‘Joe Schmidt is an overthinker who tries to play mind games' – Former IRFU high-performance director David Nucifora
The mind games, it seems, have started even before the British and Irish Lions have boarded Saturday's flight to Perth.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Kevin Prendergast dead: Ruby Walsh leads tributes to ‘trailblazer' Irish horse racing trainer
RUBY Walsh is among many prominent horse racing figures to pay tribute to Kevin Prendergast after his death at the age of 92. The son of the legendary Paddy 'Darkie' Prendergast, he carried on the family business by establishing himself as a hugely successful flat trainer. Having been an amateur jockey early on in life, he obtained his trainer's licence in 1963 and embarked upon a glittering career with over 2000 winners. Speaking on today's ITV coverage from Royal Ascot, Walsh hailed Prendergast on a personal as well as professional level. Walsh emphasized: "He followed in the footsteps of his father Darky, and he trailed for long enough to compete against the great Vincent O'Brien and Aidan O'Brien, and he was a trailblazer. "His horses always looked impeccable. He was a brilliant racehorse trainer. Read More On Irish Sport "He was a legend in the sport, but he was a massive character, and he will be sadly missed." His final winner came in August when Chris Hayes rode Copie Conforme to victory at Bellewstown. More to follow... Moment Royal Ascot racegoers hurl punches in vicious brawl in front of shocked punters 1 He's been hailed as 'a brilliant racehorse trainer'
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Missed out on Lions tickets? There's a sneaky way to catch all the action
More than 50,000 fans will pack out Dublin's Aviva Stadium tonight as the British & Irish Lions make rugby history - playing on Irish soil for the first time ever. But if you didn't manage to get your hands on a ticket, don't panic as there's still a way to join in the action. Thanks to a new partnership with TikTok, fans at home can enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes content and match-day buzz from a team of popular content creators covering the Lions' 2025 tour kick-off against Argentina. Some of Ireland and the UK's top TikTokers - including Rugby Nause, James Doyle and Miriam Mullins - have been enlisted to bring viewers pitchside, inside the fan zones and behind the scenes throughout the evening. Viewers can expect everything from hilarious fan moments to insightful match breakdowns via the hashtag #Lions2025. The creators, with millions of followers between them, are set to capture the raw emotion and energy of the Lions' long-awaited Dublin debut. To catch all the action, you can follow: TikTok Ireland's Head of Content Operations, Rebecca O'Keeffe, said: "This partnership is all about making The British & Irish Lions and rugby even more accessible. Whether it's breaking down the rules for first-time viewers or capturing the emotional highs of the Lions matches, TikTok creators will showcase the Tour through content that educates, entertains, and inspires. 'Stay tuned on TikTok for exclusive Lions content from the #Lions2025 Tour and join us as we bring fans closer to one of rugby's most iconic teams - wherever they are in the world."
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Bundee Aki's life away from the pitch - from wife and kids to Irish citizenship
Bundee Aki's set to start for the British and Irish Lions during their match against Argentina on Friday night. The New Zealand-born centre, who has been a revelation for both Connacht and Ireland, has been lauded as one of the best players in the country — being nominated as World Player of the Year in 2023. Both on and off the pitch, Bundee has support in the form of his family — with his wife and four children all residing in Galway with him. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bundee Aki (@bundeeaki) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bundee Aki (@bundeeaki) Bundee and his wife Kayla wed in their native New Zealand in 2018, two years after he was a part of the Connacht team that won the Pro12. The couple have three daughters, Armani-Jade, Adrianna and Ailbhe, as well as a son called Adronicus — with three of the kids being born at home after Kayla had a poor experience with the birth of eldest Armani-Jade. The couple also revealed that they were expecting their fifth child earlier this month in an adorable photo on Instagram where Kayla showed off her baby bump. Bundee regularly shares his family on social media, and shared an adorable photo of himself, Kayla and the kids after the country won back-to-back Six Nations championships last year. Bundee Aki and his wife Kayla share four children together, with a fifth on the way. Pic: INPHO/Andrew Downes While there have been plenty of honorary Irishmen and women over the years (Jack Charlton being the most famous example), Bundee revealed last year that he was one of over 3,000 people who became Irish citizens, getting the passport to boot. Speaking on his citizenship, Bundee told the Late Late Show that the decision to join Connacht, which ultimately changed his life, didn't come lightly. 'Obviously, at the time it was a big decision,' he said. 'It wasn't an easy one — I obviously had to talk to a few close family members, close friends and coaches. I had a small family at the time, my wife and two kids and the youngest one was three years old, so to get the call from Pat Lam to come over here and offer an opportunity… I knew I had to give it everything I got.' Bundee became an Irish citizen last October, over 10 years after he joined Connacht. Pic: Courtesy of RTÉ News 'That's one thing I made sure I stood by, to give it everything for my family and for Connacht. It's been 10 years now and I've enjoyed every single bit of it. It doesn't even feel like 10 years — more like two or three years.' 10 years after joining Connacht, he became an Irish citizen — saying that he was greeted with open arms over the previous decade by Irish people. 'It's not just what I do on or off the pitch,' Bundee said. 'The way they've treated me and my family, obviously in Galway, but around the country too, how lovely people are, how welcoming they are with me and my kids. 'You can honestly feel how proud they are, and I feel the love they've given me and for me to be able to get granted the citizenship was no better feeling than to be able to get that chance to be able to say, I can now embrace the Irish culture.'
