Latest news with #SuperRugby
CNA
30 minutes ago
- Sport
- CNA
Farrell pleased with Lions grit after early Force onslaught in Perth
PERTH :Coach Andy Farrell was pleased with how the British & Irish Lions stayed in the contest early on against the Western Force on Saturday before running away with a 54-7 victory to kick off their tour of Australia. Lions management had questioned whether the tour matches against Super Rugby teams would be competitive enough to prepare the Lions properly for the test series with so many Wallabies in camp and unavailable to play. The Force, the weakest of Australia's four Super Rugby teams, made a mockery of those fears in the opening quarter of Saturday's match when they held the tourists at 7-7 and had a string of penalties inside the Lions 22-metre line. "The Force played the ball from everywhere and kept the ball in play, that's exactly what we wanted and they tested us fully," Farrell said. "I was happy with how we stayed in the fight because it was a tough old start to the game. At 7-7, everything was locked wasn't it really? So I thought we stayed in the game really well. "We reassessed at halftime and then hit them on the break which was pretty pleasing, and after that I thought our defence was pretty strong." The Lions were beaten 28-24 by Argentina in their first outing in Dublin last week and Farrell said there was still plenty to work on despite the lopsided scoreline in Perth. "There's fantastic learnings for us again," he added. "We had a few things to fix, mainly our discipline, but once we gained a little bit of composure, I thought the second half was a little bit better. "Some nice stuff but obviously, at this stage in the tour, a lot still to do." The Lions play the Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and an invitational Australia-New Zealand XV over the next three weeks before the first test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Andy Farrell ‘wants to see how they deal with pressure' as he challenges Lions to ‘take their chance' vs Western Force
ANDY FARRELL cranked up the pressure on his Lions to beat Western Force today. With three weeks to go until the First Test in Brisbane, the Lions must start the Australian trip with a bang. And anything less than a sound beating of a side who finished ninth out of 11 in Super Rugby would be a massive setback. Boss Farrell said: 'They've got to take responsibility and grab a hold of their chance to make sure they take this team forward. 'We'll see how we respond. The guys taking the field this weekend are a little bit fortunate in the sense that they understand how we want to get better. Read More on Lions 'Part of the whole package is dealing with their own expectation and the pressure we put on ourselves. That's why we were disappointed last week. 'I put a lot on them because I want to see how they deal with the pressure.' Force have scrum-half Nic White — described by Eddie Jones as the 'biggest niggler' in rugby — leading the side after he was released by the Wallabies. Farrell added: 'It's a great side full of Australians who are in the here and now and people with the ambition to be future Australian Test players.' Most read in Rugby Union 1 Andy Farrell wants to see how the Lions respond against the Western Force Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
British and Irish Lions send 'very clear' Australia warning over releasing Test stars for tour matches
Caution: Australia head coach Joe Schmidt does not want his top stars risking potential injury before Lions Test series (AP) The British and Irish Lions have warned Australia they will be in breach of contract if they fail to release their Test stars for all tour games involving Super Rugby teams. Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has allowed Western Force players Nick Champion De Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White to take part in Saturday's first match Down Under in Perth. Advertisement However, all those from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies, including big names such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Rob Valetini, will not face the Lions until the Test series. Given Australia's lack of depth, Schmidt is keen to avoid picking up any injuries while their warm-up fixture against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6, which takes place the day after the tourists meet the Waratahs, is another obstacle. However, Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has reminded the hosts of the terms of the tour contract, knowing Andy Farrell's men want to play the toughest possible opposition to provide adequate preparation for the opening Test on July 19. "We'll see a competitive fixture at the weekend and that's what we're looking for. We want to make sure our guys are battle-hardened when it comes to the Test series," Calveley said. Advertisement "The agreement is very clear - it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series. That is our expectation. Warning: Lions CEO Ben Calveley wants to ensure that all their tour matches are competitive (AFP via Getty Images) "We'll play the game at the weekend and will carry on having discussions with (Rugby Australia chief executive) Phil Waugh and will take it step by step. "It's really important that these games are competitive. It's not just from a performance standpoint but it's also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters, who are all expecting competitive fixtures. That would be their expectation as well." Calveley declined to reveal what action the Lions could take if Schmidt will not be budged from his current policy, but it is clear the tourists hold all the aces given the vast revenue they generate for hosting countries. Advertisement A sold-out Aviva Stadium turned red for Friday night's send-off in a display of commercial power from the elite of British and Irish rugby, who continue to be a huge draw. Argentina won an entertaining but scrappy game 28-24 and given they are positioned three places higher than the Wallabies in the global ranking in fifth, they could be viewed as a more credible tour destination than Australia. There are also calls for France to be added to the current rotation that is completed by South Africa and New Zealand. For now, however, fixtures against other nations will be bolt-ons to existing destinations rather than stand-alone tours. "There are different teams around the world that we might be interested in playing against in future. Traditionally that's been consigned to a pre-tour element - Dublin, Murrayfield - so we'll probably focus on that," Calveley said. Advertisement "We're also interested when we go away on tour to see if we can bring in other countries like Japan and Fiji to feature in those games as we build up to the Test element. "We're open and we're flexible, but right now there are no plans to change the rotation of the tour structure." Calveley was speaking at a 'Welcome to Country' ceremony, a 20-minute First Nations cultural experience held in in Perth's Kings Park.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch Western Force vs British and Irish Lions: TV channel and live stream today
Keys to the attack: Finn Russell will start at fly-half for the Lions against Western Force (Getty Images) The British and Irish Lions officially begin their Australia tour today, meeting Super Rugby's Western Force in Perth. The summer got off to a disappointing start last week as Andy Farrell's side were beaten 28-24 by Argentina in a warm-up clash in Dublin, losing their claim to the 1888 Cup. Advertisement They came back into contention after trailing 21-10 at the break thanks to a well-timed booking for Mayco Vivas, but could not get the comeback over the line. The Lions have not had long to get themselves shipshape, with a run of nine games over six weeks looming large. The tour Down Under will culminate in a Test triple-header against the Wallabies. After finishing ninth of 11 in their 2025 Super Rugby campaign, the Western Force could present a good opportunity for the Lions to get back to winning ways. They have named a strong side for the tie, though, after Lions CEO Ben Calveley warned Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt about releasing Australia players for tour matches. Advertisement After meeting the Western Force, the Lions will face the Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and both an Invitational Australia and New Zealand XV and First Nations and Pasifika XV, in addition to their Test matches. How to watch Western Force vs British and Irish Lions TV channel: Today's match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action. Coverage begins from 10am BST ahead of an 11am kick-off at Optus Stadium in Perth. Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can catch the action online via the Sky Go app. The match will also be available via NOW TV. Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport's live blog.
Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Times
Six Wallabies who can cause British & Irish Lions issues
At last, the tour starts for real. The phoney war, with the Lions sounding entitled as if the Empire still existed, is over. Joe Schmidt's priority is to prepare to win a series, and if that means taking no risks with his elite, good for Joe. With Saturday's match against the Western Force coming three weeks before the first Test, the Australia head coach is keen to see some of his squad in action. So are we. Before the tour opener, let's consider six opponents the Lions are likely to face at some stage. Five members of the Wallabies squad have stayed with the Force before joining the Australia camp for next Sunday's Test against Fiji. The first pick comes from this quintet. The second row's stagnated career has reignited, with his lineout skills coming to the fore in Western Australia. The Force have developed a handy habit of stealing lineouts in Super Rugby, with Swain prominent. The Lions scrummaged superbly against Argentina but their lineout was poor, losing five of their own throws. Swain and his colleagues will target the touring side at this set piece. It's a challenge for the Lions but a great opportunity for individuals to — quite literally — jump into contention for the Test series. The Force finished ninth of 11 in Super Rugby but their lineout statistics were outstanding, with the Australian lock back to his best since moving west. It is a game everyone expects the Lions to win but the magnifying glasses will be well and truly aimed at the lineout, with Swain at the centre of the action. The 27 year old was a regular in the Wallabies midfield until an ankle injury eased Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii into rugby's global headlines. Hype or here to stay? Regardless, the Queensland Reds centre Paisami is far too good to be dismissed as a 'former international' at this stage of his career. He has the same hard-carrying aggressive style that Leicester Tigers' Izaia Perese brings to his game. Released by Schmidt to play against the Lions on Wednesday, he is out of contention for the Test match against Fiji four days later but he'll be looking to remind the Australia coach that the Wallabies have solid as well as sensational options in their back line. Another Queensland player looking to make a mark. The Fiji-born utility second row and back-row forward — named already as part of the First Nations and Pasifika squad who will face the Lions — has superb hands and is a powerful ball-carrier. There is something of the Leone Nakarawa to him when he is on form. Under Les Kiss (the man who will succeed Schmidt with Australia) the back-five operator has added breakdown basics to his broken-field brilliance. The Wallabies have a magnificent back row in Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson, but if he has shrugged off his injuries, Uru adds impact from the bench. The Brumbies wing is one of only two uncapped members of Schmidt's initial Australian squad. There are bigger wings than Toole, and there are faster ones as well, but few have the knack of finishing with such muscular determination. Toole is also an astute, angled runner coming off his wing. His understanding with the Brumbies and Wallabies full back, Tom Wright, could lead to him winning a first cap in the forthcoming series. He has a confident kicking game and a rugged defensive attitude. If his lack of international experience is a problem, his seasonal form and link play with the superb Wright — the most incisive performer in the Wallabies back line — must be a huge plus. If he misses out on selection for the Fiji match, he could very well be sent back to the Brumbies where he will have an opportunity to prove Schmidt wrong ten days before the first Test in Brisbane. The 34-year-old was fly half the last time the Lions played Australia, in 2013. A wonderful full back and wing with the most astonishing instinct for the game, he gravitated to No10 and seduced seasoned coaches like the New Zealander Robbie Dean, then in charge of Australia. Twelve years on and O'Connor, who has recently joined Leicester, has been dividing his fans and naysayers (he's not, never was, and never will be anything like as good a No10 as back-three player). The Australian media have again leapt on the idea that the veteran is the answer to the team's concerns at fly half. He has been playing — often from the bench — for the Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders. Schmidt let the hype build and then left him out of his 36-man squad. There is still, however, the Invitational Australia and New Zealand team who face the Lions a week before the first Test. O'Connor could yet provide a cameo. Richie Mo'unga, one of the world's best tens, could also feature. The New Zealander Mo'unga versus Finn Russell would be one for the fly half purists. In 80 minutes against England, I saw a one-man weapon capable of savaging the Lions with his exceptional footwork and extraordinary aerial game. How good, I wondered, would he be with a season of Super Rugby under his belt? Alas, a broken jaw in May has left him short of union know-how after his switch from league. He could be a wing, a centre, a whole new position . . . but he could also be woefully short of union experience. Playing against the Lions is tough enough; doing so with the weight of a sports-mad country on your back? He could do with 80 minutes of rugby before the series. Hopefully he'll get it against Fiji next Sunday. Lions fans will have to wait.
