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Daily Telegraph
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
Justin Harrison-Martin Johnson feud to ignite on TV
Don't miss out on the headlines from Wallabies. Followed categories will be added to My News. The television executives who thought it was a good idea to partner Justin Harrison with Martin Johnson during Australia's upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions might have got more than they bargained for. The pair have history - including a long-running feud that has never been resolved - prompting some anxious reservations about how they'll get along when they're seated together in Stan's Rugby Heaven studio. The big hope is that things won't end up like Ian Chappell and Ian Botham, who once started scuffling in the car park, though no-one is sure how it will all play out. Most rugby fans already know the backstory to their bitter dispute, but few are aware of the last fiery exchange when Harris and Johnson nearly came to blows. Justin Harrison was a master in the lineouts. Their row initially kicked off way back in 2001 when Harrison, on debut for the Wallabies, famously stole a lineout from Johnson to clinch Australia's first and only series win over the tourists. While Harrison was proclaimed a national sporting hero and has gone to become a television celebrity, Johnson took the defeat hard, developing a deep dislike for Australians that drove him to the ultimate revenge when he captained England to victory over the Wallabies in the 2003 World Cup final. But what few people know is the pair had another fallout years later after a chance meeting at the Hong Kong 10s when Harrison was there with the Classic Wallabies. Justin Harrison bested Martin Johnson on many an occasion, whether the latter played for England or the Lions. Picture: Getty Images Goog, as he's known to his mates, is a well-known prankster who loves winding people and having a laugh and Hong Kong is the one place where rugby fans all over the world come to let their hair down and take the mickey out of each other. So when Harrison spotted a photograph in the clubhouse of him pinching another lineout from Johnson, he thought he'd have a bit of fun with it, unaware that the former Lions skipper was in the crowd that day. Like all good yarns, it starts with 'I had a few beers under my belt' but we'll let Harrison fill in the rest. Australian lock Justin Harrison was adored by fans in his playing days. Picture: AFP 'There's a lineout picture, not the Lions one but England v Australia and I'm winning the lineout against Johnson, so I take it off the wall and I'm walking around the artificial turf there at Hong Kong football club like a boxing ring girl. 'And someone goes 'Johnno's here, he's at the game, over in the VIP section.' 'So I walk over and I'm standing on the field with this photo and I see him, he's in about row six, and I said 'let's get a photo. 'I thought it was pretty funny but he goes 'f…k you' like proper serious. 'So then there's a bit of a verbal and I'm like 'c'mon on then, come here' and the crowd's into it and singing 'Johnno's a wanker' and I'm geeing them up and he keeps telling me to 'f… off.' 'But that was my last interaction with Johnno and now he's coming down here for a partnership and we're on a panel together. 'So, that's gonna be interesting, right? I better break bread with him.' Former England skipper Martin Johnson, pictured announcing his retirement in 2004, is on his way back to Australia. FORCE 'DEVASTATED' TO LOSE POTTER Western Force coach Simon Cron says losing Wallabies winger Harry Potter to the Waratahs is 'devastating'. Potter will join NSW from next season. 'Potts is a great man, a big part of our team, and it's a shame we've lost him,' Cron said. 'We'd love to keep everybody out west. But Potts has got to do what's best for him and his family and the support staff around him, so devastating to lose him. 'Great fella, great team man. But we wish him all the best. And we're supportive of what's best for Potts.' Wallabies flyer Harry Potter is in high demand. Picture: Getty Images It opens the door for the Force to poach NSW winger Darby Lancaster in what could be a straight swap. 'Obviously, we've got some players coming in there and we need to add a few more into the back three, into the middle of the field and a couple in the tight five,' Cron said. 'We're always on the hunt for the guys that will fit into our environment and the squad and add to the team.' FANS SCRAMBLE IN FLIGHT CHAOS Thousands of British and Irish Lions are scrambling to get to Australia in time for Saturday night's opening match against the Western Force after being delayed by the tensions in the Middle East. The threat of missile strikes in Iran, Israel and US bases in the Gulf region have forced massive changes to the available air routes in the region, with hundreds of flights diverted and cancelled. It has caused chaos for the rugby fans travelling to Perth with some passengers stranded at airports waiting for the next flight while others were turned around and sent home. British and Irish Lions fans are passionate and travel in strong numbers - if they can get here. RA'S MOVE AGAINST HATE SPEECH Rugby Australia has signed a landmark agreement to protect players, refs and coaches from toxic online hate speech. Working closely with former counter-terrorism expert Shane Britten, Rugby Australia has signed a partnership with Social Protect, an AI-powered social media app that detects and deletes harmful and abusive comments from a user's social media profile in real time. The move comes after World Rugby last year charged an Australian resident with sending online abuse to referees after tracking through the AI. 'We're proud to be leading the way in Australian sport and sending a clear message that abuse and harassment - online or offline - have no place in rugby,' RA chief executive Phil Waugh said. Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh. Picture: Getty Images PHILLIP'S TURNING HEADS Former Wallabies lock Matt Phillip has put himself in contention for the chance of playing against the Lions after an eye catching return to Australia. The towering two-metre tall lock has spent the last two seasons in Japan but has signed a new deal with the Waratahs and is available to play for New South Wales against the Lions at Allianz stadium on July 5. But his main goal is to get back into the Wallabies after his last appearance at the 2023 World Cup. Matt Philip last played for the Wallabies at the 2023 World Cup. Picture: Getty Images The 31-year-old has been included in the Wallabies' wider training squad and made a big impression on his comeback to Shute Shield, playing 60 minutes for Sydney University against Gordon at Chatswood Oval last weekend. 'It would definitely be my biggest achievement so far,' he said. 'It happens once every 12 years. 'I'd love to be in the national team again but obviously a lot of things have to happen again.' WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE TIPS OFF Australia's men's Wheelchair Basketball League tips off this weekend and it's shaping up to be the most competitive season yet. Six international imports – double last year's total – and a full squad of U23 World Championship reps, fresh from Brazil, will take to the court across NSW, QLD and WA. This includes two Paris-bound Paralympians; 19-year-old Eithan Leard and 20-year-old Jaylen Brown, both now back on home courts after playing pro in Italy. Originally published as Justin Harrison-Martin Johnson feud to ignite on TV as former rivals link up on Lions coverage
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Justin Harrison-Martin Johnson feud to ignite on TV as former rivals link up on Lions coverage
The television executives who thought it was a good idea to partner Justin Harrison with Martin Johnson during Australia's upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions might have got more than they bargained for. The pair have history - including a long-running feud that has never been resolved - prompting some anxious reservations about how they'll get along when they're seated together in Stan's Rugby Heaven studio. The big hope is that things won't end up like Ian Chappell and Ian Botham, who once started scuffling in the car park, though no-one is sure how it will all play out. Most rugby fans already know the backstory to their bitter dispute, but few are aware of the last fiery exchange when Harris and Johnson nearly came to blows. Their row initially kicked off way back in 2001 when Harrison, on debut for the Wallabies, famously stole a lineout from Johnson to clinch Australia's first and only series win over the tourists. While Harrison was proclaimed a national sporting hero and has gone to become a television celebrity, Johnson took the defeat hard, developing a deep dislike for Australians that drove him to the ultimate revenge when he captained England to victory over the Wallabies in the 2003 World Cup final. But what few people know is the pair had another fallout years later after a chance meeting at the Hong Kong 10s when Harrison was there with the Classic Wallabies. Goog, as he's known to his mates, is a well-known prankster who loves winding people and having a laugh and Hong Kong is the one place where rugby fans all over the world come to let their hair down and take the mickey out of each other. So when Harrison spotted a photograph in the clubhouse of him pinching another lineout from Johnson, he thought he'd have a bit of fun with it, unaware that the former Lions skipper was in the crowd that day. Like all good yarns, it starts with 'I had a few beers under my belt' but we'll let Harrison fill in the rest. 'There's a lineout picture, not the Lions one but England v Australia and I'm winning the lineout against Johnson, so I take it off the wall and I'm walking around the artificial turf there at Hong Kong football club like a boxing ring girl. 'And someone goes 'Johnno's here, he's at the game, over in the VIP section.' 'So I walk over and I'm standing on the field with this photo and I see him, he's in about row six, and I said 'let's get a photo. 'I thought it was pretty funny but he goes 'f…k you' like proper serious. 'So then there's a bit of a verbal and I'm like 'c'mon on then, come here' and the crowd's into it and singing 'Johnno's a wanker' and I'm geeing them up and he keeps telling me to 'f… off.' 'But that was my last interaction with Johnno and now he's coming down here for a partnership and we're on a panel together. 'So, that's gonna be interesting, right? I better break bread with him.' FORCE 'DEVASTATED' TO LOSE POTTER Western Force coach Simon Cron says losing Wallabies winger Harry Potter to the Waratahs is 'devastating'. Potter will join NSW from next season. 'Potts is a great man, a big part of our team, and it's a shame we've lost him,' Cron said. 'We'd love to keep everybody out west. But Potts has got to do what's best for him and his family and the support staff around him, so devastating to lose him. 'Great fella, great team man. But we wish him all the best. And we're supportive of what's best for Potts.' It opens the door for the Force to poach NSW winger Darby Lancaster in what could be a straight swap. 'Obviously, we've got some players coming in there and we need to add a few more into the back three, into the middle of the field and a couple in the tight five,' Cron said. 