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Irish Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Five things we learned from Lions' flawed win over Queensland Reds
We'll have to learn to live with mistakes Fin Smith of the British and Irish Lions in action during the win over Queensland Reds on Wednesday. Photograph:It is probably something everyone will have to get used to, if they haven't already done so. The three Lions ' outings so far against Argentina, Western Force and the Reds have been full of mistakes, some handling errors, a lot of misplaced passes and some misreading of what team-mates are doing or where they are going to run. In all three games the opposition have taken advantage of that and rattled the Lions' cage. The payback for having international players start the game and then flood in from the bench early in the second half is offset by the steep learning curve the players are on to gel as a team. As England World Cup winner and former Lion Lawrence Dallaglio said before the tour started, the whole Lions enterprise is set up to fail. But the second 50-point win in a row says something is solid. Fewer replays makes for refreshing viewing British and Irish Lions' Jac Morgan scores a try against Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Wednesday. Photograph: Jason O'Brien/PA Wire By design or just the way things are rolling, there have not been many TMO referrals and replays in the opening two matches played in Australia. There was at least one referral against the Reds, and a try was awarded to the Lions after review. But the experience so far is that people are generally content with the referee diving into a pile of bodies and making the call without going through all of the angles and prolonging the game. The replays have become part of the rugby entertainment business but less of them and allowing the match to move on quickly on is quite refreshing in its own old-fashioned way. Smooth Jamison Gibson-Park operates well with Finn Russell Jamison Gibson-Park showed his vision and plenty of other qualities for the British and Irish Lions against Queensland Reds on Wednesday. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho It was encouraging to see the Irish nine, Jamison Gibson-Park , back playing competitive rugby. It is only when he is away from the game and returns that the smooth tempo he gives a team - compared with Alex Mitchell's staccato style of play - is so eye-catching. Ronan O'Gara rightly said on television that at his best Gibson-Park is up there with French nine Antoine Dupont. Although he clearly has another gear or two above what he showed against the Reds, his linking with outhalf Finn Russell, his control at the base of rucks, accurate kicking game, snipe threat and temperament were all on display. Already connections within the squad are beginning to form and although it was the halfbacks' first time out together the Irish scrumhalf and Scottish pivot have the look of a Test-match pairing despite having much more to add to their game than the outing against the Reds showed. Ben Earl holds court in Lions centre Ben Earl tries to go on the rampage for the British and Irish Lions against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Photograph:Irish centre Bundee Aki was replaced at the end of the match by England backrow Ben Earl. It was an interesting decision by Andy Farrell , giving the forward 15 minutes to try his hand in a star-studded backline. Earl is a dynamic player and has some pace. Not as much as Henry Pollack, another Lions backrow, but enough to possibly cause havoc in the midfield. Indeed, after providing cover in the centre against Wales during the Six Nations, Earls said 'it is not too dissimilar'. 'Half the stuff I do is as a 12 anyway,' he explained at the time. He also played the last six minutes of England's 47-24 victory over Italy during the Six Nations at centre and scored the final try. Steve Borthwick first used him in the backline during England's victory over Japan last summer. A hybrid player. Watch this space in Australia. READ MORE Freescoring Lions are going to be hard for Australia to keep at bay Maro Itoje scores a try for the British and Irish Lions against the Queensland Reds. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho How will former Ireland and current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt counter the Lions change of gear when the teams meet later this month? In the two games on Australian soil the cogs have shifted and the tries have flowed. Only four minutes into the second half agaisnt the Reds, Maro Itoje triggered the surge, scoring a try after good work from Aki. Nine minutes later it was flanker and player of the match Jac Morgan who ran a great line to take a flat pass and dive over. Just four minutes after that England wing Tommy Freeman twisted and used his strength to force himself over the line, and Huw Jones ran most of the length of the field to touch down on 65 minutes. Replacement Garry Ringrose ended the try fest on 80+4 minutes, touching down in the corner. No doubt Schmidt is already on it.
Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
It's so much harder for Lions to win — so why don't they prepare properly?
