logo
Australia v British and Irish Lions second Test: All you need to know

Australia v British and Irish Lions second Test: All you need to know

RTÉ News​3 days ago
Australia host the Lions in the second Test on Saturday with the series on the line.
It's simply win or bust for the Wallabies after last weekend's underwhelming 27-19 defeat in Brisbane.
The famed MCG is the scene and a crowd of around 90,000 is expected.
A win for Andy Farrell's men will clinch a first Lions series win since 2013.
Find out all you need to know here.
ONLINE
There will be a live blog on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, as well as match report, reaction and player ratings.
TV
Australia v British and Irish Lions will be shown on Sky Sports with kick-off at 11am Irish time.
WEATHER
There was a severe weather warning for Melbourne on Friday afternoon to evening, and rain is predicted for Saturday 8pm (local) kick-off. Temperature around 11C.
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
While last weekend's scoreline looked close on paper, the Lions held the Wallabies at arm's length throughout the game, and it was only when the contest was over that the Aussies did some damage.
Neither side will read too much into that but Andy Farrell will demand an 80-minute performance this time around.
There's more heft in the Aussie pack with the addition of Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and David Porecki and the hope for Joe Schmidt is that they provide more front-foot ball for the backs to work off.
They were distinctly second-best last week across all areas, on and off the ball, and achieving something like parity up front will be crucial to their cause.
It's set for a wet evening in Melbourne so expect a lot of kicking and aerial battles.
The Lions have made three changes to the team with Bundee Aki coming in for Sione Tuipulotu, Andrew Porter replacing Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum in for the injured Joe McCarthy.
Garry Ringrose was originally selected but withdrew after self-reporting concussion symptoms.
Still, there are a record nine Ireland internationals in the starting team, with Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Hugo Keenan all retaining their places.
Maro Itoje captains from the second row and Finn Russell will run the operation from out-half.
Rónan Kelleher and James Ryan are on the bench, alongside Owen Farrell and Blair Kinghorn who didn't make the squad last weekend.
For the home side, in come forwards Valetini, Skelton and Porecki with Schmidt also making three changes.
This is the 25th meeting of the teams, with the Lions winning 18 and losing six.
The tourists, ten-point favourites for this game, have won seven series and lost two.
British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, James Ryan, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Blair Kinghorn.
Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, David Porecki, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson.
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson.
OFFICIALS
Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
Assistant Referee 2: Ben O'Keeffe (NZ)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
WHAT THEY SAID
Joe Schmidt (Australia head coach): "We don't have the intention this week of being submissive. It'd be special for this group [to win]. I think it would accelerate a little bit of their growth as well, because in terms of gaining confidence, it's hard to top competing with the best."
Andy Farrell (Lions head coach): "We certainly feel we left a few things out there [last weekend], most aspects of our game will need to better but it is proving to ourselves it can be better as well. Doing things properly, that is what we have talked about all week."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Irish racing in mourning as legendary trainer Edward O'Grady dies
Irish racing in mourning as legendary trainer Edward O'Grady dies

Irish Daily Mirror

time27 minutes ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Irish racing in mourning as legendary trainer Edward O'Grady dies

Legendary Irish trainer Edward O'Grady has died aged 75. Based in Co Tipperary, O'Grady was champion jumps trainer in Ireland for four consecutive years between 1977 and 1980. He trained almost 1,700 career winners, the first of which came in 1972 and the most recent in a handicap hurdle at Bellewstown earlier this month. O'Grady was also a formidable force at Cheltenham and trained 18 Festival winners, including 1978 Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Golden Cygnet. Golden Cygnet was fatally injured in the Scottish Champion Hurdle the following month but O'Grady hailed the horse as the "most talented he had ever trained". More recent Festival winners for O'Grady include Pizarro, who landed the 2002 Champion Bumper in the hands of top Flat jockey Jamie Spencer, and the 2003 Supreme scorer Back In Front. Away from Cheltenham, O'Grady saddled Sound Man to win successive runnings of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in 1995 and 1996. His final Grade One winner was Cash And Go in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival in 2011. Other top-class horses he trained include 2002 Irish Champion Hurdle winner Ned Kelly and Nick Dundee, who both carried the colours of Coolmore's John Magnier. The O'Grady family issued a statement today that read: 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Edward O'Grady, who passed away peacefully yesterday evening at St James's Hospital, surrounded by his family. 'Edward was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also one of the most respected and successful racehorse trainers of his generation. 'Over the course of an extraordinary career that spanned more than five decades, Edward trained just shy of 1,700 winners under rules. 'His name became synonymous with Irish National Hunt racing, and he was a formidable force at Cheltenham and across the racing world. Beyond the winners and the headlines, Edward was a man of deep intelligence, sharp wit, and remarkable warmth. 'He had friends on every continent, a story for every occasion, and a lifelong passion for the sport, the hunting field and everything equestrian. Funeral details will be announced in due course via Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.

