Latest news with #KurtleyBeale
The Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
First Nations and Pasifika Invitational side provides blueprint for Wallabies
If the Wallabies do lose the match, questions will need to be asked about how a hastily-assembled First Nations and Pasifika Invitational side could rattle the Lions, losing a 24-19 nailbiter, when Joe Schmidt's Test side couldn't. Schmidt has had over a year to prepare his squad so there are no excuses for not delivering when a team packed with players he discarded almost pulled off by showing a bit of ticker and bashing their opponents. The inquisitions can wait because for now, the most urgent conundrum facing the Wallabies is whether they are tough enough and brave enough to stand toe to toe with the Lions after they didn't answer the bell in last weekend's series opener in Brisbane. There were some mitigating circumstances – they missing some key players and were undercooked after playing just one lead-up match – but there's no cop outs this time. When you take away the smoke and mirrors, rugby remains a simple game that rewards courage as much as skill and the Wallabies need to be prepared to put their bodies on the line the way the FNP did. 'You need to take it to them, like head on,' the FNP captain Kurtley Beale said. 'There were patches there where we had the momentum and the Lions were kind of taking a backward step. 'These boys, they love physicality and playing rugby, and you need that physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off.' Beale's own frustration is different to many of the other FNP players who Schmidt shunned because he played in the Lions' last Test series in Australia. At 36, Beale was never in the frame to play a Test this time but a lot of his teammates were and that annoys him. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has more reason than most to feel duped because he's played three warm-up games against the Lions and caused them no end of trouble each time. Driven in part by his desire to prove the national selectors wrong, he's done more than anyone else to expose fault lines in the Lions with his powerful ball running and wrecking-ball defence. 'We play a combative game and there's going to be times when you dip in and out of the physical battle,' he said. 'There are times when we lost the battle. I got bashed a few times. 'But that comes natural to us, the physicality. We love those conditions. I think we put in a performance that we should be proud of.' Flanker Charlie Gamble, who was named man of the match despite being on the losing side, said the state and invitational sides had already shown the Lions were not unbeatable so it was now up to the Wallabies to finish the job. 'The Tahs and the Brumbies really showed that if you shut time and space down with their team that they create errors,' he said. 'They're not superhuman. They make errors and we showed that physically. 'It's in our First Nations and Pacific culture. We showed that if you can obviously put a couple bodies in there and hurt them a little bit, it definitely rattled them. 'I think the Wallabies can take a bit of that.' Gamble was another player unwanted by the Wallabies but ready to step up anytime, if he ever got the call from Schmidt. 'I won't stay awake,' he said. 'I'm always ready when it happens, if it happens. If it never happens, it is what it is … maybe one day, we'll see. 'If I do get an opportunity, then I'm just going to have to take it. It might never happen, but let's keep myself fit and see what happens.' Rugby Union The man at the centre of the most controversial call in Wallabies vs Lions history has admitted he was nervous of being penalised after watching a replay of his cleanout on Carlo Tizzano. Rugby Union Having blown an unassailable lead and the series against the Lions, the Wallabies now face a brutal reality check about their failing tactical approach, writes Julian Linden.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Lions vs First Nations & Pasifika XV on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch
With a 1-0 lead in the Test series secured in Brisbane on Saturday, the British and Irish Lions return to midweek action as they bid to continue their unbeaten run since arriving in Australia. A First Nations & Pasifika XV provide the opposition in Melbourne ahead of the second Test, with the invitational side replacing the Melbourne Rebels after the demise of the Super Rugby side. LIVE: Follow all of the latest from the tour clash The build-up to the game has been marred by an eligibility row that has seen back row Pete Samu ruled unable to feature for the home side having played his club rugby in France last season, though there is still plenty of talent in the ranks assembled by Toutai Kefu, the former Wallabies No 8 and Tonga head coach. The Lions will hope to maintain momentum as their wider squad get a chance to impress and perhaps force their way into Andy Farrell's thinking for Saturday's second Test. Here's everything you need to know. When do the First Nations & Pasifika XV play the British and Irish Lions? The tour game is scheduled to kick off at 11am BST on Tuesday 22 July at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event. A live stream will be available via Sky Go and NOW. Team news The First Nations & Pasifika side is captained by fly half Kurtley Beale, who gets a shot at Lions redemption 12 years on from his untimely slip in the first Test. Beale is back fit after missing an outing for the Western Force earlier in the tour through injury. He steers a side that blends some of Australian rugby's in-form Super Rugby Pacific stars with a couple of additions from the Fijian Drua on the bench. Pete Samu may be unavailable but it's still a strong back row group named by Toutai Kefu, with Charlie Gamble very good for the Waratahs earlier in the tour and the explosive Rob Leota on the bench. Tighthead Taniela Tupou and wing Filipo Daugunu have been released from Wallabies camp to feature. The Lions are led by Owen Farrell, with the Englishman stationed at inside centre outside of compatriot Fin Smith. Only three of those involved in the first Test back up as Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith retain bench spots in what is an otherwise new-look Lions side. Blair Kinghorn, who starts at full-back, and Garry Ringrose, set to feature off the bench, are welcome returnees from injury. Jamie George, Jamie Osborne, Darcy Graham, Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Tom Clarkson and Gregor Brown are all in line for their first appearances of the tour after being called up to the squad. Line-ups First Nations & Pasifika XV: 1 Lington Ieli, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3 Taniela Tupou; 4 Darcy Swain, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto; 6 Seru Uru, 7 Charlie Gamble, 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima; 9 Kalani Thomas, 10 Kurtley Beale (capt.); 11 Filipo Daugunu, 12 David Feliuai, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 14 Triston Reilly; 15 Andy Muirhead. 16 Richie Asiata, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Rob Leota; 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Jarrah McLeod. British and Irish Lions XV: 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Jamie George, 3 Finlay Bealham; 4 James Ryan, 5 Scott Cummings; 6 Jac Morgan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Henry Pollock; 9 Ben White, 10 Fin Smith; 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 12 Owen Farrell (capt.), 13 Jamie Osborne, 14 Darcy Graham; 15 Blair Kinghorn. : 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Tom Clarkson, 19 Gregor Brown, 20 Ben Earl; 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Garry Ringrose.
