Latest news with #Pietsch
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'I'd give up my left testicle': Tom Robertson
So just how desperate is prop Tom Robertson to play for the Wallabies again? "I would give up my left testicle," the Western Force veteran says without hesitation. It's been three years since Robertson last pulled on the Wallabies gold. Since then, he has ruptured his ACL, spent a year-long study sabbatical at Oxford as part of his path to becoming a doctor, and fell back in love with rugby again. Robertson produced a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year to win the Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force's player of the season. The 30-year-old further bolstered his Wallabies hopes with a strong display for the Force in Saturday night's 54-7 loss to the British and Irish Lions in front of 46,656 fans at Optus Stadium. The Force's scrum was widely tipped to be humbled against the Lions. But powered by Robertson's efforts, the Force's scrum stood firm all night, and was arguably the better of the two teams. Robertson has notched 31 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2016, and his selection in the squad for next Sunday's Test against Fiji in Newcastle shows he's now well and truly back in the frame. Getting a gig to feature in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions would be a dream come true. "It would mean the world," Robertson said. "You know, I haven't played a Test since 2022, and that's the highlight of your career. "I would give my left testicle to do it again. "Just to be in the squad is an honour, and to push for a gig in that 23 would be unreal. "I came close last year being in the squad for a bit, but I had a few injuries and didn't make the 23. "It would be an unreal experience to play a Test against the Lions." Robertson said there were definitely moments he doubted he would ever feature for the Wallabies again. "I did my ACL in 2023 and took a year off, went over to Oxford," he said. "It was great fun. And I sort of got away from rugby, but I think that was the best thing for me. I really got that drive back. "When I was away, there were definitely moments there where I didn't know if I'd come back to professional rugby, but I'm very glad I did. "I feel like I've got that spark back." Another Force player who boosted his chances of a Wallabies recall was Dylan Pietsch, who was the standout performer against the Lions on Saturday night. The 27-year-old produced a series of dazzling runs in the first half in what was just his second match back from a serious quad injury. "I did a 25cm grade-three tear in my quad," Pietsch revealed of the injury. "It was pretty big, it was in the first three minutes of the Highlanders game (in round eight), when I went to take off and it just ripped." Pietsch returned for the Force's final game of the season, and credits the team's physiotherapist, "Magic" Mike Neil, for having him in tip-top shape. "I just feel smooth," Pietsch said. "Throughout the back end of last year, and then going into the start of this year, I was kind of fighting for a lot of things. "Like my joints weren't really going that well. "Just to be able to not have to worry about that, and get to the speed and the agility that I want to be at is pretty cool." So just how desperate is prop Tom Robertson to play for the Wallabies again? "I would give up my left testicle," the Western Force veteran says without hesitation. It's been three years since Robertson last pulled on the Wallabies gold. Since then, he has ruptured his ACL, spent a year-long study sabbatical at Oxford as part of his path to becoming a doctor, and fell back in love with rugby again. Robertson produced a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year to win the Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force's player of the season. The 30-year-old further bolstered his Wallabies hopes with a strong display for the Force in Saturday night's 54-7 loss to the British and Irish Lions in front of 46,656 fans at Optus Stadium. The Force's scrum was widely tipped to be humbled against the Lions. But powered by Robertson's efforts, the Force's scrum stood firm all night, and was arguably the better of the two teams. Robertson has notched 31 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2016, and his selection in the squad for next Sunday's Test against Fiji in Newcastle shows he's now well and truly back in the frame. Getting a gig to feature in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions would be a dream come true. "It would mean the world," Robertson said. "You know, I haven't played a Test since 2022, and that's the highlight of your career. "I would give my left testicle to do it again. "Just to be in the squad is an honour, and to push for a gig in that 23 would