Lions vs Wallabies head-to-heads: Fraser McReight v Tom Curry
Position
: Openside flanker
Age
: 26
Height
: 6ft
Weight
: 102kgs (16st 1lb)
READ MORE
Caps
: 25
Points
: 50
Why he's so important:
The first time Fraser McReight announced himself to a global audience was at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup, when he captained an Australia team that went to the final before losing 24-23 to
France
. In the pool phase, the Aussies beat Grand Slam champions
Ireland
45-17, a game that was shaped by an early red card for Ryan Baird. McReight ruled the breakdown that day in Argentina, winning turnovers and penalties at ruck time, including one crucial ruck when the game was a contest in the first 21-minutes.
Last November, McReight won four alone for the Wallabies in
Ireland's narrow victory at the Aviva Stadium
. He was superb in picking his moments to go after the ball. And the referee that night in
Dublin
? Andrea Piardi, who presides over the second Test. McReight paints good pictures for the Italian. He'll be crucial again to the home side's chances of dirtying the breakdown, poaching or forcing penalties.
The Waratahs' Charlie Gamble poached four in that match, underlining that the Lions are going to have to be so accurate in clearing at ruck time. Teams target the best pickpockets by running at them and then pinning them at the bottom of rucks.
Trivia
: McReight works with psychologist Hayley Cronin on a visualisation process. He explained: 'That visualisation, or mental awareness, it's a great way to get wins off the field. Joe Schmidt talks about it all the time; your neurological pathways can be triggered the same amount, without any physical stress. You can just be sitting here, testing your brain.'
Tom Curry
Tom Curry has been favoured by Lions coach Andy Farrell ahead of Jac Morgan and Josh van der Flier. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Position
: Openside flanker
Age
: 27
Height
: 6ft 1in
Weight
: 110 kgs (17st 5lbs)
Lions Tests
: 3
Points
: 0
Why he's so important
: Andy Farrell had a tough choice to make in deciding to promote the English flanker ahead of Jac Morgan (Wales) and Ireland's Josh van der Flier. There's an argument that he has probably been the least impressive of the three candidates. Curry played in all three Tests four years ago in South Africa, so he has that proven pedigree, but form-wise Morgan and van der Flier have compiled the more impressive body of work on this tour.
The Sale Shark is a very strong presence at the breakdown and is also comfortable in carrying and linking play, although he needs to bring a greater degree of accuracy in his offloading game. He offers a composite option as a player to the qualities that his two rivals possess – Morgan's jackalling and van der Flier's ball-carrying and passing game. There's no doubting Curry's talent, but he will be under pressure from the get-go to prove that he deserves the jersey, something that will require mental strength and a linear focus.
Ben Earl's presence on the bench means that he's opted for a like-for-like replacement, with the Saracens player's pace and running ability sure to cause problems if Australia are flagging in the latter stages.
Trivia
: Sale Sharks fans have a combined nickname for Tom and his twin Ben, referring to them as Twindaloo. Anecdotally, Tom and Ben can be distinguished by their hairstyles, with Tom's styled to the right and Ben's to the left.
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RTÉ News
17 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Jim McGuinness: We were pushing a boulder up a hill for large parts of the game
In the decade between his first and second stints as Donegal manager, Jim McGuinness claimed there was barely a day when the 2014 All-Ireland final defeat didn't flash across his mind. This time around, he's urging a different response on his players. "I said to the players in the dressing room, it's not a game you should think about for a long time," McGuinness told RTÉ Sport afterwards. "We didn't deserve to win the game. That's the reality of it. "We didn't do enough to win the game. You have to let it slide. Sometimes you just have to let performances slide. And this is one of them." Afterwards, the Donegal manager was unsurprisingly resistant to the idea of conducting an in-depth post-mortem in public. The question of how the Ulster champions under-performed on the big stage will linger for a while though. They certainly seemed to be rocked by the force and intensity of Kerry's quick opening to the game, alongside the hammer-blow of David Clifford's succession of two-pointers. Many of the strengths that characterised the side in previous games - their ability to mind the ball and avoid turnovers and their capacity for gathering breaking ball in midfield - deserted them in the first half in particular. It was only their decent scoring efficiency that kept them in touch in an opening 35 minutes where they struggled to get their hands on ball. "We didn't perform, Kerry did perform, that's the bottom line. They started very early in the game and they got a foothold in the game. "I thought we responded quite well in the first half on our attack. We were good, we were clinical, but I think they might have scored in the first six attacks, so we were struggling to deal with them in that period. They went for a lot of twos and they hit a lot of them as well and that was big. "David Clifford coming on to those balls on a loop. We did a lot of work on him and we did a lot of work in terms of managing him. I thought Brendan (McCole) did actually quite well on him for periods, but obviously it does take more than one person to try and close down David and he kicked some brilliant twos. "Was it six or seven scorers we had? I think we've have 12 in the last two games. Why did we not get the same traction in terms of threats all over the pitch and different people popping up at different times? That's all things that probably come into the mix. "Kerry had a very aggressive press on. We were trying to do the same. They won a lot of breaking ball. We would pride ourselves on that aspect of it. They won a huge amount of breaking ball. Gavin White, in particular, won a huge amount of breaking ball. Every possession was crucial. "Getting the hands on the ball from our own kick-out was crucial. Both kick-outs and