. So I ended up watching a lot of that 2005 Lions game.' When Leinster finished training on the day of the squad announcement, van der Flier made a bee-line for home. "I didn't even bother showering, I was straight out the door because I didn't want to be there in front of loads of lads if guys didn't get picked or if I didn't," he recalled. "So I just went home. My wife actually facetimed me so we watched it together. It was a long wait. Last time I had a vague memory of the announcement just popping up and that was it, this time it was like 30 minutes of TV before it got to it. I was sitting there sweating on the couch." With a surname starting with 'v', the wait was even longer as he watched as back row after back row was named before announcer Ieuan Evans got to his one. 'You have a good idea of how squads are made up so you obviously need specialized lineout back rows, maybe one or two 7s," said van der Flier. "And then there were like four 8s and my name hadn't been called and you think 'oh no', but I made it in the end.' The worry didn't end there, however. Van der Flier missed Leinster's URC semi-final with a hamstring issue, and was a doubt for the final but did start the victory over the Bulls. "I never hurt my hamstring before, thankfully I've been good with muscle things, but it didn't feel too bad to be honest," he said. "I'd no reference point, it ended up being a small little thing - I got a knee in the back of it I think - but the unknown was still...I was hoping it was alright. Thankfully it was. "People were asking me what the story is with tickets, wondering what my plans were and I was literally saying, 'I'm not even thinking about that until I'm finished (with Leinster)'. Winning the URC was brilliant, so the last few days I could go into camp and it was here. It was ignore it until it was there." Van der Flier was then travelling reserve for the opening defeat to Argentina at the Aviva Stadium last Friday night but wasn't required to play. The Lions arrived in Perth around midday Irish time on Sunday. They went straight into a busy schedule yesterday with a visit to Clottesloe and an aboriginal cultural experience in the form of a 'Welcome to Country' in Kings Park. But had some time to take stock of his impressive journey when the Lions trained at the UCD Bowl last week. "It was incredible, we trained here on Tuesday and it was very cool coming out into the changing rooms," said van der Flier. "It's my first time properly here since playing here for UCD." He played for the club in 2014 and '15. "It's very easy when things are going from one thing to the next to get used to where you're at," the flanker reflected. "To be involved in the Lions is incredible and you come to the UCD changing rooms for the first time since a few years ago, it's special."
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Josh van der Flier finally gets to love his Lions dream
Josh van der Flier has gone a long way for a man who never really went anywhere. The day job is a Leinster outfit that has its base in UCD, a campus where he attended college and played AIL rugby before moving on to the professional game. His home matches, for both club and country, are played in the city where he went to school and learned so much about his trade. Even his first experience with the British and Irish Lions has had Dublin as its initial backdrop. One of the late arrivals into camp after Leinster's URC final defeat of the Bulls, van der Flier was able to stroll from the team's digs in St Stephen's Green to his wife's workplace nearby for lunch. It didn't really feel like being on tour at all. Read More British and Irish Lions warn Australia must release players for tour fixtures That will be different now that the party has moved on to Perth and a fixture against Western Force this Saturday in which he will be expected to garner some game time having sat out the tour opener against Argentina in the Aviva Stadium. It's been a long time coming. Unfortunate to miss out for the South African trip in 2021, he was made stew that bit longer when the squad was announced last month, the alphabetical arrangement giving him some nervous moments before he brought up the rear in terms of forwards. 'You have a good idea of how squads are made up so you obviously need specialized lineout back rows, maybe one or two sevens. And then there was like four sevens and my name hadn't been called and you think, 'oh no', but I made it in the end.' He did, but the anxiousness didn't end there. A hamstring injury – his first ever – forced an early exit against Scarlets in the URC quarter-final and he missed the last four tie against Glasgow before returning for the Bulls run at Croke Park. TOUCHDOWN IN OZ: Josh van der Flier signs an autograph for a fan after arriving in Perth ahead of the Lioins first game against Western Force on Saturday. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan Now, finally, he gets his chance to wear that famous red jersey at the age of 32 and bring to life the dreams he played out in his back garden after watching the Lions from afar here at home two decades ago. 'We didn't have the channels in my house,' he explained. 'My grandparents lived across the road so we would go in and watch the Lions. I just have a vague memory of it, I would have been quite young. I distinctly remember, I think it was 2005, we had a family video and we taped over it by mistake. 'It was Lions against New Zealand that year, would that be right? So we used to watch that over and over again. We didn't have the TV channels at home, it was just cassettes. So it was either that or Star Wars or something. So I ended up watching a lot of that 2005 Lions game.' Which of the three Tests they recorded that time he didn't say. It doesn't matter much in the sense that the tourists were well-beaten in all three. The current crop made for the southern hemisphere with far more expected of them. No-one would say it's easy or straightforward when merging players from four different national teams – and 15 clubs - into one but Felipe Contepomi had an interesting take on that concept before last week's Puma game in Dublin. Read More Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan carry injuries as Lions land in Australia The Argentina manager drew parallels in style between Ireland, Scotland and Wales and suggested that even England's strategic approach through the back end of the Six Nations campaign mirrored something of their Celtic cousins. It could be that there is more uniformity in rugby these days. "There seems to be,' said van der Flier. 'A lot of coaches seem to have done it well. Like in Ireland there was obviously Joe Schmidt and then a few coaches and players under him, and they end up coaching the way he did. "I think there's probably a bit of spillover. Andy Farrell coming from England, I'm sure there would have been players who worked with him and on previous Lions tours. There definitely is a bit of crossover. 'I wouldn't know any difference, if you know what I mean, so I couldn't really compare it to too much, but I don't think from my perspective I've found it too different and I don't think too many lads have. I think they've settled in quite well.'
