The Lions Rampant: Mail Sport casts an eye over Scotland's proud links to the iconic red jersey and asks who would make an all-time Scots-only Lions select?
The death of Ian McLauchlan over the weekend makes it a compelling time to consider the rugby legends Scotland has contributed to the Lions cause over the years.
From leading Lions points scorer Gavin Hastings to men like Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer — both of whom contributed so much in terms of playing and coaching — Scottish grit has been central to large chunks of what the Lions have achieved in the post-war era.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Tavatavanawai among five new caps in All Blacks squad for France series
June 23 (Reuters) - Timoci Tavatavanawai was one of five uncapped players named in the All Blacks squad for the July series against France on Monday, the Fiji-born centre earning his first test call-up at the age of 27 after a superb Super Rugby season. Tavatavanawai's power and pace along with his ability to turn the ball over at the breakdown earned him a place in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific dream team but he might find it tougher to break into the New Zealand midfield. Coach Scott Robertson has brought Jordie Barrett straight back into his squad after a sabbatical in Ireland with Leinster and also recalled powerhouse Quinn Tupaea after three injury-blighted seasons. "It's always a challenge to pick the best players in the country," Robertson said. "You look through the whole season, you look for reliability, the ability to keep turning up, their skill sets under pressure, how they complement the group. "It's a hell of a team, just congratulations to those debutants, their families, and who supported them to get here." Tavatavanawai said it had been an emotional moment for him and his family when he heard that his dream of an All Blacks call-up had been fulfilled. "It means everything," he said. "I left (home) when I was 16. My brother and sister were about 13 and I've missed a crucial part of their growing up. All that sacrifice comes up to this moment so it's pretty special. "I think that's why mum pretty much straight away jumped in my arms." Flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi and hooker Brodie McAlister are two other experienced players who have earned their first call-ups in their late 20s on the back of standout domestic seasons. "Du'Plessis is the ultimate story of what it takes to keep working and absolute desire to be an All Black," forwards coach Jason Ryan said of the 28-year-old openside. "He's got the balance right. He's learned a lot about himself learning Wellington and the Hurricanes. We know he's ready." There was no place in the squad for openside Dalton Papali'i or blindside Ethan Blackadder with Kirifi one of only five loose forwards selected along with Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson. Jacobson picked up a knock in the Super Rugby final and uncapped number eight Christian Lio-Willie will join the squad as injury cover along with winger Emoni Narawa, who will make up the numbers while Anton Lienert-Brown completes his recuperation from a broken collarbone. Powerful loosehead prop Ollie Norris and Netherlands-born lock Fabian Holland round out the quintet of uncapped players named by Robertson. New Zealand host France in the opening test in Dunedin on July 5 before further clashes in Wellington and Hamilton on the following weekends. Squad: Forwards - Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Brodie McAlister, Ethan de Groot, Tamaiti Williams, Ollie Norris, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Scott Barrett (captain), Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa'i, Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson. Backs - Noah Hotham, Cortez Ratima, Cameron Roigard, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Ruben Love, Sevu Reece.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mother of footy star James Ackerman who died in horror tackle aged just 25 reveals the heartbreaking sight that put his death into perspective when she visited his grave
Ten years have passed since rugby league star James Ackerman took the field for the last time, and for his mother Sonya, reminders of his presence still arrive when she least expects them. She still sees him everywhere, and sometimes in confronting places - like a child's grave that recently shifted her grief into a new perspective. On one of the many visits she's made to her son's resting place in Caloundra, Queensland, Sonya found herself asking aloud through tears, 'Who is worse off now?' It was then that she noticed a nearby grave belonging to a five-year-old boy also named James, and in that moment, she felt her son's message come through clearly, just as he used to say in life: 'There's always someone worse off than us.' James took the field for the last time when he ran out for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in a Queensland Cup match against the Norths Devils on June 20, 2015. Within five minutes of kickoff, he was felled by a shoulder charge from NRL star Francis Molo that left him unconscious and critically injured. Despite the desperate efforts of trainers and medics, and two days of hope and heartbreak in hospital, James never woke up, and his family was forced to make the agonising decision to turn off his life support just days before his 26th birthday. He left behind a young family: two-year-old Milly, three-year-old Ollie, and his wife Saraa Spaans, who has since remarried but continues to honour the memory of the boy she first fell in love with as a teenager. Saraa says time hasn't eased the pain but has instead deepened it for their children, who now understand more clearly just how long a decade can feel without their father. She remembers him as the kind of dad who, after a long day at work, would still be the first to grab the kids and take them to the park, a man full of life who loved to make others laugh and never took a single moment for granted. On that tragic afternoon, Sonya sprinted across the field to reach her son after seeing him collapse, praying that the man known as 'Ackers' would once again bounce back to his feet as he always had. But this time was different, and deep down, she knew it the moment she saw him lying still. Falcons CEO Chris Flannery, who wasn't at the game that day despite usually travelling with the team, still remembers learning about the tragedy via a phone call. What followed was a blur of hospital rooms, meetings with specialists, and devastating conversations, including one with three neurosurgeons who confirmed Sonya's fears. Ackerman was well loved in rugby league circles and has saved lives after his death due to organ donation Her son would not recover, and even if he did, he would never live the life he deserved. In that crushing moment, she asked if James could be an organ donor, not because she had prepared for such a tragedy, but because it was a promise they had spoken about years before, and it was the only way