Latest news with #ZanderFagerson
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Matt Fagerson backs brother Zander to bounce back from Lions 'blow'
Matt Fagerson has backed his big brother Zander to recover from the "big blow" of being ruled out of this summer's British and Irish Lions tour through 29-year-old prop was named in Andy Farrell's squad in May while recovering from a calf injury sustained in April, but he had to withdraw last month after he reinjured was attempting to force his way into a first Test game after touring in 2021 but failing to appear in any Test series match against South Africa."I think he took it pretty hard," Matt, who is in Fiji with Scotland said. "He had his injury before the squad was announced and he was over the moon (when named in the squad). He had been really diligent in his rehab and he was coming back to a really good place. "Re-injuring it that was definitely a big blow for him, but he's old enough now to sort of realise there's some things he can't do."He did everything right, and these things happen, so I think he's come to accept that. "He's just working away at home to try and get himself back fit and spend some quality time with the kids and his wife."Matt has also been putting in the time to recover from ankle surgery in April, and has managed to "shave a few weeks off" his rehab to join up with Gregor Townsend's Scotland squad for their summer tour of the South Pacific."When Gregor said that he was really keen for me to come on summer tour, that gave me a lot of purpose in what I was doing in my rehab," he added."That definitely drove me on, gave me something to hold on to."
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Matt Fagerson backs brother Zander to bounce back from Lions tour heartbreak
Matt Fagerson has backed his brother Zander to recover from the 'big blow' of being ruled out of this summer's British and Irish Lions tour through injury. The 29-year-old prop was named in Andy Farrell's squad in May while recovering from a calf injury sustained in April. However, he had to withdraw in June from what would have been the second Lions tour of his career after suffering a recurrence of the problem. Younger brother Matt, who is currently in Fiji with Scotland, said of his sibling's disappointment: 'I think he took it pretty hard. He had his injury before the squad was announced and he was over the moon (when named in the squad). 'He had been really diligent in his rehab and he was coming back to a really good place. And then re-injuring it, obviously that was definitely a big blow for him. But he's old enough now to sort of realise that there's some things he can't do. 'He did everything right, and these things happen, so I think he's come to accept that. He's just working away at home to try and get himself back fit and spend some quality time with the kids and his wife.' The younger Fagerson would also have been deemed a potential contender for Lions involvement after excelling in the back row for Glasgow and Scotland, but he, too, suffered an untimely ankle injury in April that required surgery. The consolation for the 26-year-old is that he has been able to 'shave a few weeks off' his rehab and get himself fit enough to join up with Gregor Townsend's Scotland squad for their summer tour of the South Pacific. 'It (the Lions) was probably in the back of my mind, not really knowing if I was in the mix and obviously being out with an injury,' Fagerson said when asked how he viewed getting injured just a month out from Lions selection. 'But when Gregor said that he was really keen for me to come on summer tour, that gave me a lot of purpose in what I was doing in my rehab. 'And that definitely drove me on, gave me something to hold on to. So I haven't really thought about it (the Lions) since, I've just focused on this tour now.' Fagerson has been working his back to full fitness and, after sitting out last Saturday's non-cap international victory over Maori All Blacks, the back-rower now feels ready to return to contention for Saturday's Test against Fiji in Suva and end three months on the sidelines. 'It might have been a little bit of a stretch to play last weekend, but I feel good,' he said. 'I'm in great shape, physically. It's probably just been about getting the confidence in my ankle back. 'I feel like I've done that over the last week or so, and I've still got this week's training to do it, so if selected, I'll be ready to play.'
Tom's Guide
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Tom's Guide
How to watch British & Irish Lions Tour 2025: live stream rugby union online for FREE from anywhere, Lions vs Argentina warm-up
The British & Lions 2025 tour is always one of rugby union's highlights because they are so rare. Happening once every four years, it's the only time players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland come together on the same team and tour one of the Southern Hemisphere's giants. This time, it's Australia and you won't want to miss a second of the action. You can watch the British & Irish Lions 2025 tour from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free. The 2025 British & Irish Lions tour runs from Friday, June 20 to Saturday, August. Full schedule below.► Test match start times: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. BST / 8 p.m. AEST► FREE STREAM — 9Now (Australia)► FREE STREAM — RugbyPass TV (US)► U.S. — FloRugby► U.K. — Watch on Sky Sports► Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free The 38-man Lions squad has been picked, with prop Zander Fagerson already out through injury and replaced by Finlay Bealham, with more training members and others on standby. In the latter list is Andy Farrell's son, Owen, who though vastly experienced and a three-time Lion has endured a tough season with Racing in France and didn't make the cut. Farrell could well get a late call up, with only Finn Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith the dedicated fly halves. There's fireworks aplenty in the back division, with Duhan van der Merwe one of the great finishers, center Sione Tuipulotu back from injury and Russell a Scottish trio pulling strings. In the pack, as well as the impressive captain Maro Itoje, look out for English bolter Henry Pollock, who at 20 is the squad's youngest member but brashest character. The Lions start their warm-ups in Dublin without the Bath the Leicester players from a recent Grand Final but it's all go, as a tour of Australia awaits. Check out all of the TV and streaming details below to find out how to watch the British & Irish Lions 2025 tour from anywhere, including for FREE. Fri, June 20► British & Lions vs Argentina► 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. UK / 5 a.m. AEST (Sat)► Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland Rugby union fans in Australia are in luck, as they can watch the three British & Irish Lions 2025 test matches live streams for FREE. The three tests will be shown on Channel 9, which is available to live stream via the 9Now platform. Looking to catch the other tour matches? US fans will be able to watch all warm-up fixtures on RugbyPass TV, completely free of charge. The opening match of the tour, from Dublin's Aviva Stadium, will also be shown on Irish-language channel TG4 for FREE. Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch the British & Irish Lions action for free — we'll show you how to do that below. Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the tennis on your usual subscription? You can still watch the British & Irish Lions 2025 tour live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 7,000 servers, across 115+ countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend. For a limited time only, new subscribers in the US and Canada can also get up to $50 of Amazon vouchers. Get 70% off NordVPN with this deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Aussie service, you'd select Australia from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now or another streaming service and watch the British & Irish Lions. If you're a rugby union fan in the U.S., then the place to go for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour is CBS which will show the test match series against Australia via Paramount Plus. You will need the Showtime package ($12.99) to access CBS' live stream. Every other game - including the 1888 Cup game v Argentina - will be on RugbyPass TV, which as alluded to earlier is free! Away from the U.S. on vacation right now? Remember to get a NordVPN so you can enjoy your regular British & Irish Lions subscription as you would from back home. If you live in the Great White North, the British & Irish Lions 2025 live streams will be available on DAZN Canada. Dedicated streaming service DAZN, available with a 7-day trial, has prices starting from $19.99 per month on a year-long contract. It's $199.99 if you pay for a full year up front, and $29.99 on a flexible month-by-month basis. DAZN in Canada has the rights to plenty of other sports, too, including boxing and the Club World Cup. If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch British & Irish Lions 2025 live streams using a VPN, such as NordVPN. Sky Sports has the exclusive U.K. and Ireland rights for the British & Irish Lions 2025 tour. It will go out on the Sky Sports Main Event and the limited time pop-up channel, Sky Sports The Lions. Sky Sports subscribers can also watch the rugby on mobile devices via the Sky Go app that's available for iOS, iPadOS and Android devices, along with Xbox and PlayStation consoles. If you want to sign up, you can check out Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices. Or, if you don't fancy being locked into a contract, you could opt for a NOW Sports membership with plans starting at £14.99 a month. If you're abraod right now you can still follow your usual British & Irish Lions 2025 live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. The British & Irish Lions 2025 tour's three test matches are being broadcast for FREE across Channel 9 and 9Gem, with live streaming available for free via 9Now. What about the warm-up matches? Stan Sport is where you want to go for that. They offer ad-free coverage and and it will cost $36 for the Premium Plan and Sports add-on. Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on 9Now as if you were back home. Kiwis can access the British & Irish Lions live streams via Sky Sport Now. This costs $29.99/week, $49.99/month or $499.99/year. Sky Sport in New Zealand is also the home of Formula 1, and countless other sports from around the world. Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow every game by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. The 2025 British & Irish Lions tour will be televised on subscription service SuperSport. You'll need a DStv access package to watch SuperSport with prices starting at R99 per month. The game will be broadcast on their dedicated rugby channel. Outside South Africa for the tour? Just use a VPN and tell your device that you're back home and you'll be good to go. If you want to watch the British & Irish Lions in 4K, you'll need the Australia based Stan Sport. It offers ad-free coverage of every match on every court, with the Stan Sport add-on costing $15. You'll also need the Stan Premium base plan, which is $21 per month. Sky Sports is also an option in the U.K.. You'll need Sky Q Box and the relevant subscription, specifically to Sky Sports Main Event. Forwards Click for the Full Squad ▼ Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)Ollie Chessum (England)Jack Conan (Ireland)Luke Cowan-Dickie (England)Scott Cummings (Scotland)Tom Curry (England)Ben Earl (England)Finlay Bealham (Ireland)Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)Ellis Genge (England)Maro Itoje (England, catptain)Ronan Kelleher (Ireland)Joe McCarthy (Ireland)Jac Morgan (Wales)Henry Pollock (England)Andrew Porter (Ireland)James Ryan (Ireland)Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)Dan Sheehan (Ireland)Will Stuart (England)Josh van der Flier (Ireland) Backs Bundee Aki (Ireland)Elliot Daly (England)Tommy Freeman (England)Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)Mack Hansen (Ireland)Huw Jones (Scotland)Hugo Keenan (Ireland)Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)James Lowe (Ireland)Alex Mitchell (England)Garry Ringrose (Ireland)Finn Russell (Scotland)Fin Smith (England) Marcus Smith (England)Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)Tomos Williams (Wales) Click for the full British & Irish Lions schedule ▼ Friday, June 20: vs Argentina U.S.: 3 p.m. ET / midday PT U.K.: 8 p.m. AU: 6 am AEST Saturday, June 28: vs Western Force U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Wednesday, July 2: vs Queensland Reds U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Saturday, July 5: vs New South Wales Waratahs U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Wednesday, July 9: vs ACT Brumbies U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Saturday, July 12: vs Invitational AU & NZ U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Saturday, July 19: vs Australia (1st test) US: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Tuesday, July 22: vs First Nations & Pasifika XV U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Saturday, July 26: vs Australia (2nd test) U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST Saturday, August 2: vs Australia (3rd test) U.S.: 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT U.K.: 11 a.m. AU: 8 p.m. AEST We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