IOL News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
‘That's not a young team!' Leinster coach Cullen wary of Bulls ‘siege mentality' in URC final
Leinster flank Josh van der Flier is back from injury for the URC final against the Bulls. Photo: INPHO Image: INPHO Leinster coach Leo Cullen has warned his team not to have a 'false sense' of security that they will beat the Bulls in Saturday's United Rugby Championship final in Dublin (6pm SA time start. Calling the Pretoria side a 'juggernaut team', long-serving mentor Cullen is under pressure to deliver some silverware at Croke Park after a number of near-misses in the Champions Cup and URC over the last few years. Having won several PRO14 titles previously, Saturday's title decider will actually be Leinster's first URC final. So, in some ways, they are in a similar boat to Jake White's Bulls, who lost their two previous URC championship games – going down to the Stormers in 2022 and Glasgow last year. With loads of Irish internationals across the squad, Leinster are definite favourites to win on Saturday, but that doesn't mean it will be a stroll to victory. 'I feel like I'm being distracted from the Bulls now. But if you look through their team... Listen, they have a ton of experience,' Cullen said. 'I know Jake was saying they're a young squad. I'm not sure what squad he's talking about. That's not a young group. That's not a young team! He was talking about that on Tuesday. 'Is he trying to lure us all into some sort of false sense, is he? A young group. Do you see a young group there? Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'There's a serious, experienced group that we're up against. And a team that has unbelievably high standards, that is used to winning. 'It's in their blood, isn't it? It's rugby. It's on morning, noon and night (in South Africa), isn't it?' Cullen made a few changes to his team, bringing in experienced Test centre Garry Ringrose at No 13 and renowned openside flank Josh van der Flier after they recovered from injuries. Springbok giant RG Snyman will look to make a big impact off the bench as well against his former team, so Leinster are well equipped to put real heat on the Bulls. But the visitors have won four out of six games against the Irish province, including two semi-finals, and won't be overawed by the occasion. Heavy rain is forecast for Dublin on Saturday, which could level the playing field. 'Obviously, we played the Bulls in the semi-final last year and we lost, and we had to travel down to Pretoria and try to deal with some of those challenges. They look like they've got here okay,' Cullen said. 'From our point of view, does it (Bulls having to travel to Dublin) give us a slight advantage, extra day on the Monday... 'Obviously, they're together, time together, build a bit of a siege mentality from their point of view. 'The lads have trained well this week, put a good plan together, but we know you've got to deliver it. 'So, you can have a great plan, but you need to deliver with the right level of intensity on the day. 'If the conditions are like that (wet) on the weekend, we need to make sure we're able to adapt on the day, so getting the feel for conditions is important.'
The Irish Sun
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leinster handed massive boost ahead of URC Grand Final as Leo Cullen announces team for Croke Park decider
LEO Cullen has been given a huge boost ahead of Leinster's URC final showdown with Bulls Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose have shaken off injury concerns to take their place in the 2 Leon Cullen and Leinster have been handed a huge boost ahead of the URC final against the Bulls 2 Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose have been passed fit for the decider at Croke Park But it's not all roses as the clash comes too soon for Meanwhile, 2022 World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier proved his fitness after picking up a hamstring knock in last week's semi-final win over Glasgow. Ringrose returns from a calf injury to a strong midfield pairing with Jordie Barrett. They are the only changes from last week's triumph at Aviva Stadium. read more on rugby On the bench, Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, and Rabah Slimani provide front-row depth, with RG Snyman and Max Deegan among the forward reinforcements. Jamie Osborne is joined by Luke McGrath and the departing Ross Byrne, who is set to make his 186th and final appearance for Leinster. The action gets underway from 5pm KO, live on TG4 and Premier Sports 1. Leinster team to face Bulls: Most read in Rugby Union Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie Osborne. Bulls team to face Leinster: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw; Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden; Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marcell Coetzee. Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon Williams.
RTÉ News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Leinster pair Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier passed fit for URC final
Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose have overcome injuries to take their place in the Leinster team for Saturday's BKT URC final against Bulls. However, the game comes too soon for fellow British and Irish Lions duo Tadhg Furlong and Hugo Keenan, who miss out on the Croke Park showdown (Saturday 5pm) with calf issues. Ireland flanker Van der Flier suffered a hamstring injury in the quarter-final against Scarlets, while centre Ringrose has recovered from a calf injury. They are the only changes to the side that beat Glasgow in the semi-final. Joe McCarthy and James Ryan continue their partnership in the second row with Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson scrumming down either side of hooker Dan Sheehan. Ringrose partners Jordie Barrett in the centre, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast the half-backs. Tommy O'Brien and James Lowe continue on the wings with Jimmy O'Brien named at full-back once more. Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani provide the front row reinforcements with RG Snyman and Max Deegan providing cover from the bench. Jamie Osborne moves to the replacements alongside Luke McGrath and the departing Ross Byrne, who is set to make his 186th and final appearance for Leinster. Meanwhile, Bulls coach Jake White has made one change to the team that beat the Sharks last weekend. Marco van Staden comes into replace injured back row Cameron Hanekom, with Marcell Coetzee moving to number 8. Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie Osborne. Bulls: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw; Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden; Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marcell Coetzee.
