Latest news with #QueenslandReds
Sydney Morning Herald
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Wallabies to double down on halves combination as Schmidt eyes wet-weather warfare
The Wallabies will persist with Jake Gordon and Tom Lynagh in the halves for the second Test against the British and Irish Lions, as coach Joe Schmidt prepares to roll out a powerful 6-2 bench split in anticipation of wet weather at the MCG. There is no sense of panic in the Wallabies camp following last week's 27-19 defeat in Brisbane, but with the series on the line, Schmidt is doubling down on the players who helped restore some credibility during a spirited second-half showing at Suncorp Stadium. Despite calls for halfback Tate McDermott to be paired with his Queensland Reds teammate in Lynagh, Gordon is set to retain the No.9 jersey — a move welcomed by former Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps. 'I think at the moment, Tate's ability to unlock that defence at the back-end of a game is stronger than him starting and Jake trying to do that later,' Phipps said on Stan Sport's Inside Lion show. 'It's always romantic to see a good 30 minutes at the back-end of a game and demand changes. I know Tate would be constantly working to get that start, so would Jake and Nic White.' Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper added: 'I don't think he's going to [make sweeping changes]. That team he's rolled out I think he'll back them again. I'd keep Jake at nine.' Schmidt will confirm his matchday 23 on Thursday in Melbourne ahead of Saturday's clash at the MCG. The Wallabies are expected to retain their centre pairing of Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in a back line that grew as the game wore on.
The Age
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Wallabies to double down on halves combination as Schmidt eyes wet-weather warfare
The Wallabies will persist with Jake Gordon and Tom Lynagh in the halves for the second Test against the British and Irish Lions, as coach Joe Schmidt prepares to roll out a powerful 6-2 bench split in anticipation of wet weather at the MCG. There is no sense of panic in the Wallabies camp following last week's 27-19 defeat in Brisbane, but with the series on the line, Schmidt is doubling down on the players who helped restore some credibility during a spirited second-half showing at Suncorp Stadium. Despite calls for halfback Tate McDermott to be paired with his Queensland Reds teammate in Lynagh, Gordon is set to retain the No.9 jersey — a move welcomed by former Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps. 'I think at the moment, Tate's ability to unlock that defence at the back-end of a game is stronger than him starting and Jake trying to do that later,' Phipps said on Stan Sport's Inside Lion show. 'It's always romantic to see a good 30 minutes at the back-end of a game and demand changes. I know Tate would be constantly working to get that start, so would Jake and Nic White.' Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper added: 'I don't think he's going to [make sweeping changes]. That team he's rolled out I think he'll back them again. I'd keep Jake at nine.' Schmidt will confirm his matchday 23 on Thursday in Melbourne ahead of Saturday's clash at the MCG. The Wallabies are expected to retain their centre pairing of Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in a back line that grew as the game wore on.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Queensland Reds and Benetton join forces in unique partnership
Benetton Rugby and the Queensland Reds have announced a unique partnership which will see four Reds players join the Italian club on secondment. The partnership blossomed after an initial introduction through Wallabies great Michael Lynagh who won a championship with both the Reds in 1994 and Benetton Treviso in 1991-92. Josh Flook, John Bryant, Richie Asiata and Louis Werchon will temporarily transfer to the Treviso based club which will see the start of an exciting union between the two clubs. Over three months, the quartet will play in the United Rugby Championship. They will arrive in Italy in July and return in October meaning they will be free to play in the opening rounds of the URC in late September-October. They will remain eligible for international selection as a stipulation of the secondment. The partnership will see the Reds make a first trip to play Benetton in Treviso in November 2026. The game will be the first since 1980 that the Reds have played in Italy. The General Managers of Reds and Benetton Sam Cordingley and Antonio Pavanello began discussions in January in Treviso while the Reds were on a pre-season tour of Europe. 'The connection was made through Michael Lynagh. Right from the start, we have felt a genuine will to create opportunities that can benefit two proud clubs and two strong brands,' said Cordingley. 'Michael's history with Benetton Rugby and as a 100-game legend with the Reds makes this unique. Obviously, Michael's son Tom plays for the Reds and brother Louis plays for Benetton Rugby. 'In my conversations with Antonio, we have talked through all things URC and Benetton Rugby and where the needs and opportunities lie for both clubs. Mutual benefits will drive this partnership. 'The wonderful experiences through secondments like this will not only support player development, with more matches outside Super Rugby, but also retention. The players will also add depth in key positions at Benetton Rugby. 'We want to be a club that leverages the appeal of rugby as an international game through strong partnerships with Benetton Rugby and Japan's Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, overseas tours and unique player-staff experiences. 'Rather than players leaving the club to experience chances like this, we are creating something unique while they are still Reds players with secondments at a famous club in a beautiful part of Italy. 