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The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Expect Farrell's frustrations to vanish: the Lions will prioritise hunger and energy
The British & Irish Lions' defeat by Argentina will have been shaken out of their system even before the jet lag. It is not difficult to draw a line under it. The tour starts when boots are on the ground in Australia and listening to the noises coming out of the camp, I'd be amazed if Andy Farrell is voicing the same frustrations after Saturday's match against Western Force. The handling errors against the Pumas stood out. I don't mind so much those that were committed in aerial contests – though there were a lot in open play as well – but I think what really frustrated Farrell is that Argentina appeared to be playing with more urgency at the breakdown and when it came to feeding off the loose scraps. The first match is always difficult. There is so much goodwill, so much energy behind the first Lions game of a tour that it can be hard not to force things, not to get carried away with a determination to impress. Bear in mind that Argentina are ranked fifth in the world and the Lions will not face another challenge like the Pumas until we get into the Test series. Clearly there was a desire to move the ball and keep it alive – and I always say that what we see on the pitch is a reflection of what has been worked on in training – but some of the decision-making let the Lions down. Whether it be a two-on-one on the edge that Marcus Smith ought to have spotted, or Duhan van der Merwe's failure to pass inside to Alex Mitchell. The expectation on Saturday is that the Lions demonstrate better decision-making and better accuracy, all underpinned by improvements according to Farrell's frustrations – namely hunger, desire and energy. I'm encouraged by the team that Farrell has selected and while I don't think it will be the Test team, I would have no problem with this XV lining up against the Wallabies. I like the blend of the backline, with pace, creativity and power and the fact that there is plenty of familiarity given the number of Leinster and Ireland players selected can only be a good thing. Last week there were certain similarities in what the Lions were trying to achieve in attack with how Farrell's Ireland go about things and that makes obvious sense. I would say that Ireland have the best attacking framework and structure of the four home nations so it stands to reason. When I talk about structure it can sound like a negative thing, like it can be constraining, but that doesn't have to be the case. Excuse the analogy but when I was doing Strictly Come Dancing, I thought that ballroom dancing would be really quite boring because it was all about 'the frame'. What I soon realised is once you've got the frame built and set, it effectively just becomes a pillar in the foundation. What you do within that frame – shoulders back, traps down, elbows high, fingers pointing, neck long, chin to 45 degrees – once you've got those principles in place, you can do whatever you want. So when it comes to the Lions' attacking structure, it looked similar to that of Ireland but that doesn't mean there is no room for players to act on instinct. A good example was Mitchell's pass out the back when recovering near his own line and I'd have liked to see a bit more of it. I was a bit surprised there was no attempt to tap and go, to up the tempo that little bit more. At this stage it is too early to read too much into combinations and what implications they might have for the Test team. It will only become apparent by the third match of the tour in Australia. Maro Itoje isn't playing Saturday but that's likely because Farrell wants to see him lining up alongside another second row and the time is not yet right for that. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion That said, this is certainly an opportunity for Henry Pollock, who had a mixed introduction off the bench against Argentina, while it will be interesting to see how Tadhg Beirne fares in the back row after the lineout troubles against the Pumas last week. I don't think it's unfair to say that the Lions should beat Western Force emphatically. They are the worst-ranked Australian team in Super Rugby whereas the Lions are now fully stacked, barring the odd injury niggle and Farrell will want them to go out and deliver a statement. The noise has already started coming from one or two former Australia players, claiming even that the Wallabies will whitewash the Lions. I love it when the noise starts but that is quite simply an incredible claim. I don't mean to get all Chris Whitty, but we have to follow the evidence and it simply doesn't exist to suggest the Lions will be whitewashed. Bold statements like that do, however, signal that the tour is up and running.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
David Campese in brutal criticism of four Lions