to make meaning out of something so senseless. Saraa, then just 25, summoned a strength she didn't know she had to sign the donation waivers, knowing full well it was what James would have wanted, even as she tried to comfort two children too young to understand what they had lost. That brave decision would go on to save or improve the lives of more than 40 people, from newborns to the elderly, with James's tissue, heart valves, bone, and organs gifted to strangers who now carry a piece of him with them. Sonya recalls receiving a letter from an 89-year-old woman who had received some of James's bone, and another from a father of three girls who said a part of James's heart allowed him to enjoy Christmas with his family for the first time in years. Every year, that man now buys the biggest Christmas tree he can find, decorates it with his daughters, and thinks of the young man who gave him the chance to keep making memories. The impact of James's life and death is still felt deeply within the Falcons, where his number eight jersey has been permanently retired and his name is sung in the team song after every win. Flannery says new players often ask why the number eight is missing, and when they hear James's story, they immediately understand what it means to wear the jersey and represent the club. Ackerman's family are reminded of the time passing as his children grow older every day Sunshine Coast Falcons teammates take a knee and honour their fallen brother at his funeral At the 10-year anniversary match against Wynnum-Manly, players took a knee for 'Ackers' in a powerful tribute that reinforced just how much he still means to the club and the wider community. Back home, Sonya visits his grave often, tending to the site, talking to her son, and drawing comfort from being close to the place where he rests. She says the loss still hurts every day, and the pain intensifies when she looks at Ollie and Milly and sees how much they've grown in the years without their father. 'I look at the kids and their growth and that's what hurts more than anything,' she said. 'That makes you realise the time. It feels like yesterday, but when you look at the kids you realise it wasn't.' Sonya tries to hold onto James's words, telling herself there is always someone doing it tougher, even when her own heart is breaking. She admits she had some very dark years, but the kids gave her purpose - something to fight for, something that forced her out of bed when the sadness threatened to take hold. Her husband Michael, who watched James play from the time he was a junior in Brisbane, says the game changed for him the day he saw his middle child go down and never get back up. The family endured the 2017 coronial inquest, which cleared police of wrongdoing but questioned the game's handling of on-field violence and called for greater protections for players.
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Carlos Alcaraz credits Ibiza trip for helping him win Queen's title
Two weeks after his French Open victory, Carlos Alcaraz completed part two of his bid for a rare summer treble in men's tennis by winning the HSBC Championships at the Queen's Club. The next stop is Wimbledon. Not only is Alcaraz bidding for a third consecutive title at the All England Club, he has the chance to become only the second man in the open era to win three of the sport's most historic tournaments in the same year, following in the footsteps of the great Rafael Nadal in 2008. Ominously for his rivals, Alcaraz did not need to be at his best in west London to win the Queen's Club trophy for the second time in three years. He was pushed to three sets by Jiri Lehecka, the world No30 from the Czech Republic, before prevailing 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes. 'It's really special this trophy and this tournament,' Alcaraz, the world No2, said. 'I'm happy to lift this trophy once again. It has been an incredible week. I came without expectations and just wanted to play good tennis and to get used to the grass. It's really special playing here every year and I can't wait to come back next year.' The key weapon for Alcaraz here was his serve. Lehecka is renowned for his serve, regularly firing it down and clocking speeds of up to 140mph, but it was Alcaraz who was achieving more success with better accuracy. In total the Spaniard hit 18 aces to Lehecka's seven and did not face a single break point. At the age of 22, Alcaraz is already so accomplished at adjusting between the sport's three surfaces of hard, clay and grass. He is also a bundle of energy, which helps when you are arriving at the Queen's Club only 48 hours after being seen dancing at an Ibiza club in celebration of his fifth grand-slam singles triumph at Roland Garros. 'I'm a player who needs days off to enjoy, days for myself to spend with my friends, with my family, just to turn off my mind,' Alcaraz said. 'The days in Ibiza helped me a lot, just to feel like I'm not a tennis player, just to enjoy life a little bit with my friends, have fun, enjoy those days, and then come back to the court with more energy and be more hungry to play again. 'It's really complicated to switch from clay to grass in just a few days. I came here with no expectations at all. I just came here with a goal to play two, three matches, try to feel great on grass moving, and give myself the feedback of what I have to improve. But I just got used to the grass really quick, and I'm just really proud about it.' A double fault from Alcaraz allowed Lehecka to take the second set after a tie-break, but the world No30 was outclassed in the third set EPA Alcaraz was well aware beforehand of the challenge that Lehecka poses after losing to the 23-year-old in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open in February. Holding serve is of greater importance against a player who makes it so difficult to hit a clear return, and Alcaraz did a fine job from the outset by cruising through his first four service games without losing a point. When the opportunity came on the Lehecka serve at 5-5, Alcaraz pounced with a break before serving out the first set. Bringing up another chance in the second set, however, proved more difficult as there was not a single break point for either player in 12 games before the tie-break. A double fault by Alcaraz at 5-5 allowed Lehecka to level the match at one set all, but the decider was not as close as the two sets that had preceded it. Alcaraz typically raised his level with some tremendous shot-making to take control and claimed a double break to seal an 18th win in a row. While Jack Draper was not part of finals day after his three-set defeat by Lehecka in Saturday's semi-final, there was at least a British doubles victory for the home crowd to savour. Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool became the first all-British pairing since Pat Hughes and Frank Wilde in 1938 to win the Queen's title, defeating Croatia's Nikola Mektic and New Zealand's Michael Venus 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 10-6 after a deciding tie-break.