'We're always on the hunt for the guys that will fit into our environment and the squad and add to the team.' FANS SCRAMBLE IN FLIGHT CHAOS Thousands of British and Irish Lions are scrambling to get to Australia in time for Saturday night's opening match against the Western Force after being delayed by the tensions in the Middle East. The threat of missile strikes in Iran, Israel and US bases in the Gulf region have forced massive changes to the available air routes in the region, with hundreds of flights diverted and cancelled. It has caused chaos for the rugby fans travelling to Perth with some passengers stranded at airports waiting for the next flight while others were turned around and sent home. RA'S MOVE AGAINST HATE SPEECH Rugby Australia has signed a landmark agreement to protect players, refs and coaches from toxic online hate speech. Working closely with former counter-terrorism expert Shane Britten, Rugby Australia has signed a partnership with Social Protect, an AI-powered social media app that detects and deletes harmful and abusive comments from a user's social media profile in real time. The move comes after World Rugby last year charged an Australian resident with sending online abuse to referees after tracking through the AI. 'We're proud to be leading the way in Australian sport and sending a clear message that abuse and harassment - online or offline - have no place in rugby,' RA chief executive Phil Waugh said. PHILLIP'S TURNING HEADS Former Wallabies lock Matt Phillip has put himself in contention for the chance of playing against the Lions after an eye catching return to Australia. The towering two-metre tall lock has spent the last two seasons in Japan but has signed a new deal with the Waratahs and is available to play for New South Wales against the Lions at Allianz stadium on July 5. But his main goal is to get back into the Wallabies after his last appearance at the 2023 World Cup. The 31-year-old has been included in the Wallabies' wider training squad and made a big impression on his comeback to Shute Shield, playing 60 minutes for Sydney University against Gordon at Chatswood Oval last weekend. 'It would definitely be my biggest achievement so far,' he said. 'It happens once every 12 years. 'I'd love to be in the national team again but obviously a lot of things have to happen again.' WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE TIPS OFF Australia's men's Wheelchair Basketball League tips off this weekend and it's shaping up to be the most competitive season yet. Six international imports – double last year's total – and a full squad of U23 World Championship reps, fresh from Brazil, will take to the court across NSW, QLD and WA. This includes two Paris-bound Paralympians; 19-year-old Eithan Leard and 20-year-old Jaylen Brown, both now back on home courts after playing pro in Italy.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
'Sewage flooded my home - I'm worried it will happen again'
"It's mucky. You spot bits of loo paper inside it. It smells. And in it comes, into the house." At his home in Bladon, Oxfordshire in November, Colin Fletcher woke up to the sight of raw sewage bubbling up from a sewer in his back garden. "We were moving furniture upstairs as fast as we could," he said, as the mixture of rainwater and sewage entered the house. He and his wife had to move out for three months.A Thames Water spokesperson said the company was trying to identify a resolution. Mr Fletcher said the incident was partly caused by Thames Water blocking a wastewater overflow pipe that runs from his home into a small stream in his garden. He said it meant after heavy rainfall, sewage in the pipe system overflowed from the sewer, mixing with rising water levels from the stream. "We are looking at ways of stopping the stream flooding the house," he said. "But we still have the problem that Thames Water are responsible for: that their sewer is inadequate, their pumping station is inadequate". Mr Fletcher said he feared that without these issues being addressed, another deluge could lead to the same thing happening again. "I have asked the question: when are they going to upgrade the pumping station - I've had no reply as yet". A short drive away in Yarnton, Martin Johnson said collapsed piping under a roundabout near his home regularly caused his downstairs toilet to nearly overflow. A tanker, intermittently parked at the nearby pub The Turnpike, is the only thing mitigating ongoing issues with the sewer system there. "The root cause is that the pipes have collapsed, because they're so old."I'm the symptom [of the problem]. It's frustrating to be a consistent symptom of a problem they don't appear to be fixing." Both Mr Fletcher and Mr Johnson have raised their cases with the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller. 'Really frustrated' Speaking to the BBC, Mr Miller said the two cases showed that the UK's water system was "broken". "I'm really frustrated that Thames Water are not taking these issues more seriously and doing much more to support their customers. "They tell us that's the priority for them, but their actions don't seem to live up to that."Mr Miller said his party were calling for a "single, new water regulator with real powers that would be responsible for water companies' economic and operational management." A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We are aware of the concerns raised by both customers, and we are sorry for the impact sewer flooding has had on them, as we understand this can be upsetting. "We have been actively investigating both separate complex matters, with the aim of identifying a resolution. "We will continue to keep the customers and MP updated." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Competitive Itoje willing to learn from Mount Rushmore of Lions captains