Australia legend David Campese launched a scathing attack on four British and Irish Lions following the defeat to Argentina on Friday night in their first warm-up match. Marcus Smith, Duhan van der Merwe, Jac Morgan and Tommy Freeman were all in the crosshairs in Campese's column for Planet Rugby, where he also said the Lions would get hammered 3-0 by Australia if they did not buck their ideas up. Here, Telegraph Sport analyses his key criticisms and whether 'Campo' was right or wrong. Marcus Smith Then you have Marcus Smith at full-back. Yes, in attack he was threatening and he played a part in two of the Lions' tries, but, and it's a big but, Australia is the land of the physical, athletic full-back and the spiral bomb. That's what we do – we're brought up on Aussie Rules and the skills transfer. The Lions simply cannot afford the luxury of Smith's defence at 15. He doesn't understand the positional requirements and he's simply too small and light to compete one to one. Yes, as an impact player or starting ten, he will do a great job, but as a starting full-back? Come on! What we say: There is a lot going on here and it is perhaps worth adding a touch of nuance. It is completely understandable that Smith is still learning the positional requirements of full-back. Friday was only his eighth start there in his senior career to date. Defensively, he was not at fault for any of the Pumas' tries. For the first, Argentina outflanked a narrow front line because the Lions did not fold enough men around the ruck. For the second and third, the Pumas savaged the Lions in transition situations. Campese is certainly correct that aerial duels are not a strength of Smith's, but I wonder whether these contests are so chaotic now after the crackdown on escort runners blocking off chasing wings – even Freddie Steward struggled in the Premiership final thanks to the commitment of Will Muir – that Farrell put more stock in the up-side of a secondary playmaker. It was Smith or Elliot Daly for that first game anyway, because neither Hugo Keenan nor Blair Kinghorn were available. Farrell would never admit as much publicly, but I looked at the match against Argentina as an 80-minute audition for Smith to be a versatile, impactful replacement on a six-two bench. In that respect, the run-out was worthwhile for the reason Campese highlights himself: the proactivity Smith demonstrated when the Lions had possession. Duhan van de Merwe I simply can't understand how Duhan van der Merwe, a man of 6'5', fails under the high ball in the way he does. He's bloody massive yet managed only one from five in the air in a dismal display under the ball. Tommy Freeman worked hard- 15 carries and the most line breaks, but he was turned over four times- twice in the air and twice on the floor. What we say: Van der Merwe did look vulnerable aerially on Friday night and, generally, it is not a strength of his - and the tweak to the law regarding escort runners has made it even harder for wings - but it is fair to reflect that he can do things that other wings can't and that it was his first appearance since March owing to ankle ligament damage. Certainly, however, the Scot did little to dampen the narrative surrounding James Lowe, and how he is odds-on to start the first Test on the left wing. Jac Morgan I had to check to be sure Jac Morgan was even playing, such was his lack of impact. Yes, he grabbed one good turnover, but when your openside spends 55 minutes on the pitch, makes four carries for six metres, and manages six tackles (one every nine minutes!) you wonder why he's failing to execute the basic roles of his position. He also failed to control anything around the drop zone, a key factor, and generally went missing in action in a woeful personal performanc e. What we say: Harsh from Campo! Morgan might not have been ubiquitous and, certainly, he is now in a race against time to put pressure on his competitors for a Test berth but there were a couple of punchy carries and there was a notable jackal turnover amid the industriousness. Campo criticises Morgan's ball-carrying but is that really what you pick your openside for? The Welshman was not alone in looking a bit subdued at times on Friday night. Tommy Freeman Tommy Freeman worked hard — 15 carries and the most line breaks — but he was turned over four times — twice in the air and twice on the floor. That aerial battle — Rodrigo Isgro and Ignacio Mendy absolutely cleaned the Lions out at the contestables. What we say: Is this like when cricketers seek out a star player for additional sledging? Freeman was not without fault. He threw one overeager offload to Smith in the first half. Much later, in the second period, he coughed up an Argentina clearance in the back-field under no pressure. However, the promise outweighed the errors by some margin. Freeman roamed around the field to pick up touches, clearly settling into the role that the Lions coaches have asked of him. Sione Tuipulotu should have gathered an early offload from the rangy wing off the tail of a line-out and Freeman's work in the air was excellent. As good as the Pumas duo were, the Lions man reinforced his reputation as one of the best in this area. Campese might be clutching at straws, here, because Freeman still seems set for a big tour.
