
Australia legend claims Ireland & Lions scrum-half is ‘easily' better than France skipper Antoine Dupont
WILL GENIA claims that Ireland star Jamison Gibson-Park is the best number nine on the planet.
The Australia legend was speaking ahead of the
Advertisement
2
Australia legend Will Genia says Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park is the best half-back in the world
2
Genia reckons Leinster star Jamison Gibson-Park is better than France skipper Antoine Dupont
Genia, who earned 110-caps for his country his widely regarded as one of the greatest scrum-halves to have played the game was speaking on 'The for Love of Rugby' podcast.
And he was speaking
37-year-old Genia insisted that the
He said: "I think he's easily the best half-back in the world. Yeah, I do.
Advertisement
read more on rugby
"Dupont is an athletic freak, and he's incredibly skilful - and there's never been anyone like him - my favourite half-backs are guys like yourself, Ben Smith, Fourie du Preez.
"Guys with a real sense of finesse, and an ability to act as a playmaker as well - I'm not saying Dupont doesn't do that - not at all, but when I watch Gibson-Park, he reminds me of guys like yourself.
"He's real smooth with how he plays the game; he's real decisive. He's got great vision, excellent skills. For me he's definitely the best half-back in the world."
A
Advertisement
Most read in Rugby Union
He added: "I'm gonna go with a 2-1 win for The Aussies. We're building nicely really nicely, we've a core group of players who are playing really well domestically.
The Papua New Guinea-born number nine went on to add that he thinks Joe Schmidt's side are good enough to win the opening two-tests of the series.
He concluded: "We're going to win the first two, and then you boys will win the last one.
Ireland players included in Andy Farrell's Lions squad:
Jamison Gibson-Park
Garry Ringrose
Bundee Aki
James Lowe
Mack Hansen
Dan Sheehan
Josh van der Flier
Jack Conan
Tadhg Beirne
Tadhg Furlong
Andrew Porter
Hugo Keenan
Ronan Kelleher
Joe McCarthy
James Ryan
Advertisement
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Chelsea in shock transfer talks with AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan whose stats shows up Robert Sanchez
CHELSEA are in talks with AC Milan to sign goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The France star, 29, has only a year left on his contract in Italy, with both parties yet to agree on fresh terms. 1 Chelsea want to sign Mike Maignan Credit: Getty And the Blues have been alerted by Maignan's failure to pen an extension at the San Siro, where Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes the £34million-rated stopper is an ideal option for his possession-based attack. The Stamford Bridge outfit already have five keepers on their books — Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Djordje Petrovic, Mike Penders and But Maignan's potential arrival would see him challenge for the No 1 jersey in another shake-up to the goalkeeping department. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Chelsea fans have been calling for a new No 1, with both Sanchez and Jorgensen failing to prove they should be the main man between the sticks. French Guiana-born Maignan helped Lille to the French title in 2021. He won Serie A with Milan a year later. Maignan has amassed a total of 163 appearances for the Italian club and made four errors leading to goals last season, comparing to Sanchez's five. Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge But AC Milan could cash in now amid fears he could leave the club on a free transfer in 2026. Maignan has played 30 times for France and was named in the Euro 2024 team of the tournament. Jadon Sancho shares his Chelsea highlights reel as he says goodbye to fans ahead of Man Utd return Maresca's Chelsea are set to make Liam Delap their first summer signing. The Blues will pay his £30million release clause at relegated Ipswich, who he joined last summer from Chelsea will also welcome youngsters Estevao Willian, Kendry Paez and Dario Essugo to the club. One player leaving the club is Chelsea paid And the winger, 25, posted on Instagram: 'Grateful for the experience. Big love to everyone at Chelsea who made me feel at home — teammates, staff and the fans. 'Wishing the club all the best moving forward. Truly grateful. Thank you Blues.'


