Latest news with #LesKiss
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kiss backs AUNZ team to continue despite Lions flop
Incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss says the concept of a combined Australia-New Zealand team should continue despite their 48-0 hammering by the British and Irish Lions. The rugby powerhouses came together for the first time since 1989 to face the might of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales at Adelaide on Saturday. Advertisement But despite the match being billed as an unofficial fourth Test, it fizzled with the tourists utterly dominant against a squad that boasted 17 internationals. Kiss, who coached the side, said part of the problem was their lack of preparation, with barely a week together in the build-up not sufficient to fine-tune their combinations. "Of course the scoreline can tell one story, but there are other stories within it that are important to recognise as well," he told reporters. "I think I'd have the complete backing of the guys here that that concept should be something that we continue to work on and make it work whenever we can. Advertisement "I think that the quality of people that you have in the team and three or four weeks to build, I have no doubt that some of the things that probably caught us this week would not have caught us." Their lack of cohesiveness was immediately evident when they were caught napping by a quick Lions' lineout throw that led to a sixth-minute try. Further defensive lapses saw them concede two more tries to trail 17-0 after 20 minutes and there was no way back as the Lions hit their stride. Despite the trouncing, co-captain David Havili also endorsed the concept continuing, with the 30-cap All Blacks centre saying it was a rewarding experience. Advertisement "I love the way the Aussie and Kiwi boys gelled and whilst we didn't get the performance, we can be proud of what we did this week as Australia and New Zealand," he said. "Whenever the Lions come back to New Zealand, hopefully we can get the same concept and the Aussie boys can come over to New Zealand and do the same thing because it's great to be able to get teams like this off the ground. "It's just been a great, enjoyable week and really refreshing for myself." mp/dh
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Build-up as British and Irish Lions face Australia & New Zealand XV
Update: Date: 10:03 BST Title: Fun facts Content: AUNZ Invitational XV v Lions (11:00 BST) Update: Date: 10:00 BST Title: One more to go Content: AUNZ Invitational XV v Lions (11:00 BST) Well, this will be fun. The Lions play their final warm-up game against the Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV in Adelaide. That team, coached by incoming Wallabies head coach Les Kiss and former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster, contains selected players from Australia and New Zealand. A rare and unique fixture that will certainly bring some excitement. The Test series against Australia starts in Brisbane next Saturday. Time to shine!
Evening Standard
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Evening Standard
How to watch Lions vs AUNZ Invitational XV: TV channel and live stream for rugby today
The Lions are likely to face another difficult test against a strong AUNZ Invitational squad picked by Les Kiss that features no fewer than 17 internationals, co-captained by David Havili and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, and featuring a formidable back-row trio of Shannon Frizell, Pete Samu and Hoskins Sotutu, plus other established stars such as wing Marika Koroibete.
Irish Daily Mirror
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What Time and TV channel is AUNZ vs British and Irish Lions
The Lions roll on to the sixth game of their 2025 Tour having won all four games since arriving in this game with the 'unknown' AUNZ selection - an invitational side of Australia and New Zealand players - in Adelaide and coached by former Ireland assistant coach Les Kiss looks the toughest proposition yet. There is also the idea Andy Farrell has revealed his First Test hand for the first time here. And that the fifteen players on this Lions team are the fifteen players who will NOT be in that team. It looks like a last chance saloon for those who, unfortunately for them, may have been includes players such as Tadhg Beirne, How Jones, Will Stuart and Sione Tuipulotu. While there is the case of Hugo Keenan who will be trying to prove he has recovered from what seemed debilitating sickness in the early part of the field 14 players including Shannon Frizell and David Havili with either Wallabies or All Black experience (see details below) although the bench shapes up as considerably inexperienced. Adelaide Oval. 8pm Australia, 11am Irish/UK time Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita), Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (Geo), Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (Fra) TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra), Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO): Marius Jonker (SA)Did you know? On the 1989 Tour the Lions beat an ANZAC XV 