On the way to Heathrow on Monday, there is no doubt that the sense of excitement at the prospect of reporting on my 11th Lions tour will be as towering as it was for the first, many years ago just past the era when they went down to the deep south by boat. We had our own capacity crowd recently at the Royal Geographical Society when readers came to listen to Sam Warburton and Lawrence Dallaglio speak and wait for the rest of us on the panel to get a word in, but I did manage to point out before being swamped by the sheer aura and knowledge of the Big Two that the Lions bloody well annoy me as well as compel. One day, long after I have hung up my pen, typewriter, laptop and AI downloader, they will prepare properly and win consistently. Sadly, even after all these years, there is no sign of it whatsoever. Why on earth were they messing about in Ireland last week and playing an ultimately pointless match on Friday? It seemed to be a good evening (though the match should never have been in Dublin for umpteen reasons). It was, in some ways, a stirring game, and had the Pumas been allowed to be Lions I reckon at least eight of them would have made the touring party, with Felipe Contepomi, their coach, as Andy Farrell's No2. The Pumas saw every 50-50 call by the referee go against them and still won, with glorious tries. But the 2025 Lions should have been in Australia days ago. Were they not forewarned? In 2013 they played a monumentally silly match against the Barbarians in Hong Kong, in temperatures so hot that Adam Jones reported he had lost a stone and a half during the match. Last tour out, they played an even more pointless match against Japan at Murrayfield during which they lost Alun Wyn Jones, only their captain. He never really recovered his best form on the South African tour. They should have been in camp in Australia, without old Lions drinking around them, coming to terms with jet lag (which affects everyone differently) and in their own company, no hangers-on. The Lions record is dire. For them to win a Test series is about 20 times more difficult than most people realise. The Lions don't always get it, either. Just for once the Premiership in England allowed their own season to end one week earlier so that the Lions had two weeks to prepare properly, instead of the usual murderous single week. And they wasted it, tilting at a gaudy Irish windmill. There is no point in waiting until an inquest to point out a concern. At this distance, it does not look a history-making Lions squad. Previously, we have seen the Lions win with great oaks such as Wade Dooley or Martin Johnson in the forwards and the brilliant Jeremy Guscott behind the scrum; we have seen our man Dallaglio win with the Lions in South Africa, alongside the thunderous Scott Gibbs in midfield and a back row which terrified the Springboks. We have seen our Warburton and his men good enough to draw with the All Blacks in New Zealand, still probably the ultimate destination in terms of severity of the assignment. As yet, the 2025 Lions appear to lack a world-class hardcore, to lack a group of heavy fixers and supremely confident match-winners. Granted, Sione Tuipulotu and Tommy Freeman in the backs, the glorious Finn Russell at fly half and great forwards such as Tadhg Furlong could all rise gloriously to the occasion. But Andy Farrell, such a brilliant coach with Ireland, will have all his work cut out to develop the necessary momentum against what is likely to be a thoroughly capable Wallabies team. Granted, we cannot take one game on a frantic Friday as proper evidence, otherwise we may already be wondering if there are too many flighty young Englishmen, too many willing but unspectacular Irish forwards; and wondering if the fearsome Tuipulotu/Bundee Aki midfield is effective. It was only when Elliot Daly and Tomos Williams arrived that there was the hint of subtlety. And what of the commercial storm? No-one could be naive enough to claim that the rapacious pace of done deals and the Lions signing up a galaxy of sponsors is not necessary. But so close to the tour? On Friday they named two people from TikTok who are going along to, as the publicity has it, make rugby a bigger sport by spreading it into areas where it is previously unknown. Somehow, you feel that Mr Tik and Mr Tok will not end the tour quite as famous as a winning Lions team, quite as honoured for all time in the pantheon as our Maro and our Andy. It will be fascinating to see how the squad blends together. As many people have observed, nine of the party were neither born in Britain nor Ireland. They are in the Lions party on merit and there are some very fine players in that category. Cultural divides can be overtaken on a Lions tour. But if they struggle for form and harmony, then the question will be asked again — should the British & Irish Lions comprise the British and Irish. Only? Perhaps we can return, now, to the sense of wonder. Australia has a decency in their rugby and in their reactions to the Lions. They have a climate and spectacular surroundings, and both sides now have a wonderful opportunity to knock spots off other codes of the oval ball which do not have anything like such a magnificent international department. International rugby is overdone and overblown, but when it comes to the Lions, we cannot get enough. It all starts in Perth, and well done to that city. Every time I have been there with the Lions, the match has taken place in another stadium, often brand new. This is a little sad for those of us who visited the Perry Lakes Stadium in 1989, and dined at the subterranean Munch and Go refreshment facility. Munch and go. A rather good motto for the Lions. They must be bound together, merciless and talented. They must honour their glamorous surroundings, and the backdrop in which the Sea of Red, the tens of thousands of their supporters, partake of the iced yellow water and get behind them. And anticipation will be rising. Most rugby clubs in the four nations will be opening mid-morning on Saturday, possibly even in midweek, to show the games. Even those who have seen the whole thing close up what seems like a hundred times will be nervous as kittens at the kick-off. Drives you nuts sometimes. But there's nothing like it. Thankfully, in the week ahead, the Lions will be in Australia, planning to play Australian teams. They have spent way too long already in Europe, at a mighty irrelevancy.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why the Lions tour is rugby's greatest spectacle – and it's finally returning to Australia
