Latest news with #TestSquad
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Line-out ability is my back-row edge
Ollie Chessum says he is relishing his opportunity in the back row as the versatile England forward zeros in on a spot in the British and Irish Lions Test started at blindside flanker in the 36-24 win over the Brumbies on Wednesday, scoring a try after 14 minutes and narrowly missing out on another as he was held up over the line late two of his 28 Test appearances for England have been back-row starts, but the 24-year-old - more usually a second row - says his set-piece experience is an advantage over his rivals for a place in the squad for the 19 July series opener against Australia."I think the line-out one is probably obvious, to have that third jumper," he said when asked by BBC Sport about his point of difference as a back row. "But all sorts really. I think that when I get the ball in my hands on the edges I can make a real difference. Playing six frees you up to be both on the edge and in the middle."I have had to work at it, but since I have been 20 or 21 I have played in and around the back row at Leicester."I have had hints of it with England - with the players we have there it works nicely in a bit of rotation. I do really enjoy it."The coaches have been great with me because obviously we have not had that much time to prepare and train so they have freed me up and let me go to work."Hopefully I did what they asked me to tonight." The win over the Brumbies marked Chessum's first back-row start for the Lions. He came off the bench and into the second row against the Western Force and started at lock against Queensland also finished the match in Canberra in the second row, swapping in after Henry Pollock replaced Joe McCarthy just before the coach Andy Farrell has emphasised the importance of players' versatility to ensure his side can adapt tactically and cover injuries during the Lions have also prioritised having a line-out jumper in the back row on recent tours with Courtney Lawes starting all three Tests in South Africa in 2021 and Peter O'Mahony captaining the side in the first Test against New Zealand four years observers have pegged the fixtures against the Brumbies – the strongest Australian province in this year's Super Rugby competition – as a dry run for Farrell's Test Chessum says that with another warm-up game to come against an invitational Australia and New Zealand XV in Adelaide on Saturday - and the hectic schedule leading into the first Test on 19 July - he is taking every day as it comes."I don't know what to expect!" he said of the series opener in Brisbane."These past two weeks has been an absolute blur. You play a game, you are on a flight, we land in the next city, we have a captains' run and then we are playing again."It has been really enjoyable but, as far as what is to come next weekend, as a squad we will see where we want to take the game."That is one thing that has been really good - it has been player led and hopefully we can have our input on what we are going to do next week."
Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Henry Pollock can wind up who he likes as long as he backs it up
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 Pollock. It 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 managers. Pollock's 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 team. The 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 announced. Whatever 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.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith's odd prep for Test return
Steve Smith tested his injured finger in a baseball batting cage in New York and is adamant he's now pain free as he prepares to bat with a splint in the second Test against the West Indies. The 36-year-old will slot straight back in at No.4 but won't be in his normal position in the slips as the Australians look to go 2-0 up in Grenada. Smith missed the opening match after suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding during the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Rather than travelling with the squad direct to the West Indies, Smith stayed in his apartment in New York, which is where he found the batting cage, and took the first steps towards ensuring he could get back sooner than he might have first thought. 'Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage,' Smith said having rejoined the Test squad. 'It was ideal because it was pretty warm, like 36C … so it was good to be in the shade. 'My mate actually told me about it, and he was able to throw me a few balls there. 'I had a couple of bats last week with some tennis balls and incredi-balls the first day and then some cricket balls the next day. 'Everything felt good; it was with a slightly bigger splint than this one as well, so it was probably a little bit trickier getting my hand in the glove. 'But I just got my stitches out and I've got a smaller splint on now, so it'll be easier getting my hand in the glove.' Smith still has to prove his fitness for the second Test when the Australians move to Grenada, but coach Andrew McDonald all but locked him in, meaning Josh Inglis could lose his spot. 'I don't feel really any pain or anything,' Smith said. 'It's just getting used to the splint on and the slightly limited movement with the tape and the splint. 'It's not too bad and I've got a lot of movement there now … hitting balls it felt completely fine, so I'm pretty comfortable. 'It'll be just training as normal and then fielding some balls in front of the wicket, which will probably be the strangest thing for me – I don't think I've ever done that in a Test match. 'Fielding at either mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip, so I think that's probably going to be the biggest difference.' Despite dual failures in the opening match, Cameron Green will stay at No.3, with teenager Sam Konstas also set to be Usman Khawaja's opening partner again.
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Steve Smith tests injured finger in New York batting cage before linking up with Australian teammates in West Indies
Steve Smith tested his injured finger in a baseball batting cage in New York and is adamant he's now pain free as he prepares to bat with a splint in the second Test against the West Indies. The 36-year-old will slot straight back in at No.4 but won't be in his normal position in the slips as the Australians look to go 2-0 up in Grenada. Smith missed the opening match after suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding during the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Rather than travelling with the squad direct to the West Indies, Smith stayed in his apartment in New York, which is where he found the batting cage, and took the first steps towards ensuring he could get back sooner than he might have first thought. 'Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage,' Smith said having rejoined the Test squad. 'It was ideal because it was pretty warm, like 36C … so it was good to be in the shade. 'My mate actually told me about it, and he was able to throw me a few balls there. 'I had a couple of bats last week with some tennis balls and incredi-balls the first day and then some cricket balls the next day. 'Everything felt good; it was with a slightly bigger splint than this one as well, so it was probably a little bit trickier getting my hand in the glove. 'But I just got my stitches out and I've got a smaller splint on now, so it'll be easier getting my hand in the glove.' Smith still has to prove his fitness for the second Test when the Australians move to Grenada, but coach Andrew McDonald all but locked him in, meaning Josh Inglis could lose his spot. 'I don't feel really any pain or anything,' Smith said. 'It's just getting used to the splint on and the slightly limited movement with the tape and the splint. 'It's not too bad and I've got a lot of movement there now … hitting balls it felt completely fine, so I'm pretty comfortable. 'It'll be just training as normal and then fielding some balls in front of the wicket, which will probably be the strangest thing for me – I don't think I've ever done that in a Test match. 'Fielding at either mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip, so I think that's probably going to be the biggest difference.'