be unreal. "I came close last year being in the squad for a bit, but I had a few injuries and didn't make the 23. "It would be an unreal experience to play a Test against the Lions." Robertson said there were definitely moments he doubted he would ever feature for the Wallabies again. "I did my ACL in 2023 and took a year off, went over to Oxford," he said. "It was great fun. And I sort of got away from rugby, but I think that was the best thing for me. I really got that drive back. "When I was away, there were definitely moments there where I didn't know if I'd come back to professional rugby, but I'm very glad I did. "I feel like I've got that spark back." Another Force player who boosted his chances of a Wallabies recall was Dylan Pietsch, who was the standout performer against the Lions on Saturday night. The 27-year-old produced a series of dazzling runs in the first half in what was just his second match back from a serious quad injury. "I did a 25cm grade-three tear in my quad," Pietsch revealed of the injury. "It was pretty big, it was in the first three minutes of the Highlanders game (in round eight), when I went to take off and it just ripped." Pietsch returned for the Force's final game of the season, and credits the team's physiotherapist, "Magic" Mike Neil, for having him in tip-top shape. "I just feel smooth," Pietsch said. "Throughout the back end of last year, and then going into the start of this year, I was kind of fighting for a lot of things. "Like my joints weren't really going that well. "Just to be able to not have to worry about that, and get to the speed and the agility that I want to be at is pretty cool." So just how desperate is prop Tom Robertson to play for the Wallabies again? "I would give up my left testicle," the Western Force veteran says without hesitation. It's been three years since Robertson last pulled on the Wallabies gold. Since then, he has ruptured his ACL, spent a year-long study sabbatical at Oxford as part of his path to becoming a doctor, and fell back in love with rugby again. Robertson produced a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year to win the Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force's player of the season. The 30-year-old further bolstered his Wallabies hopes with a strong display for the Force in Saturday night's 54-7 loss to the British and Irish Lions in front of 46,656 fans at Optus Stadium. The Force's scrum was widely tipped to be humbled against the Lions. But powered by Robertson's efforts, the Force's scrum stood firm all night, and was arguably the better of the two teams. Robertson has notched 31 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2016, and his selection in the squad for next Sunday's Test against Fiji in Newcastle shows he's now well and truly back in the frame. Getting a gig to feature in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions would be a dream come true. "It would mean the world," Robertson said. "You know, I haven't played a Test since 2022, and that's the highlight of your career. "I would give my left testicle to do it again. "Just to be in the squad is an honour, and to push for a gig in that 23 would be unreal. "I came close last year being in the squad for a bit, but I had a few injuries and didn't make the 23. "It would be an unreal experience to play a Test against the Lions." Robertson said there were definitely moments he doubted he would ever feature for the Wallabies again. "I did my ACL in 2023 and took a year off, went over to Oxford," he said. "It was great fun. And I sort of got away from rugby, but I think that was the best thing for me. I really got that drive back. "When I was away, there were definitely moments there where I didn't know if I'd come back to professional rugby, but I'm very glad I did. "I feel like I've got that spark back." Another Force player who boosted his chances of a Wallabies recall was Dylan Pietsch, who was the standout performer against the Lions on Saturday night. The 27-year-old produced a series of dazzling runs in the first half in what was just his second match back from a serious quad injury. "I did a 25cm grade-three tear in my quad," Pietsch revealed of the injury. "It was pretty big, it was in the first three minutes of the Highlanders game (in round eight), when I went to take off and it just ripped." Pietsch returned for the Force's final game of the season, and credits the team's physiotherapist, "Magic" Mike Neil, for having him in tip-top shape. "I just feel smooth," Pietsch said. "Throughout the back end of last year, and then going into the start of this year, I was kind of fighting for a lot of things. "Like my joints weren't really going that well. "Just to be able to not have to worry about that, and get to the speed and the agility that I want to be at is pretty cool."