Why should I care? The Lions tour every four years, alternating between South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The last time the Lions came down under was 12 years ago, when the Wallabies were defeated in a thrilling series by two games to one. It is not uncommon for people in Britain and Ireland to save for years to have the opportunity of joining a Lions tour as a fan. Demand has grown after the last Lions tour to South Africa in 2021 was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the first time fans will have followed the team in person since 2017 in New Zealand. The Lions fanbase will spread across Australia, calling into Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne for each game of the tour. English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish rugby supporters never support one team together, apart from every four years when the Lions tour, when long-held sporting grudges are temporarily quashed. English fans sing the Fields of Athenry and Irish fans will belt out Flower of Scotland in pubs across Australia. How are Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England represented? The Lions' red shirt represents Wales, the white shorts represent England, the blue socks with a green top represent Scotland and Ireland. A sea of red jerseys has become an iconic part of the imagery of the Lions abroad, with thousands of supporters filling the host city's streets and stadiums in the colour. Until the 1950 tour to Australia and New Zealand, the Lions wore dark blue jerseys, before changing to red. The Lions tours are not only made up of players from each of the four countries, but also the coaching and backroom staff. The Lions will be led by Ireland coach and former Great Britain rugby league star Andy Farrell. Four countries against one – it's hardly fair? Four countries against one does sound unfair, especially against a Wallabies team that missed the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals, but history tells a different story. Since their first tour in 1888, the Lions boast a winning record of 42 per cent against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa collectively. A series win is cherished principally because it is so hard to do. Regardless of the stars available to the Lions, most have never played rugby together and have to retrain their bodies and minds to play completely differently from what they are used to doing with their own countries. The squad need to move beyond hard and fast national cliques swiftly, learn to trust teammates who were recently sworn enemies and adapt to a game plan that is being generated on the run. England's Lawrence Dallaglio famously said that he held his Lions series win in 1997 higher than his 2003 World Cup winner's medal. Series wins are rare and the 2025 tour to Australia represents a golden opportunity for the Lions. Do the Wallabies have any chance? Absolutely. Since his appointment last March, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has built a strong squad that is finally working under a cohesive game plan. In November, the Wallabies defeated England and Wales and lost by just three points to Ireland in Dublin. Granted, they also lost to Scotland by 14 points in Edinburgh. Schmidt is a former Ireland coach who knows the Lions squad implicitly. He is the master at studying game plans and manipulating them to give his side the best chance of upsetting the odds. The Wallabies are heavy underdogs, but they will make life difficult for the Lions. Where are the Lions playing? The Lions tours are a combination of games against Australian Super Rugby teams played across the country, as well as two invitational teams: the Australia and New Zealand invitational side and the First Nations and Pasifika XV. The Lions will use the majority of these games to test their squad and build their best possible team that will face the Wallabies in the three-game Test series. Who are the stars of the Lions team? The Lions captain and second-rower Maro Itoje is only the second Englishman to captain the Lions in the professional era, following England World Cup winning skipper Martin Johnson who led the side in 1997 and 2001. Off the field, he holds a political science degree, an MBA and runs an art gallery — all while being one of the world's best players. Melbourne-raised Sione Tuipulotu now plays for Scotland, is an exceptional centre and will provide a brilliant clash against Wallabies star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. He will be back on familiar turf with fellow Aussies, Ireland prop Finlay Bealham and winger Mack Hansen who were both raised in Canberra. England winger Tommy Freeman is the tourists' danger man, scoring a try in all of his five starts in the Six Nations. Can I still get tickets? At the time of publication, there are still some tickets available for every game on the tour in Australia. Tickets for the Western Force game in Perth and First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne are available on Ticketmaster. Every other game, including the three Tests are available on Ticketek. I don't want to brave the cold, what pubs are showing the games in Sydney? When the tour starts, it will be a challenge not to find a pub that is showing the games in the harbour city, but for starters the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown, the Woollahra Hotel and the Sporting Globe on King Street Wharf are showing every game of the tour live. On Wednesday 30 July Cheers Bar on George Street is hosting a Q and A with former Lions and Wales five-eighth Dan Biggar, who toured Australia in 2013. On Thursday 31 July, Establishment Bar on George Street is hosting 'the Good, the Bad and the Rugby' podcast live with former England World Cup winner and member of the royal family Mike Tindall. How will this tour impact Australia economically? The tour is expected to pour $200 million into the Australia economy during the tour, with fans packing out pubs, hotels and restaurants. Cash-strapped Rugby Australia took out an $80 million loan two years ago and the $100 million the organisation are expected to pocket is crucial to rugby's financial future in Australia. As part of a new joint-venture organisational structure the Lions and Australia will share all commercial and government revenue, ticket revenue and broadcast revenue – helping to lift RA's windfall from about $40 million on the 2013 tour.