Irish Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Lions v Argentina player ratings: Bundee Aki shows his strength, Fin Smith has a shaky start
Marcus Smith: Scrambled well for a kicked through ball at the end of the first half but wasn't always solid under the high kicks. Caught out of position and didn't read the threat when Santiago Cordero scored his second-half try. 5 Tommy Freeman: Kept busy coming in from the wing and hungry for work from the beginning. Some clever running lines too. Picked it up in the second half and showed what a real live wire he can be at this level. 7 Sione Tuipulotu: Showed his strength going forward for his disallowed try and was always a threat going forward in the carry. Some handling errors and scrappy offloads and an excellent try saving tackle at the end of the first half. 6 Bundee Aki: He was selected for his strength and ability to gain yards in traffic. His first half try was just that as he muscled over with three players around him. Gave way for Elliot Daly in the second half. 6 READ MORE Duhan van der Merwe: He was a mixed bag in the first half, hitting rucks and a great one-handed pass to Tommy Freeman early on. Was an early threat but was turned over going forward for the Albornoz try before half-time. 5 Fin Smith: Shaky start with a few missed high balls but grew into a game that was frantic at times and also disconnected. A busy player but perhaps not as controlling and influential as he would have liked. 5 Alex Mitchell: Provided a good service after box kicking at the beginning which wasn't always profitable. A super one-handed defensive pass to Freeman. Seemed rushed at times moving the ball forward. Replaced after half-time by Williams. 5 Alex Mitchell seemed rushed at times moving the ball forward. Photograph:Ellis Genge: Crushed a few scrums in the first half where the Lions earned three penalties. Good energy too from the loose head prop who trucked some hard yards before giving way to Schoeman after an hour. 6 Luke Cowan-Dickie: Showed great strength for his disallowed try in the first half. Was very active around the park with a few missed lineout throws. Showed good energy while he was on before Ronan Kelleher replaced him early in the second half. 6 Finlay Bealham: Was solid in the scrums and involved around the pitch in a frantic first half. Showed himself to be valuable around the park and in the set piece. Will be pleased with his 59 minutes before Tadhg Furlong came in. 6 Maro Itoje: Quiet enough first half and himself and Cowan Dickie didn't quite get the lineout timing early in the match. Controlled the lineout maul well for the Lions penalty try early in the second half. 5 Tadhg Beirne ran a great line for his try in the first half. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Tadhg Beirne: Never afraid of the grunt work and ran a great line for his try in the first half, taking the ball from a hard flat pass by replacement Tomos Williams. Great lineout take at the end but Lions just off their game to capitalise. 6 Tom Curry: One of the players that showed from the beginning taking up the ball and hitting back Argentina players. Took a few lineouts too. Turned up on the day but a disjointed overall performance negated some of his work. 7 Jac Morgan: Got involved in everything early in the game and won an important runover in the first half that could have been a try. Probably didn't show as much as he is capable of in a frustrating first half. Replaced by Henry Pollo ck 49 minutes in. 6 Ben Earl: Took early carries and showed visibility throughout the first half. He was one of the more solid Lions performers, taking the ball on and curbing the errors that had frustrated Lions efforts. 7 [ Lions left to rue missed chances as Argentina win in Dublin Opens in new window ] Andy Farrell: Spoke about connections during the week and the difficulty of glueing a team together that had not much time to work out each other's way of playing. That disconnect was on show, especially in a frustrating first half. 6 Replacements: Several players made an impact when they came on including Tomos Williams and Mack Hansen who took the ball on several times. Ultimately they didn't get it over the line with plenty of late possession and territory. 6 Which Ireland players will step up for the summer squad while the Lions are away? Listen | 27:53
NZ Herald
20-06-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
British and Irish Lions v Argentina live updates: Lions prepare for Australia tour against Pumas