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
'I'd give up my left testicle': Tom Robertson
So just how desperate is prop Tom Robertson to play for the Wallabies again? "I would give up my left testicle," the Western Force veteran says without hesitation. It's been three years since Robertson last pulled on the Wallabies gold. Since then, he has ruptured his ACL, spent a year-long study sabbatical at Oxford as part of his path to becoming a doctor, and fell back in love with rugby again. Robertson produced a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year to win the Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force's player of the season. The 30-year-old further bolstered his Wallabies hopes with a strong display for the Force in Saturday night's 54-7 loss to the British and Irish Lions in front of 46,656 fans at Optus Stadium. The Force's scrum was widely tipped to be humbled against the Lions. But powered by Robertson's efforts, the Force's scrum stood firm all night, and was arguably the better of the two teams. Robertson has notched 31 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2016, and his selection in the squad for next Sunday's Test against Fiji in Newcastle shows he's now well and truly back in the frame. Getting a gig to feature in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions would be a dream come true. "It would mean the world," Robertson said. "You know, I haven't played a Test since 2022, and that's the highlight of your career. "I would give my left testicle to do it again. "Just to be in the squad is an honour, and to push for a gig in that 23 would be unreal. "I came close last year being in the squad for a bit, but I had a few injuries and didn't make the 23. "It would be an unreal experience to play a Test against the Lions." Robertson said there were definitely moments he doubted he would ever feature for the Wallabies again. "I did my ACL in 2023 and took a year off, went over to Oxford," he said. "It was great fun. And I sort of got away from rugby, but I think that was the best thing for me. I really got that drive back. "When I was away, there were definitely moments there where I didn't know if I'd come back to professional rugby, but I'm very glad I did. "I feel like I've got that spark back." Another Force player who boosted his chances of a Wallabies recall was Dylan Pietsch, who was the standout performer against the Lions on Saturday night. The 27-year-old produced a series of dazzling runs in the first half in what was just his second match back from a serious quad injury. "I did a 25cm grade-three tear in my quad," Pietsch revealed of the injury. "It was pretty big, it was in the first three minutes of the Highlanders game (in round eight), when I went to take off and it just ripped." Pietsch returned for the Force's final game of the season, and credits the team's physiotherapist, "Magic" Mike Neil, for having him in tip-top shape. "I just feel smooth," Pietsch said. "Throughout the back end of last year, and then going into the start of this year, I was kind of fighting for a lot of things. "Like my joints weren't really going that well. "Just to be able to not have to worry about that, and get to the speed and the agility that I want to be at is pretty cool."
West Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Western Force star Dylan Pietsch hoping for British and Irish Lions rematch after superb showing in opener
Western Force star Dylan Pietsch is quick to acknowledge he loves the big games and accompanying huge arenas and massive moments under lights. After his impressive showing against the British and Irish Lions at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, it bodes well for the Wallabies. Wearing a jersey designed by Pietsch himself made specially for the one-off match, the Force were not done justice by the 54-7 scoreline but Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will have liked what he saw from the winger. The 27 year-old will head east to link up with the rest of the Wallabies squad ahead of their clash with Fiji in Newcastle next Sunday and while Australia have a crowded outside back contingent, Pietsch made a strong case. Whether he was elevating and hanging in the air to steal away kicks for the hosts, or dragging desperate defenders across the gain-line, Pietsch was a constant headache for the tourists. 'I'm pretty comfortable in my own skin and I know what I've got, so I don't try to have that chip on my shoulder,' Pietsch said post-game. 'It was awesome, it's hard not to get up for that game. I love playing big games, and playing against the Lions, you're not going to get much bigger. 'When you come into the occasion, you can either kind of fold or lean into it and I always try to lean into it.' When Pietsch departed the match just after the hour mark, he led all comers for carries (11) and running metres (74). Force captain Nic White, who teed Pietsch to snaffle their opening kick restart of the game, labelled his teammate's game as 'outstanding'. 'Really good in the air. He's fun to kick to and he just wants the ball. He's a big body out there and caused some serious headaches,' White said. 'He really rose to the occasion. He's one of the guys that when we talk about really enjoying it out there, the big occasion, big crowd, playing against the best in the north, he just wanted it and it was infectious.' For Pietsch, his Force performance satiated his thirst for game time after he missed seven weeks with a 25cm tear in his quad in the second half of the season, only returning for the final match of the season against the Waratahs. 'I was just excited to play again and get the ball in hands and see what happened. It's big part of my game, as I try to be very physical and if you see that week in and week out, I'm doing my job right,' Pietsch said. But Pietsch is not ready to put the cue in the rack just yet, as he eyes up facing them in a green and gold jersey nexts. 'I'm just really excited that I played for the Force against the Lions and in the jersey of design is the best thing and I'm going to camp next week to prep the boys for the Fiji game,' he said. 'Playing the Lions is one of the biggest things, that was so fun out there, and to be able to potentially do it again is definitely a big thing.'
West Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
British and Irish Lions produce classy showing to beat Western Force 54-7 after hosts put up first half fight
A classy British and Irish Lions display has helped them begin their first Australian tour in 12 years with a bang as they downed Western Force 54-7 at Optus Stadium. But in front of a club record 46,656 fans, the Force hardly disgraced themselves as they fought tooth and nail and more than matched their star-studded opponents in an engrossing opening stanza. In the most important exhibition match this version of the Force will ever play, they refused to let the occasion over-awe them in the first half as they met fire with fire. But in a game of moments, it was the visitors who showed their class, taking a mile when granted an inch by the Force, who had more possession and territory by half-time, but found themselves 21-7 down at the break. Pretty passing patterns mesmerised the Force, and then rapid-fire offloads opened up channels the Lions all too happily exploited, and three tries in the 15 minutes after half-time killed off the contest. Young Lions whizz Henry Pollock justified the hype and the back-rower was at the centre of everything as he set-up two tries, was the centre of a full-team melee and was yellow carded on the stroke of half-time. But while the likes of Pollock, fly-half Finn Russell, full-back Elliot Daly and Aussie Irishman Mack Hansen would have given Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt food for thought ahead of the looming three-Test series. However, Schmidt would have also been encouraged by the performance of several players he released from his squad to link up with their Force teammates — none more so than Dylan Pietsch. Pietsch played like a man on fire and had plenty of support from fellow winger Mac Grealy as the game went on, the pair driving through contact and gaining metres through sheer will power, while Wallabies squad members Tom Robertson and Nick Champion de Crespigny also impressed. Once the Lions fans had spilled out of the watering holes and turned the Burswood peninsula red, it took less than two minutes for the tourists to stamp their credentials as rugby's answer to the Harlem Globetrotters. Russell's precise cross-field kick picked out his captain Dan Sheehan, and the front-rower flipped the ball inside to James Lowe before accepting the off-load and scoring. The Force had barely touched the ball by that point, but the outstanding Pietsch scooped the resultant kick-off out of the sky to rescue possession. After 19 phases of Force pressure and close calls on the try-line to Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Darcy Swain and Ben Donaldson, Nic White scrambled over and Donaldson converted to level the scores. The Lions infringed frequently early, and in a sign of the Force's intent, they opted for touch rather than the posts, although they could not turn their set-piece supremacy into points. Pollock helped restore the Lions' advantage in the 17th minute when his sharp pass found Josh van der Flier and the English back-rower almost took the offload to the house with a barnstorming run, before his clever pass allowed Tomos Williams to score. The Force continued to knock on the door, but the Lions refused to let them in, and they put some distance between the two sides when Russell's quick tap-and-go caught the hosts napping. After Daly had plunged over, Nick Champion de Crespigny found himself at odds with Pollock and the pair tangled, triggering a full-team pushing and shoving match. Lightning struck not once, not twice, but thrice after the break as the Lions ripped the life out of the game with violent ferocity. A stinging counter-attack saw the Lions roar down the right edge and Williams acrobatically touched down for his second try of the night although immediately clutched at a hamstring afterwards. Once more down the right wing did the Lions go in the 52nd minute and some lovely passing from Russell and Daly ended in a Garry Ringrose try. Three minutes later, Pollock showed his class as the forward ran down his own chip and chase inside the 22 and Joe McCarthy lumbered over to make it 40-7. As the Force tired late and their bench entered the game, the Lions played with their food and Daly ran in his second try of the night before Hansen set up Alex Mitchell for their eighth try as time expired.
Extra.ie
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Eurovision winner JJ says he hopes next year's contest will take place without Israel
This year's Eurovision winner, JJ, says he would like next year's competition to take place without Israel. 'It's very disappointing… I would like Eurovision to be held in Vienna next year, without Israel. But the ball is in the EBU's court. We, the artists, can only speak out on the matter,' said the Austrian artist to Spanish newspaper El País. The 24-year-old singer, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, claimed victory at the song contest with the song 'Wasted Love.' In a tightly contested final, Pietsch finished just ahead of Israel's Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7 attacks. Her song 'New Day Will Rise' received the most public votes. 'There should be greater transparency regarding the [public vote]. This year, everything was very strange about it,' said Pietsch. His remarks echo growing concern among several national broadcasters. Spain's national broadcaster RTVE has requested a full audit of the voting system, with Ireland and Finland also expressing support for a review. Belgium's VRT has threatened to withdraw from the contest if concerns go unaddressed. The director of Eurovision, Martin Green, made a statement this week calling the contest's voting system 'the most advanced in the world'. Pietsch, who is queer, also told El Pas he attempted to bring an LGBTQ+ flag on stage during his final performance, but 'the organisers caught [him] at the last minute.'