‘Like Jack Charlton used to' - Ex-Ireland star outlines League of Ireland plan
‘Like Jack Charlton used to' - Ex-Ireland star outlines League of Ireland plan

Irish Daily Mirror

timean hour ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

‘Like Jack Charlton used to' - Ex-Ireland star outlines League of Ireland plan

Ex-Ireland defender Terry Phelan has revealed that he would love to work in the League of Ireland one day - and follow in the footsteps of Jack Charlton by engaging in one of his former manager's favourite hobbies. Phelan is currently in India with Bangalore-based South United FC, where he is working with all strands of the club - from youth up to the senior team. And while he is in no hurry to leave, Phelan has ambitions to work in Ireland, but not necessarily as a manager. 'Maybe I end up back in Ireland one day, who knows, doing a little bit of education there and doing a little bit of fishing like Jack Charlton used to,' he told MirrorSport. 'Who knows? I might stay in India for the rest of my life. You never know. I'm like that. Wherever the wind blows. If it's something I want to do, then why not?' Phelan, who spent much of his childhood in his mother's hometown of Tubbercurry in Sligo, was tempted late last year by the vacant Wexford post, but opted to remain in India. Phelan was speaking to MirrorSport in association with NetBet Irish Online Casino. He said: 'I was thinking, should I or shouldn't I? I thought, I'm not ready for that yet. 'When I mean, I'm not ready, I've got to finish stuff over here, I've still got that little dream over here of maybe getting one or two players into Europe, maybe into Ireland. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . 'Maybe I could work with a couple of Irish clubs to get players in, working with one or two clubs in Ireland. I'd love to do that. 'If there are any guys out there who want to work with me and look at players, I am open to that. We are hoping to expose players, give them that exposure.' As for any future role within Irish football, he added: 'I'd just love to come in and develop players. Mentoring is key now. 'I don't think we have a lot of mentors about, especially when they jump from the youth team and they are catapulted into the first-team. The coach can only do so much. 'I'd love to go into a mentoring role and have that link between the youth and first-team, be somebody they can talk to, somebody their parents can talk to. I think that's what they need. 'In our day, we mentored ourselves. With the stresses of the world on these players, and they really want to get there, they want it quick, maybe they need people to sit them down and show them the way. 'Maybe one day… I'm 58 now, maybe in a few years I could come back to Ireland and implement something. 'I don't know yet. You never put a number on it. At the moment I'm loving life where I am.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .

Family announces death of Irish training great Edward O'Grady
Family announces death of Irish training great Edward O'Grady

Irish Examiner

timean hour ago

  • Irish Examiner

Family announces death of Irish training great Edward O'Grady

Leading National Hunt trainer Edward O'Grady died on Sunday evening, his family has announced. O'Grady trained a whole host of top-class horses over the course of his long and illustrious career and for a long time was the leading Irish trainer at the Cheltenham Festival where he saddled 18 winners, the first being Mr Midland in the 1974 National Hunt Chase. A statement released by his family through Horse Racing Ireland read: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Edward O'Grady, who passed away peacefully yesterday evening at St James's Hospital (in Dublin), surrounded by his family. "Edward was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also one of the most respected and successful racehorse trainers of his generation. "Over the course of an extraordinary career that spanned more than five decades, Edward trained just shy of 1,700 winners under rules. His name became synonymous with Irish National Hunt racing, and he was a formidable force at Cheltenham and across the racing world. "Beyond the winners and the headlines, Edward was a man of deep intelligence, sharp wit, and remarkable warmth. He had friends on every continent, a story for every occasion, and a lifelong passion for the sport, the hunting field and everything equestrian. "Funeral details will be announced in due course." Perhaps the most talented horse to pass through O'Grady's hands was Golden Cygnet, a brilliant winner of the 1978 Supreme Novices' Hurdle but fatally injured in the Scottish Champion Hurdle the following month. More recent Festival winners for O'Grady include Pizarro, who landed the 2002 Champion Bumper in the hands of top Flat jockey Jamie Spencer, and the 2003 Supreme scorer Back In Front. Away from Cheltenham, O'Grady saddled Sound Man to win successive runnings of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in 1995 and 1996, while his final Grade One winner was Cash And Go in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival in 2011. Other top-class horses he trained include 2002 Irish Champion Hurdle winner Ned Kelly and Nick Dundee, who both carried the colours of Coolmore supremo John Magnier.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store