'We hope to be creating fixtures and opportunities with Benetton Rugby long into the future.' Pavanello spoke abut a project that goes beyond just adding new players to the roster. "We are extremely proud to announce this partnership with a club of such historical and technical value as the Queensland Reds. "This collaboration represents an important step for us in an ambitious and long-term growth path. The arrival of four players from a prestigious competition like Super Rugby allows us to further raise the overall quality of our squad and measure ourselves against a dynamic, high-paced style of rugby, rich in technical content. "The integration will take place at a crucial moment in the season when the team will have to deal with the partial or total unavailability of international players due to their commitments and the mandatory rest periods that follow. "The addition of these four Australian profiles will help maintain a high level of squad depth and competition, strengthen various roles and ensure consistency at training and in matches." "This project goes far beyond simply adding players" Pavanello continued. "It is the shared vision to create an international rugby ecosystem capable of generating value, growth and new opportunities for players, staff and fans alike." 22-year-old Bryant is looking forward to expanding his wings with the new opportunity of playing rugby with the Italian side. 'I'm super excited. It's huge to get an opportunity with a major European club. 'I've been fortunate in my time at the Reds to have opportunities to play Wales, Tonga, tour for games against Bristol and Ulster and, recently, play the British and Irish Lions. 'It's awesome what the Reds are doing with more international opportunities. I'm glad to be part of it and it's going to be really cool playing at Benetton Rugby. 'I'm learning different skills and ways to play the game with these chances…and I love my pasta. I can't wait.'
Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Nerves within camp ahead of first Test selection but Lions vetern Conan knows there will be more chances
D-day is fast approaching for the British & Irish Lions players dreaming of pulling on a Test jersey this Saturday and facing Australia at Suncorp Stadium. It is stress inducing just thinking about what those players are going through, particularly with assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth revealing that the starting line-up had been inked in by Andy Farrell ahead of Wednesday's in-house reveal. Those outside the tour party will find out on early on Thursday morning Irish time as the head coach reveals his hand with particular interest on the decisions made at loosehead prop, inside centre and the make-up of the entire back five of the forward pack. Elsewhere in the team there are clear favourites for selection with Maro Itoje inked into the second row as tour captain and Dan Sheehan seemingly nailed on as starting hooker. So to the Lions Test half-backs with scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and fly-half Finn Russell having meshed instantly at nine and 10 in just two starts together, against the Queensland Reds and Brumbies. Others may have had their tickets punched sooner than expected by injury to a selection rival, such as Hugo Keenan at full-back in the likely absence of Blair Kinghorn due to a knee injury, and Tommy Freeman on the right wing now Mack Hansen has been kept out of training for a couple of days due to foot problem sustained in Adelaide last Saturday. So too Huw Jones, whose path to the outside centre pick has been hastened by Garry Ringrose's concussion in Canberra last Wednesday. All three may well have earned their stripes in direct competition with their less fortunate colleagues, it should be said, but the process became more straightforward in light of those injuries. The loosehead prop position seems to be a straight decision between Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter, with both set to feature in the matchday 23, while at inside centre, there is the possibility that Bundee Aki, denied an all-Irish midfield pairing by Ringrose's head knock, may disrupt the all-Scottish 'Huwipulotu' combination of Jones and Sione Tuipulotu by stealing in to take the number 12 jersey. And then there is that back-row selection and the decision to be made about the approach Farrell and his coaches take around their lineout resources. Do they pick an extra lock at blindside flanker to complement the probable second-row selections of Itoje and Joe McCarthy, which means the number six jersey goes to Tadhg Beirne or Ollie Chessum, both of whom have had solid game time there on tour to date. Or will the Lions select a natural number six in the shape of Henry Pollock or Tom Curry and then rely on likely No.8 Jack Conan to augment the lineout jumping options. Then, from the outside looking in at least, the openside flanker selection looks like a minefield with a trio of top-end number sevens competing for the start, Jac Morgan of Wales, England's Curry and Farrell's first-choice Irish openside Josh van der Flier. No-one would be convinced any of those players were enjoying a restful Tuesday night's sleep in Brisbane. Conan. Looking to start his fourth successive Lions Test at No.8 having been Warren Gatland's first choice in South Africa four years ago, suggested as much on Tuesday after training at the superbly appointed facilities of the Anglican Church Grammar School, known in these parts as 'Churchie'. "I think everyone will be a bit nervous but everyone has gone incredibly well, especially in the back row,' Conan said. 'It's tough for the coaches, I'm sure, and hopefully we've given them plenty of headaches over the last while. 'No matter who's been out there, they've taken their opportunity really well. It's about those lads who get to run out at the weekend to do right by the lads who aren't playing. It's going to be unbelievably special to play the first Test here so hopefully everyone can make the most of it. "There's huge amounts of class and talent in the back row. Even Chess and Beirney dropping into the back row as well, who are more traditional second rows but they've been fantastic as well. 