The Age
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Why the Lions tour is rugby's greatest spectacle – and it's finally returning to Australia
Why should I care? The Lions tour every four years, alternating between South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The last time the Lions came down under was 12 years ago, when the Wallabies were defeated in a thrilling series by two games to one. It is not uncommon for people in Britain and Ireland to save for years to have the opportunity of joining a Lions tour as a fan. Demand has grown after the last Lions tour to South Africa in 2021 was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the first time fans will have followed the team in person since 2017 in New Zealand. The Lions fanbase will spread across Australia, calling into Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne for each game of the tour. English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish rugby supporters never support one team together, apart from every four years when the Lions tour, when long-held sporting grudges are temporarily quashed. English fans sing the Fields of Athenry and Irish fans will belt out Flower of Scotland in pubs across Australia. How are Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England represented? The Lions' red shirt represents Wales, the white shorts represent England, the blue socks with a green top represent Scotland and Ireland. A sea of red jerseys has become an iconic part of the imagery of the Lions abroad, with thousands of supporters filling the host city's streets and stadiums in the colour. Until the 1950 tour to Australia and New Zealand, the Lions wore dark blue jerseys, before changing to red. The Lions tours are not only made up of players from each of the four countries, but also the coaching and backroom staff. The Lions will be led by Ireland coach and former Great Britain rugby league star Andy Farrell. Four countries against one – it's hardly fair? Four countries against one does sound unfair, especially against a Wallabies team that missed the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals, but history tells a different story. Since their first tour in 1888, the Lions boast a winning record of 42 per cent against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa collectively. A series win is cherished principally because it is so hard to do. Regardless of the stars available to the Lions, most have never played rugby together and have to retrain their bodies and minds to play completely differently from what they are used to doing with their own countries. The squad need to move beyond hard and fast national cliques swiftly, learn to trust teammates who were recently sworn enemies and adapt to a game plan that is being generated on the run. England's Lawrence Dallaglio famously said that he held his Lions series win in 1997 higher than his 2003 World Cup winner's medal. Series wins are rare and the 2025 tour to Australia represents a golden opportunity for the Lions. Do the Wallabies have any chance? Absolutely. Since his appointment last March, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has built a strong squad that is finally working under a cohesive game plan. In November, the Wallabies defeated England and Wales and lost by just three points to Ireland in Dublin. Granted, they also lost to Scotland by 14 points in Edinburgh. Schmidt is a former Ireland coach who knows the Lions squad implicitly. He is the master at studying game plans and manipulating them to give his side the best chance of upsetting the odds. The Wallabies are heavy underdogs, but they will make life difficult for the Lions. Where are the Lions playing? The Lions tours are a combination of games against Australian Super Rugby teams played across the country, as well as two invitational teams: the Australia and New Zealand invitational side and the First Nations and Pasifika XV. The Lions will use the majority of these games to test their squad and build their best possible team that will face the Wallabies in the three-game Test series. Who are the stars of the Lions team? The Lions captain and second-rower Maro Itoje is only the second Englishman to captain the Lions in the professional era, following England World Cup winning skipper Martin Johnson who led the side in 1997 and 2001. Off the field, he holds a political science degree, an MBA and runs an art gallery — all while being one of the world's best players. Melbourne-raised Sione Tuipulotu now plays for Scotland, is an exceptional centre and will provide a brilliant clash against Wallabies star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. He will be back on familiar turf with fellow Aussies, Ireland prop Finlay Bealham and winger Mack Hansen who were both raised in Canberra. England winger Tommy Freeman is the tourists' danger man, scoring a try in all of his five starts in the Six Nations. Can I still get tickets? At the time of publication, there are still some tickets available for every game on the tour in Australia. Tickets for the Western Force game in Perth and First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne are available on Ticketmaster. Every