British and Irish Lions face mounting tighthead problems as Zander Fagerson ruled out of tour
Sidelined: Scotland prop Zander Fagerson will play no part on the Lions tour to Australia due to a calf injury (Joe Giddens/PA Wire) The British and Irish Lions are facing mounting issues at tighthead ahead of their summer tour to Australia after Zander Fagerson withdrew from the squad. The Scottish prop was as expected named in Andy Farrell's initial 38-man touring party announced last month, expected to compete with Ireland stalwart Tadhg Furlong and England's Will Stuart for a starting Test berth Down Under. Advertisement However, the Lions announced on Monday that Fagerson, 29, had been ruled out of the entire tour with a calf injury as the rest of the squad - without the players set to feature in next weekend's Premiership and URC finals - assembled in Dublin before travelling to Portugal for a six-day training camp. The Glasgow front-rower has been replaced by Ireland and Connacht's Australian-born prop Finlay Bealham. The Irish Independent reported over the weekend that concerns were growing over Lions veteran Furlong's availability for the tour after an injury-plagued season in which he suffered the recurrence of a calf problem that limited him to just one appearance off the bench in the Six Nations. That could leave Bath star Stuart as the frontrunner for the No3 shirt for the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on July 19. Advertisement He will be joined in Portugal by Jamie George, the England hooker and former captain who was among the most high-profile omissions from the original squad but had been expected to be added at a later date to join Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher and Luke Cowan-Dickie. Another new name linking up with the Lions in Portugal is Asher Opoku-Fordjour, the highly-rated young Sale Sharks tighthead who earned his first senior England cap against Japan in the autumn and will now hope to leave an impression on Farrell as his side prepare for their 1888 Cup clash with Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on June 20. 'It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the Tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group,' head coach Farrell said. 'This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that. 'But it's great to finally be at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players. 'Portugal will be really important for us as we look to get our house in order with only a few training sessions before we take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup in Dublin.'
BreakingNews.ie
13-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Finlay Bealham will be a great fit for the group – Lions head coach Andy Farrell
British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell believes replacement call-up Finlay Bealham will prove a 'great fit' for the squad following the 'heartbreaking' withdrawal of injured Scotland prop Zander Fagerson. Glasgow Warriors tight head Fagerson has been ruled out of the summer tour to Australia by a calf problem. Advertisement The news of Fagerson's withdrawal came a day before the squad – minus those involved in the Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship finals – headed out to Portugal for a training camp. Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia after sustaining a calf injury. We wish Zander all the best in his recovery 💙 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 9, 2025 Farrell, though, accepts such situations are part of the game, with the group now looking to sharpen focus towards a warm-up fixture against Argentina in Dublin on June 20th. 'It is heartbreaking, but at the same time, he (Fagerson) is a realist. All rugby players know that's the game,' Farrell told Sky Sports. 'He will work unbelievably hard to get himself fit and who knows what's going to happen down the track.' Advertisement Finlay Bealham = 🦁 Congratulations to @FinlayBealham who has been called up to the @lionsofficial squad. More: — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 9, 2025 On Ireland's Bealham being added to the squad, Farrell said: 'Finlay has been called up in his place and he is in good form. He is very good at what he does. 'He was certainly right up there in the conversation from the very start as well, and he would have been disappointed not to make the group. 'So we just know he will be a great fit for the group going forward. He is the only conversation that I was able to have because of the way we did the squad announcement. Andy Farrell will use the training camp to fine tune preparations ahead of the return to Ireland (John Walton/PA) 'By giving him a phone call and telling him he was selected within the squad, unfortunately for Zander, but it was one of the best phone conversations I have ever had. Advertisement 'The emotion that went through the phone actually welled me up. It was great to be able to do that.' With 15 of the selected players still on club duty – including 12 from Leinster – England duo Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour have also joined the five-day training camp at Quinta do Lago to provide some front-row cover. 'It is what it is,' said Farrell. 'You've just got to be open-minded enough to see what you end up with – what we have ended up with is a squad of 24. Bill's new keeper! 🫡 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 11, 2025 'It is a new group that has come together for the first time, so to keep it small and tight gives plenty of time in this five-day camp for people to get in the saddle and get up to speed with new systems, a new way of playing. Advertisement 'We will see what we need to add to the squad in the coming weeks.' The fixture against Argentina is set to be a first Lions game played in Ireland. The tour of Australia schedule – which features three Tests against the Wallabies – begins against Western Force in Perth on June 28th.
