Joe Schmidt takes cheeky swipe at Lions centre pairing ahead of Australia test series
AUSSIE head coach Joe Schmidt has aimed a subtle dig at the British and Irish Lions.
The former Leinster and Ireland boss called
Advertisement
2
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt aimed a cheeky dig at the Lions centres
2
Joe Schmidt did go on to praise Bundee Aki ahead of the test series later this month
Both Aki and Tuipulotu were born in New Zealand and Australia respectively, lined out in midfield for the
And speaking ahead of last night's clash, Schmidt appeared to use the moment to highlight the pair's adopted international allegiances.
Connacht ace
Tuipulotu, meanwhile, represents Scotland through his grandmother who hails from Greenock.
Advertisement
read more on rugby
Wallabies boss said: "A southern-hemisphere centre partnership that will be pretty formidable.
'I coached Bundee for several years and know him really well and respect him massively as a player. He's a great contributor to the team environment.
'I've only had glancing conversations with Sione but again, by all accounts a champion bloke.
'You don't get to be captain of a national team without being a great bloke and really professional in those high-performance environments.
Advertisement
Most read in Rugby Union
"They are real athletes, those two together, so that'll be really interesting.'
Debate around the number of overseas-born players in Andy Farrell's Lions squad has intensified in the build-up to the 2025 tour.
'Big weekend' - Peter O'Mahony embarking on hectic gardening project as he aims to add '300 plants'
Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe, along with Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman, all qualified through residency.
Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen are eligible through family heritage.
Advertisement
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Finn Russell glad to mend fences with Johnny Sexton as Lions head to Australia
Finn Russell has revealed that he buried the hatchet with Johnny Sexton with the help of Andy Farrell as the old foes join forces on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia. Former Ireland captain Sexton has previously been critical of Russell, labelling him "flashy" and a "media darling", while adding he would choose Owen Farrell over him against the Wallabies because the former England skipper is a "Test match animal". And in his autobiography, Sexton confessed that it "kills me to this day" that he was overlooked in favour of Russell for the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa. Now the former fly-half rivals are working together to plot the downfall of Australia, with Sexton acting as the Lions kicking skills coach and Russell in pole position to take the playmaking duties in the Test series. When they first linked up after the players involved in the Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship finals arrived into camp earlier this week, any acrimony quickly faded. "It's just been bit of a craic. It was never a thing. When we came in, we had a laugh straight away and Andy kind of put it to bed so that was good," Scotland international Russell said. "Not that it was ever going to be an issue, I don't believe. We're all here with the same goal, which is to win the series. "I've only been here a few days but it's been good working with Johnny. I'm happy to bounce questions off him and chat to him about what he's seeing. "With the numbers we've had, he's had to jump in sometimes so it's been quite funny being on the same training side as him. "It's good to have a guy with his experience here. I can chat to him and bounce things off him as and when I need. "All the coaches seem open to conversations and chats. It's a good environment to be in." Australia will be Russell's third expedition with the Lions, with all three set to be very different experiences. In 2017 in New Zealand he was part of the controversial 'Geography Six', a group of Scotland and Wales players who were called into Warren Gatland's squad not on merit but because of their close proximity while on summer tours. Four years later he travelled to South Africa where all matches were played behind closed doors due to the pandemic, denying the Lions their famed 'sea of red' support. The Bath ringmaster started the third Test against the Springbocks. "New Zealand was still amazing because it was my first time being called up to the Lions," Russell said. "We weren't there for the whole tour, but to have gone to New Zealand and played was really cool for me. "And then in 2021 it was special going the whole time, even though it was Covid. We couldn't have family and friends or fans at the game, but it was still amazing in a different way. "In terms of the boys, we probably got to know each other a little bit better because it was just us in the hotel and whatnot. I'm looking forward to what this one's going to be like."
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Lauren Walsh within four of lead at Czech Ladies Open
Lauren Walsh is within four shots of the lead after the second round at the Czech Ladies Open. The Kildare native followed up Friday's 69 with an even better six-under 66 to surge up to nine under and into a tie for sixth at the Beroun Golf Resort course. She is the leading contender among the Irish quartet in action. Olivia Mehaffey and Sara Byrne are five shots further back in a tie for 50th. Mehaffey impressed on Saturday with a score of 65, while Byrne carded a 70, Canice Screene is on two under following a 69 but missed the cut by just one shot. Switzerland's Kim Metraux leads the way after producing a masterclass on day two with a career-best round of 63 (nine under) to storm into the outright lead on 13 under par. Chasing a maiden win on the Ladies European Tour, she is one shot clear of England's Esme Hamilton who shot a 66 in only her sixth LET event. "This is the lowest round I've ever had," Metraux said. "It was just one of those days where everything went really well. I didn't really miss any shots or putts, to be honest. It was so nice. I gave myself a lot of opportunities and made the most of them. "I'm really happy with how it went. I kind of lost track of what my score was, I just knew I went really low. I really loved it and hopefully I can have a day like that again."
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Ian McLauchlan, Scotland and British & Irish Lions great, dies at 83
The former Scotland and British & Irish Lions prop Ian McLauchlan has died at the age of 83. The Ayrshire-born McLauchlan, who was known throughout the rugby world as Mighty Mouse, won 43 caps for Scotland between 1969 and 1979, captaining the side 19 times. McLauchlan's legacy was cemented on the victorious Lions tours of New Zealand and South Africa in 1971 and 1974, being one of only five players to feature in all eight Test matches. His only Test try against New Zealand in June 1971, when he charged down an attempted All Blacks clearance to touch down in a 9-3 win, has passed into Lions folklore. Weighing 14st 6lbs when he won his first cap, McLauchlan was regularly able to burrow under heavier tight-head props and give his team a set-piece advantage at a time when scrums were much more prevalent in the game. His former Scotland and Lions teammate Andy Irvine told the Scottish Rugby website: 'He was some character and some player. He was smaller than most props he came up against but I never saw anyone get the better of him. 'He was so tough, almost indestructible. What a fantastic career he had for Scotland and the Lions. It's very, very sad.' His only Test try against New Zealand in June 1971, when he charged down an attempted All Blacks clearance to touch down in a 9-3 win, has passed into Lions folklore. After his playing career McLauchlan, who had been a teacher in Edinburgh, spent a brief spell in rugby journalism before setting up his own marketing company. He served as a member of the Scottish Rugby Board from 2010 to 2019 and was president of the Scottish Rugby Union between 2010 and 2012. He was also awarded an OBE in the 2017 new year honours list. McLauchlan was also a director of European Professional Club Rugby and played a key role in the transition from the previous competitions overseen by ERC. Guardian
