Latest news with #RugbyWorldCup2023
The Star
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Fiji look to soften up Wallabies before Lions series
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool C - Australia v Fiji - Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, France - September 17, 2023 Fiji's Albert Tuisue celebrates at the end of the match REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo MELBOURNE (Reuters) -All but forgotten in the hype of a British and Irish Lions tour, Fiji have gathered in a rain-soaked corner of eastern Australia to plot a confidence-killing defeat of Joe Schmidt's Wallabies. Fiji's Australian coach Mick Byrne has brought a strong squad for Sunday's test in Newcastle, the hosts' last warmup before the Lions' series-opener on July 19. The stakes are high for the Wallabies, who lost seven out of 13 tests last season and can ill-afford to stumble against opponents that stunned them at the 2023 World Cup. However, the season-opener is also important for the Pacific Islanders, who insist they now rank among the elite "Tier One" nations that once ignored them between World Cups. Times have changed. Since humbling the Wallabies 22-15 in Saint-Etienne at the World Cup in France, a defeat ranked among Australia's darkest days in rugby, Fiji have had no shortage of top tier competition. Scotland, Wales and Ireland all hosted them last autumn, while New Zealand played them in the United States. Fiji will face Scotland at home a week after taking on the Wallabies, with glamour matches to come in November against England, at Twickenham, and France. Byrne, who took over from Simon Raiwalui after the World Cup, will want concrete gains in his second season in charge ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship next year, which Fiji are expected to be a part of. While dominating Japan and other Pacific rivals, Fiji's sole win against the top tier sides last season was a 24-19 win against struggling Wales in Cardiff. Fiji's thrilling running game has otherwise been no match for the big dogs' forward power and set-piece discipline. Not that Fiji will ditch their natural style, said Byrne. "We need to grow our game. We need to continue to grow without losing what our players do naturally," he told reporters on Tuesday. "Sixty-percent of the game is played quite clinically and 40% of the game is played quite open. "When it comes to the 40%, we're some of the best players in the world when the game opens up through turnovers and kick-returns, etc. "The other 60% of the game, we're working really hard in maintaining good, strong discipline. "There's a lot of people talk about whether we're going to lose our Fijian way. We never lose our Fijian way." If anything, the bonds are only growing stronger due to Fijian Drua, the nation's first professional team who just completed their fourth season in Super Rugby with Australian and New Zealand opponents. More than a third of Byrne's 32-man squad are Drua players, making integration and combination-building easier. Australia's squad includes only one overseas-based player in lock Will Skelton, and the hosts have had more time to prepare than the Fijians, whose last win in Australia was in 1954. The Wallabies reviewed footage of the Saint-Etienne debacle as part of their preparations for Sunday. Both teams have moved on since then with different coaches but the Fijians believe they can produce a sequel to the Wallabies' World Cup horror show. "I told the boys, we've done it once, so surely we can do it again," said loose forward Bill Mata. "To get a win over Australia, in Australia, that'd be a message for the whole team." (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Kleyn ruled out of Springboks squad to face Italy due to injury
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - South Africa Training - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - September 22, 2023 South Africa's Jean Kleyn during training REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo CAPE TOWN (Reuters) -South Africa lock Jean Kleyn has left the Springboks squad preparing for Saturday's test with Italy in Pretoria following an unspecified injury picked up in the 54-7 win over the Barbarians, officials have confirmed. The 31-year-old will return to his Irish club Munster to undergo rehabilitation, suggesting the injury is a serious one. "We feel for Jean, but injuries are part of the game, and we are fortunate to have good depth at lock within the squad so there is no need for us to replace him at this stage," Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus said. Kleyn partnered Lood de Jager in the second row in Saturday's win over the Barbarians in Cape Town, with the latter playing his first game for the side in two years following shoulder issues. South Africa have two tests against Italy in July and a further fixture with Georgia before they start their Rugby Championship title defence in August. (Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Christian Radnedge)
The Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Wallabies playmaker Donaldson released to face Lions after Beale injury
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool C - Australia v Portugal - Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, France - October 1, 2023 Australia's Ben Donaldson scores a penalty REUTERS/Paul Childs/File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) -Western Force back Ben Donaldson was released from the Wallabies squad and flew to Perth on Thursday to prepare for this weekend's tour match against the British & Irish Lions after an injury ruled out veteran test playmaker Kurtley Beale. Donaldson was one of four Force players retained by Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt to prepare for Australia's only warm-up match for the Lions test series against Fiji on July 6. Beale, who famously slipped while attempting to kick a match-winning penalty in the opening match of the 2013 test series against the Lions, has been ruled out of Saturday's match by a hamstring strain. Donaldson, who is in the Wallabies squad as a flyhalf, will replace Beale at fullback with Alex Harford in the Force number 10 shirt alongside scrumhalf Nic White. Former Wallabies skipper White and Donaldson are joined by test players Matt Proctor, Hamish Stewart, Dylan Pietsch, Darcy Swain, Sam Carter, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Tom Robertson in the starting team. Openside flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny is uncapped but was named in Schmidt's Wallabies squad for the Fiji test before being released back to the Force for the Lions match. The strength of the team should go some way to assuaging fears among the Lions management that without Wallabies players the tour games would be insufficiently competitive to prepare the tourists for the test series. Donaldson told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday he would have played against the Lions if he had been given the choice. "Any chance you get to play against the Lions, you probably take it with both hands," he said. "It would be extremely exciting, especially off the back of the year we had at the Force. We started really well, and then had a kind of frustrating and disappointing finish to the season. "Even to play in front of the fans, just to give them something to cheer about to finish the year, it would have been awesome." Lions coach Andy Farrell names his team to face the Force, who lost 69-17 to the Lions in 2013, later on Thursday. Force team: 15–Ben Donaldson, 14–Mac Grealy, 13–Matt Proctor, 12–Hamish Stewart, 11–Dylan Pietsch, 10–Alex Harford, 9–Nic White (captain), 8–Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7–Nick Champion de Crespigny, 6–Will Harris, 5–Darcy Swain, 4–Sam Carter, 3–Ollie Hoskins, 2–Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1–Tom Robertson Replacements: 16–Nic Dolly, 17–Marley Pearce, 18–Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19–Lopeti Faifua, 20–Reed Prinsep, 21–Henry Robertson, 22–Max Burey, 23–Bayley Kuenzle (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Paul O'Connell adds Limerick hurlers' long-time secret weapon to his staff for Ireland's summer tour
PAUL O'Connell has added highly-rated sports psychologist Caroline Currid to his Ireland coaching staff for this summer's tour. O'Connell is Advertisement 2 The Munster icon is filling in for Andy Farrell while he's with the British and Irish Lions 2 Currid has been a valuable sounding board for Limerick's stars over the years Per Currid's CV would suggest she is a vital asset to any team she aligns herself with. In Gaelic football she's worked with the Dublin and Tyrone panels when they both wound up lifting Sam Maguire. But it's in inter-county hurling she seems to really have the Midas touch. The former junior Sligo ladies footballer aided Tipperary's players on their road to hoisting Liam MacCarthy in 2019. Advertisement Read More On GAA And it's with the Limerick hurlers that she's most synonymous as it became an almost annual part of captain Declan Hannon's triumphant All-Ireland speech that he'd give her a special shout-out. It may only be a coincidence but the only three years she The Treaty failed to attain their ultimate goal of winning the All-Ireland title O'Connell's squad includes 11 uncapped players, although Tom Ahern, Michael Milne, Shayne Bolton, Nathan Doak, Ben Murphy and Tommy O'Brien have previously been in camp. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union Alex Kendellen, Darragh Murray, Paddy McCarthy, Stephen Smyth and Hugh Gavin all win their first call-ups whilst Ulster trio James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward will train with the squad in Dublin before it leaves for the matches in Tbilisi and Lisbon. Robbie Henshaw was Peter O'Mahony shares gardening update 'I've been planning for years' on Instagram But O'Connell can still call on established stars such as captain Craig Casey, Brothers Cian and Advertisement Speaking at the squad's announcement earlier this month O'Connell said: 'I believe we have a strong blend of youth and experience for what will be a trip into relatively uncharted territories this July. 'Georgia have made great strides in recent years, and they have made significant investment in their rugby programme which has established them amongst the leading emerging sides in international rugby. 'Under the experience of Richard Cockerill they have built on a traditionally strong forward unit with a talented backline and they will provide a tough test for us. 'Portugal showcased their attacking prowess during the Rugby World Cup 2023 and Simon Mannix is a coach I know having worked with him previously. Advertisement 'TOUGH TEST' "They play with confidence and we're expecting another tough test. 'With 15 players away with The British & Irish Lions, this tour presents an opportunity for those on the fringes to impress the coaching team. 'A number of players have been really close to selection in recent times and it's important that everyone grasps the challenge that's ahead of them. 'Every moment on the training field and across the two-match Series will count and there's a great opportunity for players to step up and impress. Advertisement 'I would like to congratulate Craig on his selection as captain. "He is a real leader with a strong personality and it is a huge personal honour for him and an opportunity that I know he will relish over the coming weeks.' Ireland play in the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi on July 5 with a 6pm Irish time start and it's a 7pm kick-off a week later when they take on Portugal in Lisbon's Estádio Nacional do Jamor.
The Star
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Argentina bring in several new faces for Lions clash in Dublin
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool D - Argentina v Samoa - Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, France - September 22, 2023 Argentina's Julian Montoya in action REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo (Reuters) -Argentina have named a much-changed line-up with a first start for centre Justo Piccardo in their one-off test against the British & Irish Lions in Dublin on Friday, and three potential debutants off the bench. Coach Felipe Contepomi has taken the opportunity to blood several new players in the matchday 23, though the side will be led by an old hand in hooker Julian Montoya. Tomas Albornoz has been selected at flyhalf and forms the halfback pairing with Gonzalo Garcia, while Piccardo and Lucio Cinti are the centres. The back three contains wings Ignacio Mendy and Rodrigo Isgro, and fullback Santiago Carreras. The front row sees props Mayco Vivas and Joel Sclavi pack down either side of Montoya. France Molina and Pedro Rubiolo are the lock pairing, while number 8 Joaquin Oviedo is in the back row with loose-forwards Pablo Matera and Juan Martin Gonzalez. Contepomi has chosen a 5-3 split between forwards and backs on the bench. Hooker Bautista Bernasconi, prop Boris Wenger and scrumhalf Simon Benitez Cruz could all debut. "It is a challenge with a lot of new faces and just a few training sessions together. But the guys have made a lot of effort to take on the new information," Contepomi told reporters on Wednesday. "We are very pleased with how the newcomers have prepared in this first week. We have focused on ourselves and what we want to instil in the group, we know the Lions will be a big challenge." Argentina team: 1. Mayco Vivas, 2. Julian Montoya (captain), 3. Joel Sclavi, 4. Franco Molina, 5. Pedro Rubiolo, 6. Pablo Matera, 7. Juan Martín Gonzalez, 8. Joaquin Oviedo, 9. Gonzalo García, 10. Tomas Albornoz, 11. Ignacio Mendy, 12. Justo Piccardo, 13. Lucio Cinti, 14. Rodrigo Isgro, 15. Santiago Carreras. Replacements: 16. Bautista Bernasconi, 17. Boris Wenger, 18. Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19. Santiago Grondona, 20. Joaquín Moro, 21. Simón Benitez Cruz, 22. Matias Moroni, 23. Santiago Cordero. (Reporting by Nick Said)