Do you know what really stuck out as Maro Itoje sat chatting in the O2 Arena after the British & Irish Lions squad announcement? His biceps. This year's Lions jersey is tight enough on the shoulders and sufficiently short on the arms to make their already well-muscled captain look like Popeye on steroids. Say what you like about the Lions squad but they have chosen a strong leader. It has worked for them in the past. Who can forget the pipe‑smoking Willie John McBride and his classic response – 'Do you think there will be many of them?' – when an angry hotel manager in South Africa threatened to call the police to arrest a number of 1974 Lions who had been enthusiastically 'rearranging' the furniture. Legend also has it that Ian McGeechan picked the hulking Martin Johnson as his skipper in 1997 partly because of the intimidating effect he might have on the Springboks – and the referee – when he entered their changing room. A bit of presence, particularly when paired with sharp intelligence, can certainly go a long way in a Lions context. But all successful teams need brain as well as brawn. Which was something Itoje himself was suitably reminded of on Wednesday evening when he dined with illustrious Lions skippers from tours past. Imagine sitting there surrounded by Johnson, Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton and the rest of the chiselled-jaw immortals from rugby's Mount Rushmore. Maro's last supper before officially entering the pantheon sounded quite an experience, because all the veterans had nuggets of advice for him. Johnson, no stranger to lifting trophies in Australia, was particularly keen to emphasise just how swiftly circumstances can change, citing the 1993 tour of New Zealand when he was catapulted into the Test team just weeks after arriving as a replacement for Wade Dooley. Seeing Warburton and Jones also reminded Itoje of what made both of them such great captains to play under. 'Sam wasn't necessarily the biggest talker but he led through his actions,' said Itoje. 'He was always among the best players and putting his body on the line. Alun Wyn was all pride, passion and Welsh energy. He's incredibly professional, too, but he also speaks well. They're both smart, selfless guys.' Which, you suspect, is how Itoje will look to be perceived in Australia. He could – and probably should – have been made England's captain much earlier and has shown every sign of relishing the responsibility since Steve Borthwick lobbed him the armband at the start of the year. Now 30, he is about to get married – a two-legged fixture taking place in England and, after the tour, Nigeria – and has long had a keen interest in issues far beyond the next lineout. Only the other week he was holding court in Downing Street, discussing his mixed heritage and looking as comfortable doing so as if he were previewing Saracens' next game. 'I'm a rugby player, I'm an athlete,' he said. 'But that's what I do, that's not who I am. I have other interests, whether it's philanthropy, whether it's art, whether it's politics.' He even joked to Sir Keir Starmer that he was enjoying himself so much at the lectern that he might not leave No 10. 'It was a very cool experience. The prime minister is quite a busy man with a few things on his plate – but he was very grateful I was there and he was enjoying the jokes I was cracking.' It must now be hoped he can strike up a similarly good rapport with Andy Farrell, who might have preferred Ireland's Caelan Doris had the latter not unfortunately been injured last weekend. The two alpha males may appear polar opposites on paper – not many Old Harrovians played for Wigan in Farrell's playing days – but what they do share is a relentless competitive edge. 'I want this Lions squad to be tough,' Itoje said. 'I look at that forward pack and I see a group of tough men. I want us to be an incredibly tight group of players that have each other's back. And I want us to play with the passion, energy and zeal you would expect of a Lions squad. Regardless of who plays, I think that's what the fans would expect of us.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Quite so. Stir it all together, with a sprinkling of good fortune on top, and you have the basic recipe upon which all successful Lions tours are based. Make no mistake, though, the 2025 Lions will have to be clever as well as energetic to defeat Joe Schmidt's Wallabies. Itoje, for one, is wary. 'The Wallabies now are completely different to the Wallabies two years ago,' he said. 'They're a talented team … talent has never been their issue. Now they have a coaching group who have got them organised, sharp and firing. They've got a big, powerful pack and dynamic backs; they're definitely going to be a challenge.' Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou … Itoje is not wrong to suggest Australia have some seriously heavy artillery, with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii also posing a huge aerial threat wider out. But if the touring team can keep their best players fit and foster the necessary esprit de corps on the other side of the world, Itoje could yet join that most distinguished subset of Lions captains, namely those who have returned home victorious. Strip away the team's glorious heritage and it has happened only once since Johnson's 1997 squad famously overturned the Boks. The ultimate accolade, consequently, comes laden with responsibility. 'The overarching message from all the captains was: one, enjoy it and two, trust yourself,' Itoje said. 'Lean on the quality people you will have around you. I am very fortunate that when you look at the squad there is a whole load of talent, quality and leadership there. I think between all of us we can do something special.'
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Maro Itoje left humbled after being named British and Irish Lions captain
Maro Itoje has become the first English captain of the British and Irish Lions since Martin Johnson in 2001 after being placed in charge of the squad bound for Australia this summer. Head coach Andy Farrell has turned to the 2017 and 2021 Lions tourist after he impressed while leading England during this year's Six Nations, helping his team finish runners-up.