'It's been great to get to know the lads, to learn off them, to see how they do things, and to push each other on as well. Because that level of talent pushes everyone on to be your best and I think everyone has been. I don't think anyone can say they've been poor over the last few weeks. Especially in the back row, the standard has been unbelievably high so it's been a joy to play with the lads and get to know with them." As a veteran of the 2021 tour, Conan was able to give advice to those whose names are not called out for action. 'We have another four huge games left and what are the chances that the team named for Saturday is the team for the next two Test matches? 'Obviously there will be changes for that Pasifika game (next Tuesday in Melbourne), but rugby is unbelievably attritional these days and I am sure a lot of lads will get the opportunity. 'So, don't dip the head, keep your chin up and make sure you are training well and if someone goes down you are ready to slot in there and perform. Lads have done that unbelievably well the last few weeks with some lads dropping out lad and having to fill in having played on the Saturday and play again on the Wednesday. 'A lot of lads will get a chance over the next few weeks. It's not as if they won't play. Things will change.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Henry Pollock can wind up who he likes as long as he backs it up
Lions v Queensland Reds LIVE There will come a time when the media does not focus on the performances of Henry Pollock as the first thing on their agenda, but that time is not now, and it might be so for some time. Pollock is box office in an era when that means a lot for rugby; like it or loathe it, that is the case. Anything that gets media attention can have an upside for the sport, though the same will not always be true for is quite a simple conundrum for me: Pollock can do what he likes around the game provided he backs it up on the pitch. With that will come a lot of extraneous stuff that has not a lot to do with performance and it is here that experienced and level-headed assessments need to be made by coaches and efforts from an unfamiliar No 8 position for the Lions against Western Force showed eye-catching glimpses of sublime skill and confidence. Two rapid line breaks and a chip-and-take stood out but Pollock's overall presence around the breakdown was evident and it will force him into the thoughts of Andy Farrell as a genuine possibility to be in the first Test squad. Although it is right to note the Force are the weakest of the Australian provincial sides, Pollock matched better-known back rowers like Josh van der Flier for intensity and speed; something that few predicted when the Lions' squad was first announced. Henry Pollock sets up a BRILLIANT Lions try! 🦁⚡️ — Sky Sports (@SkySports) June 28, 2025 Pollock's battle for a Test squad start is complicated by the fact he has now shown the wherewithal to play at this level in more than one back-row position. Choosing him at No 8 for a Test match would mean the Lions probably having to pick a blindside that is used to being the third line-out option. This would mean shuffling the cards in a way that Farrell might not want to do, given all that needs to be sorted out before the first Test. On the other hand, it is an option to keep opponents guessing, which is all part of the build-up. In such a dominant win you must look at the fact that a yellow card for Pollock was an unnecessary lapse of discipline. It did not matter in the context of that game but would matter greatly in a Test match where margins are far tighter. Along with a high penalty count, you can add a general discomfort around restarts which made up another uneven performance for the forwards as a whole; a marked improvement is needed in the next four games. What Farrell will also be viewing closely is the fact that no centre partnership has yet clicked on the way he wants but he can balance against that the fact that his options on the wing and in the back three have expanded, with notable performances from Mack Hansen, Elliot Daly and the constantly impressive James Lowe. When you add the claims of Tommy Freeman, Duhan van de Merwe, and the soon-to-appear Blair Kinghorn you are talking about a very effective back three, if the right combination can be found. As of yet, the Lions' set-piece has been serviceable without being dominant, particularly in the scrum where a lot more can be demanded. What might be of equal, if not greater, import, is the way in which the breakdown might be interpreted by referee Ben O'Keeffe. Last Saturday, O'Keeffe gave the ball-carrier a little more leeway in the time allowed to present the ball in the tackle and a little less favour for the defenders challenging over the ball. If that is applied in the first Test, which O'Keeffe is due to referee, it will require the Lions forwards to be more selective about which ball they do and do not compete for on the floor. This is a small but significant factor and in close games will matter a lot – penalties kill momentum and yellow cards do the same at an average cost of seven points against the offending challenges should increase significantly over the forthcoming games and Farrell will be looking for players to learn these lessons as well as showcase their talents. The strength of the Lions' bench in any game against non-Test opposition should be enough to secure a win, and they should expect to go unbeaten from this point into the first Test. All will become clearer over the next fortnight, but it remains to be seen whether Farrell waits to declare his full hand at any point before that squad is the case, expect the Henry Pollock show to roll on. So, roll up and see the show – it will not be dull, however long it lasts.