other game, including the three Tests are available on Ticketek. I don't want to brave the cold, what pubs are showing the games in Sydney? When the tour starts, it will be a challenge not to find a pub that is showing the games in the harbour city, but for starters the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown, the Woollahra Hotel and the Sporting Globe on King Street Wharf are showing every game of the tour live. On Wednesday 30 July Cheers Bar on George Street is hosting a Q and A with former Lions and Wales five-eighth Dan Biggar, who toured Australia in 2013. On Thursday 31 July, Establishment Bar on George Street is hosting 'the Good, the Bad and the Rugby' podcast live with former England World Cup winner and member of the royal family Mike Tindall. How will this tour impact Australia economically? The tour is expected to pour $200 million into the Australia economy during the tour, with fans packing out pubs, hotels and restaurants. Cash-strapped Rugby Australia took out an $80 million loan two years ago and the $100 million the organisation are expected to pocket is crucial to rugby's financial future in Australia. As part of a new joint-venture organisational structure the Lions and Australia will share all commercial and government revenue, ticket revenue and broadcast revenue – helping to lift RA's windfall from about $40 million on the 2013 tour.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Challenge Cup victory can start golden era for Bath, says Lawrence Dallaglio
By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat An EPCR Challenge Cup victory can be the springboard to a golden era as Lawrence Dallaglio knows only too well – making Bath's trip to Cardiff this Friday a huge opportunity. Advertisement Finn Russell and co will hope to bring home the second part of a treble when they take on French side Lyon in the Challenge Cup final at Principality Stadium, live on Premier Sports 1, with a Premiership Rugby Cup victory having already ended Bath's 17-year wait for silverware. They are also heavy favourites to take the Gallagher Premiership crown that narrowly escaped them last season, having already clinched top spot and underlined their position with a thumping win over second-placed Leicester Tigers at the weekend. For Dallaglio, who is part of a 15-strong Premier Sports TV punditry team delivering the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup for Premier Sports, the new broadcasters of international club rugby's premier competitions, feels the Final gives Bath a chance to exorcise some demons from last year's heart-breaking Premiership final loss to Northampton Saints. That day, even after Beno Obano's first-half red card, they were only denied by a late Alex Mitchell try. Advertisement And former England and Wasps No.8 Dallaglio recalled how victory in the Challenge Cup back in 2002 – coincidentally against Bath – was the catalyst for his club's extended run of success. He said: 'I hate constantly making parallels with my own playing career. But when Wasps embarked on our golden period of success, it all started with the Challenge Cup final. 'Ironically, it was a fixture against Bath in the final that kicked us off. We won that and then went on to win our first Premiership final against Gloucester as well. 'Bath have targeted the Premiership and been the front-runners all season, they have been outstanding in terms of their consistency, but this is a golden opportunity for them to get another trophy in the cabinet. And for them to prove themselves that they are capable of winning these things. Advertisement 'Having the better team for most of last year's final, even being down to 14 men, they still missed out. They will want to rectify that and win this. If you are going to go on and win the Premiership, there is value in these sorts of games in giving you the confidence that you have got what it takes to win the one-off knockout occasions.' They face a Lyon team that has plenty of star power, including standout Georgian full-back Davit Niniashvili, while they beat Owen Farrell's Racing 92 in the semi-finals. But fresh from a pair of league defeats that has hurt their chances of reaching the Top 14 play-offs, Dallaglio believes that Bath rightly go into the game as favourites, particularly with the proximity of the Welsh capital to the Rec. He added: 'Whenever you take on a French side on a neutral ground away from France, you fancy your chances. The fact it is in Cardiff, and Lyon coming off the back of two defeats, I fancy Bath to be strong favourites. Advertisement 'For me it feels like a home game – for Bath and Northampton (who play Bordeaux-Bègles in the Investec Champions Cup final on Saturday, also live on Premier Sports 1). They have got to take full advantage of that. They will feel more comfortable than their opponents.' Premier Sports is the home of Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup with 80 games live throughout the competition including this weekend's Finals on 23 and 24 May live from Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Visit: to sign-up for all the action from URC, Top 14, MLR, Japan League One and EPCR rugby at just £11.99 per month.