19-15 at Ballymore in you know? AUNZ coach Less Kiss is an Australian-born coach who was Assistant Coach with Ireland (2009-15), Director of rugby at Ulster (2015-18) and with London Irish (2018-23).Did you know? Less Kiss is set to succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach in mid-2026. Lions Head Coach Farrell said: 'We are in a great position just over a week out from the First Test. The players now have another chance to put in a strong team performance and put a hand up for selection for the Test matches against the Wallabies. Les Kiss has assembled a strong squad with lots of international experience and we know that he will have them well organised and they will bring a lot of physicality to the contest.'AUNZ coach Les Kiss and trying to mould a 'scratch' side: We spoke in depth last night when we had the group together about what an honor it is. It's 36 years since this event's happened before, so it's rarefied air, it's unique, and we're not going to take that for granted. "We're all honored to be able to put this jersey on. There's a little bit of that ANZAC spirit in there. We got Kiwi songs. We have got Aussie songs in the team room, just making most of the opportunity to connect and, you know, do something special this week. We're not taking it for granted."Lions matchday captain Tadhg Beirne notes: "The way the lads went on Wednesday and this being the last game before the Tests, it's an opportunity of us to put a performance in as a squad and individuals and our last opportunity before the first Test to put our hands up and make Andy (Farrell)'s decision a lot more difficult come team selection next week."I'm lucky enough to be able to play more than one position and I'm very happy to play either one - if I'm on the field, that's the main thing. No.6 is something I probably haven't played that much over the last couple of years. It's only natural for me to feel a bit more comfortable at second-row because it's where I've played all my rugby with Munster, so I'm looking forward to being back in the row again."It's a huge opportunity, every game is an opportunity." The game kicks off at 11.00am BST and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. AUNZ 9/2Draw 30/1Lions 1/6 AUNZ XV: Stevenson (Chiefs); Lam (Blues), Laumape (Steelers), Havili (Crusadeers) co-capt, Koroibete (Rebels); Edmed (Waratahs), Fakatava (Highlanders); Ross (Reds), Paenga-Amosa (Force), Toomaga-Allen (Reds), Blyth (Reds)Salakaia-Loto (Reds) co-capt, Frizell (Brave Lupus), Sotutu (Blues), Samu (Bordeaux)Replacements: Eklund (Blues), Fusitu'a (Blues), Dyer (Chiefs), Philip (Waratahs), Brial (Reds), Thomas (Reds), McLaughlin-Phillips (Reds), Campbell (Reds) British and Irish Lions: Keenan; Hansen, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; F Smith, White; Schoeman, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Ryan, Beirne (capt), Pollock, Morgan, Kelleher, Porter, Bealham, Cummings, Van der Flier, Mitchell, M Smith, Farrell.
France 24
11-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Kiss's combined Aus-NZ side out to 'light up' Lions tour
Seventeen internationals are in coach Les Kiss's matchday 23 for the clash in Adelaide as the two rugby powerhouses join forces for the first time since 1989. Andy Farrell's tourists have won all four games so far in Australia and are hot favourites to dominate the opening Test in Brisbane on July 19. But Kiss believes his side can spring a surprise despite a limited build up, leaving the Lions heading to Queensland on the back of a demoralising loss. "If we got a win, yeah, it'll definitely light things up, wouldn't it," said Kiss, who will take over from Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next year. "The win would be great for us and we've already talked about making sure we don't get lost in that. "But we know that we have the capacity and the type of play to do that. We just need to make sure we do what we do well, and if we do that well, why not? "A win, or a loss for the Lions, certainly changes the way that the tour looks." Every player in Kiss's starting XV has international caps, spearheaded by All Blacks David Havili, Shannon Frizell and Hoskins Sotutu. The Australian contingent is led by Marika Koroibete, Pete Samu and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. Kiss said they had been socialising a lot this week, as well as training, to get to know each other, with many in the team never having played together, or even met, before. "This has been a slow build but there is certainly a lot of ambition and a lot of belief in the group already, you can feel it," he said. "They want to go out there and show the best of themselves." Havili and Salakaia-Loto are co-captains with the New Zealand inside centre confident they can create problems. "We all want to win, but it's about how we do that," said Havili, who recently led the Canterbury Crusaders to the Super Rugby title. "They are a great quality side and we've only been together for six or seven days. "But we've got some awesome opportunities in front of us and we just want to be able to go out there and express ourselves, both as Aussies and Kiwis. © 2025 AFP