eNCA
7 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Beale says First Nations and Pasifika XV deserve more fixtures
MELBOURNE - Wallabies great Kurtley Beale says the First Nations and Pasifika XV deserve regular fixtures against touring sides after the inaugural team's stirring performance against the British and Irish Lions. The combative side comprised of Australians with First Nations or Pasifika heritage were largely written off before the clash in Melbourne on Tuesday after limited preparation. But their passion and bone-rattling physicality surprised the tourists, who essentially fielded a B team, but still packed with top-class players. The hosts scrubbed out an early 14-0 deficit to keep the contest on a knife edge, eventually losing 24-19 in a game that could have gone either way. "I think so," said 95-Test veteran Beale when asked if the concept should be more than a one-off. "You can see how much heart the boys played with. There's so much talent here. "I think it's a great platform for all the young Pasifika and First Nations kids out there watching. Hopefully they can look at this jersey and some will aspire to it in future. "I want this to be a fixture that sticks in the annual calendar," he added. The host's tactics of aggressive, in-your-face physicality unsettled the Lions in a blueprint for how Joe Schmidt's Wallabies could approach the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Beale said he hoped the lessons had been learned. "You need to take it to them, head on," he told reporters. "It created opportunities for us. I think playing rugby, you need physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off." Much of the brute force was provided by towering lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and prop Taniela Tupou, who did their hopes of an Australia recall no harm. Coach Toutai Kefu said the pair deserved another crack at the Test arena. "I definitely would look at investing in him (Salakaia-Loto) and bringing him into the squad," he said.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Physical approach a blueprint for the Wallabies?
The British and Irish Lions came through a stern physical test to defeat a First Nations and Pasifika XV 24-19 in Melbourne on Nations and Pasifika's aggressive approach made things tough for a much-changed Lions Australia have learned some lessons from that as they look to level the Test series against the Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday?"You need to take it to them, head on," said veteran fly-half Kurtley Beale, who captained the hosts at Marvel Stadium."There were patches there where we had the momentum and the Lions were kind of taking a backward step. It created opportunities for us."Playing rugby, you need the physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off."Asked if his side's approach might have inspired the Wallabies watching on before Saturday's second Test, Beale - who played for Australia against the Lions in 2013 - said: "Hopefully. We're very proud of what we did."We had a gameplan and some things to hang our hats on after the game, and I thought, regardless of the result, we did that."
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Take it to them, head on': Veteran's advice to Wallabies after almost shocking Lions
Kurtley Beale said he hoped the Wallabies will be inspired by the combative tactics of the First Nations and Pasifika side in their narrow 24-19 loss to the Lions at Marvel Stadium, saying the way to beat the touring side is to 'take it to them, head on'. Beale's comments came as FNP coach Toutai Kefu said the side were motivated by the Lions vetoing the selection of Pete Samu, which Kefu labelled 'pretty poor' and he went on to say the former Wallaby back-rower would have made a potentially winning difference to the invitational side. The FNP team turned in an inspiring performance after being widely written off, and with most pundits and bookies expecting them to get beaten by a cricket score. But with just a week's training, the Kefu-coached team came within a whisker of handing the Lions their first loss of the tour. The FNP team trailed, and came back twice, in the first and second halves to get within a converted try of a victory, but ran out of time. The performance was inspired by an aggressive, in-your-face physicality by the FNP squad – led Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Charlie Gamble – which hugely unsettled the Lions. Asked post-game if that was the blueprint for the Wallabies to beat the Lions at the MCG on Saturday, Beale said: 'I think so; you need to take it to them, head on. There were some patches there where we had the momentum and the Lions were taking a back-foot step. 'It created opportunities for us. The boys, they love the physicality. I think playing rugby, you need physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off, and they bring that.' Beale was asked if he believed the Wallabies would have been inspired, and said: 'I hope so.'