The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Iconic BBC presenter leaves job at Premier League after nine years and posts emotional message
FAN favourite football presenter Manish Bhasin has announced he is leaving his job at the Premier League after nine years. Bhasin, 49, has been on fans' screens for over two decades and is known by many as the face of the BBC's defunct Football League Show. Advertisement 3 Manish Bhasin has announced his next career move Credit: Getty Images - Getty 3 Bhasin, pictured with Premier League CEO Richard Masters, has been working at Premier League productions for nine years Credit: Getty But for the last nine years he has fronted up matchday coverage of Premier League action for Premier League Productions - the league's official broadcast outlet. But the Leicester-born presenter and journalist has now revealed he is ready for a new chapter in an emotional statement announcing his exit. He wrote on X: "After 9 years of hosting for the Premier League official global match coverage, sadly the time has come to move on. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL "I've loved every second. A big thanks to the production team and the on-screen pundits who made the job so enjoyable. "Time now to write the next chapter…" Bhasin is one of many familiar faces that are leaving their roles this summer as the landscape of football coverage is set for a shakeup ahead of the new season. Sky Sports announced last week that Advertisement Most read in Sport Breaking Exclusive CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Included in that mass change is the likes of Meanwhile Gary Lineker tears up as he bids emotional farewell to iconic Match of the Day after controversial BBC axe However, Lineker won't be stepping away from football highlights completely. Advertisement It was announced today that his podcast The Rest Is Football, which he co-hosts alongside Alan Shearer and 3 Gary Lineker has left the BBC Credit: PA

The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
Lancaster is the biggest appointment Connacht have ever made
PAT LAM CAME to Connacht with a strong reputation in 2013, but there's no doubt that Stuart Lancaster is the highest-profile coaching appointed the Irish province has ever made. Lancaster will join after his adventure with Racing 92 in the French Top 14 came to an unhappy and early end, yet his credentials remain impressive. The 55-year-old was recently in the mix for the Australia job, only for the Aussie union to opt for Les Kiss – another man with strong connections to Irish rugby – to succeed Joe Schmidt next year. It was clear that Lancaster was looking to land another top-end job and so, when his name was floated as the possible next Connacht head coach, it initially seemed somewhat unlikely. Someone like Lancaster doesn't come cheap and it appeared that he might be holding out for a role with a bigger club if not a national team. That's why today's announcement from Connacht and the IRFU came as such a pleasant surprise, especially for the western province's fans. They have just endured a frustrating season in which they finished 13th in the URC and exited the Challenge Cup at the quarter-final stage. Former head coach Pete Wilkins had left after an initial period on sick leave and there was uncertainty about next season's coaching ticket. Now, Connacht fans can look to the future with optimism. The province's brand-new training centre is up and running, the redevelopment of Dexcom Stadium will be completed in January, there is lots of exciting talent in the playing squad, and Lancaster seems like the ideal man to help those players fulfil their potential. Advertisement Indeed, this seems like a snug fit for both parties. When Lancaster came in as England head coach and Leinster senior coach, both sides were at fairly low ebbs. He improved their players, energised the organisations, and simply made them better teams. Stuart Lancaster at the Sportsground in 2018. Inpho / Billy Stickland Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland He wasn't able to do that at Racing 92. Before moving to France, Lancaster acknowledged that adapting to an entirely new culture would be his biggest challenge and that's probably where he came up short. Foreign coaches need to learn excellent French to thrive in the Top 14 and Lancaster seemingly didn't. It's a cut-throat place. Now, he is back on more familiar ground and will surely be more motivated than ever to prove that class is permanent. The Englishman is a pure coach in that he is obsessed with helping players to improve their skills. Nearly everyone he worked with in Leinster speaks highly of his ability in this regard. His endless enthusiasm for and love of rugby are infectious, and he has the technical and tactical mastery to encourage progress in individuals and the team. There are no doubts whatsoever about his rugby acumen, with the only question marks being around the non-rugby stuff. That's why it seems ideal that Connacht are also bringing in their new general manager of performance, the experienced Billy Millard. His role is wide-ranging and wasn't intended to be directly as part of the senior coaching ticket, but Millard should be able to remove some off-field work such as contracting and succession planning from Lancaster's plate. Every head coach needs that kind of support away from the pitch, but make no mistake – Lancaster will be the boss in Connacht. Unlike in Leinster, where Leo Cullen was head coach, Lancaster's word on all rugby matters will be final in Connacht. He will take control of Connacht's defence, but it would be a surprise if he doesn't also have major input on their attack, even if Rod Seib is coming in from Australia to take on that role. Lancaster has strong ideas on attack, defence, kicking, and pretty much everything else. It is exciting to see how Lancaster's Connacht look. That he has a full pre-season working with the squad is ideal. The province has prided itself on easy-on-the-eye attacking play for a long time and their new head coach has always favoured a skilful and free-flowing approach with the ball. Lancaster has always come across as someone who enjoys a challenging project and that's what he has in Connacht. They have always been underdogs, but there are promising raw materials for him to work with as he joins on a two-year deal. The foundations have been laid off the pitch and young players like Hugh Gavin and Matthew Devine will be delighted to get the chance to work under Lancaster. The same is true of the most experienced men in Connacht's squad, the likes of Jack Carty and Bundee Aki. Lancaster helped many of Leinster's senior players to get better during his seven years in Dublin. He also impressed lots of coaches within the province by sharing his knowledge through coaching courses or the video seminars he held during the pandemic. Most people Lancaster meets are left impressed by his knowledge of the game. Lancaster had a difficult time with Racing 92. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO This is a big coup for Connacht but also for the IRFU, who directly employ the head coaches of the four provinces. The union's performance director, David Humphreys, was right to call this 'a real statement of intent' for Connacht and a 'huge boost' for all of Irish rugby. The IRFU wants and needs all of its provinces to be delivering as many players as possible to the national squad. So while someone like Lancaster comes at a price, his track record suggests that IRFU mission will be strengthened. And for Lancaster, a contract with Connacht that runs until 2027 could leave him in the frame to become Ireland head coach if Andy Farrell leaves after the next World Cup. He evidently wants another crack at international rugby. That's some way down the line. For now, Connacht have landed a serious rugby coach who should make them better.