The Lions warm-up for the Australia tour by taking on the Pumas. Maro Itoje will captain the British and Irish Lions for the first time in their Australia tour warm-up match against Argentina in Dublin on Saturday. The Saracens second row leads a starting side in the non-cap international that features fellow England international Marcus Smith at fullback with the Red Rose pair of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith the halfbacks. Ireland's Tadhg Furlong will have the chance to prove his fitness after struggling with a calf injury that ruled him out of Leinster's United Rugby Championship final victory over the Bulls. Furlong is included on a bench that also features Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher. 'Congratulations to Maro Itoje before leading out the Lions for the first time. It's a truly special moment and one that very few players ever get to experience,' said head coach Andy Farrell. 'Maro has led the group well during our time in Portugal and then Dublin this week. This is also our first opportunity to show what the 2025 Lions are about and what we want to stand for as a team.' A strong Argentina team will be captained by hooker Julian Montoya, six days after the hooker featured in the Leicester side that lost the English Premiership final to Bath. Santiago Carreras is at fullback with Tomas Albornoz at first five-eighths, while Saracens flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez is in a back row also featuring the experienced Pablo Matera. 'We know all their players and we expect them to be playing hard,' said Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi, whose side are ranked fifth in the world. 'They miss some cohesion or maybe not because they are such top players they can click in one moment.' The 30-year-old Itoje, previously appointed as Lions captain for the upcoming three-Test tour of Australia, skippered England to second place in this year's Six Nations. The Lions, made up of leading players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, play their first Test in Australia on July 19 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. British and Irish Lions (15-1): Marcus Smith (ENG); Tommy Freeman (ENG), Sione Tuipulotu (SCO), Bundee Aki (IRL), Duhan van der Merwe (SCO); Fin Smith (ENG), Alex Mitchell (ENG); Ben Earl (ENG), Jac Morgan (WAL), Tom Curry (ENG); Tadhg Beirne (IRL), Maro Itoje (ENG, capt); Finlay Bealham (IRL), Luke Cowan-Dickie (ENG), Ellis Genge (ENG) Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (IRL), Pierre Schoeman (SCO), Tadhg Furlong (IRL), Scott Cummings (SCO), Henry Pollock (ENG), Tomos Williams (WAL), Elliot Daly (ENG), Mack Hansen (IRL) Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG) Argentina (15-1): Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera; Pedro Rubiolo, Franco Molina; Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya (capt), Mayco Vivas
The Guardian
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
British & Irish Lions v Argentina: rugby union
Update: Date: 2025-06-20T17:59:55.000Z Title: Looking for a rundown of the rest of our live coverage this weekend? Content: Here's everything you need to know. Update: Date: 2025-06-20T17:59:51.000Z Title: The lineups Content: Here's a reminder of the starting XVs, in case needed. Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (captain), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl. Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgró, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo García; Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya (captain), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martín González, Joaquín Oviedo. Update: Date: 2025-06-20T17:59:39.000Z Title: Preamble Content: And so it begins. After all the hype, buzz and anticipation, the 2025 Lions tour is about to get under way. Before the squad fly out to Australia, there's the small matter of a tough warm-up match against Argentina, ranked fifth in the world, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. It will be the first time the Lions have played in Ireland, a historic occasion which the squad's 16-strong Irish contingent will be especially keen to mark with a win. Tadhg Beirne, who will start at lock, has said as much, telling the press: 'For us Irish players it's extra special and means a lot.' Beirne was part of the Ireland side that narrowly beat Argentina 22-19 at the Aviva last November, a result which hints at just how tough this game could be. While the Pumas' last outing was a 37-23 defeat to France soon afterwards, their three wins at the Rugby Championship last year – against New Zealand in Wellington, Australia in Santa Fe and South Africa in Santiago del Estero – are a better measure of their mettle. Expect brutal forward play and threats across the back line. As for the Lions, it's early days. This is a chance to experiment, feel out different combinations and build relationships on the pitch, albeit against steely opposition. There's a subplot for England fans, with Steve Borthwick's side set to face Argentina in two Tests on 5 July and 12 July. No doubt Borthwick will be keeping a close eye on proceedings. As for the rest of us, it's time to sit back and enjoy the ride. Here's some pre-match reading to be going on with.