turnovers, that's what shapes attacks. We didn't get enough." One moment which McGuinness did cite - and one which clearly annoyed him on the sideline - occurred late in the first half, when Donegal had brought the game back to a five-point margin after points from Conor and Shane O'Donnell. Daire Ó Baoill sought to float a ball into Michael Murphy at full-forward but it was mis-directed and the Glenswilly player wasn't even in a position to contest it. Kerry came away and nursed possession themsevles until the hooter, the Cliffords combining for a two-point score to push the lead out to seven again as the teams raced down the tunnel. "We did things that we don't normally do," says McGuinness. "We made decisions that we don't normally do and we had just too many turnovers, that's the bottom line. "We had too many turnovers and some of them were clutch moments. We were chasing our tails, a couple of moments before half-time. A five-point game and then we lose possession, we give possession away and then it ends up a seven-point game. That was a tough one to take. "Had we been able to work that and got a score, we would have probably ended up going in at four down at half-time. I think it might have been a very different dressing-room at that stage, very different dynamic in terms of going out for the second half." After 2014, McGuinness spoke of the flatness he sensed among the squad on the day of the final. He detected none of that this time around, insisting that the mood was good and relaxed on the weekend of the game. Rather it was just a case that "Kerry came hard and they came hard early. "They set the terms of the game. Then you're trying to manage that and you're trying to claw your way back in. We tried to respond to that, but at the end of the day, they were still keeping the scoreboard ticking over. "We were pushing a boulder up a hill for large parts of it." Among those who fancied Donegal to win, McGuinness's reputation as a managerial savant was a significant factor. However, Donegal's defence struggled to cope with the range of options in Kerry's attack, with Paudie Clifford given relatively free reign. "I suppose no more than the Cork hurlers. It'll be a fairly heavy post-mortem after this one. "We'll go in, we'll think about the game, we'll reflect on the game. You try to get as many things right as you can. "Sometimes you just have to take your hat off and say, the better team won and we made too many mistakes to win the game. Just make peace with that. Over the coming weeks, those types of conversations will probably start."
The Irish Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Paudie Clifford teases David over childhood nickname during hilarious RTE interview after All-Ireland heroics
PAUDIE Clifford may have to look up to make eye contact with David but he very much lives up to the older brother stereotype. The older Clifford is the more verbose of the two and drove most of their post-match interview 2 Paudie, 28, did most of the talking while David, 26, was happy to play second fiddle Credit: @TheSundayGame 2 He had a whopping 76 possessions during Sunday's All-Ireland final win Credit: @TheSundayGame Some of the highlights included him noting that they were on the same teams growing up despite the age gap as their community of Fossa is so small that playing numbers were often tight. The playmaker also joked about his 76 possessions over the course of Harking back to the widely lauded Football Review Committee, he quipped: "Jim Gavin and Eamon Fitzmaurice probably didn't envision me soloing the ball on the spot about 100 times when they drew up the new rules!" The best moment, however, was a classic case of a big brother slagging his younger sibling. Read More On GAA Asked if they'd always had an innate on-pitch chemistry, Paudie shot back: "The chemistry wasn't great now, we fought every day for about two years straight! "Mom was just sick of of dealing with David crying every two minutes. They actually used to call him watery eyes because he used to cry so much! So that was the chemistry now." While Paudie was all smiles and in relaxed form by that stage of the day, the his immediate post-match interview He vented: "I suppose as a team, we would feel disrespected because we were in three of the last four All-Irelands and we've won two of them now. Most read in GAA Football "And to be called a one-man team when I see myself some of the work that our lads put in… 'Like, Joe O'Connor, the turnovers, winning balls, scoring, Jason Foley, Brian Ó Beaglaioch, Gavin White – I'm only naming a few. I see the work that they put in every day. Cork hurlers catch strays during Jack O'Connor's triumphant RTE interview after Kerry outclass Donegal 'To be called a one-man team then, it's nearly like it's disrespectful. It's kind of personal. I suppose that's the angle we were coming from. 'We were close against Armagh last year and we'd be our own worst critics as well. We admitted that we've under-performed definitely as a team over some of the years. 'But I suppose with the work we put in and the players we have there, for them things to be said, it's not nice to hear it." Still, with David on course to be named Footballer of the Year for the third time in four seasons, Clifford recognises greatness when he sees it. He said: "Obviously he's a top, top player and one of the greatest players ever. I suppose the new rules have probably given him a new lease of life. But he's had an unbelievable year. Delighted for him." MEATH MELTDOWN Kerry's response was impressive after their status as All-Ireland contenders took a battering when they suffered a nine-point defeat to Meath in the group stages. Paudie, who missed that game through injury, said: "I suppose there's a worry that you wouldn't be battle-tested. Usually that's the kind of talk about us. 'But we were definitely-battle tested and we had a lot of injuries. Losing to Meath probably ended up being the best thing that ever happened to us. 'Obviously with the new rules, we had basically the same kickout strategy, we had basically the same, say, defensive strategy since we won the league. 'Everyone was only figuring things out and fair play to the lads. After the Meath game, we kind of realised that structurally in a few areas, we probably weren't where we should be. 'Once we fixed that and once we saw Croke Park and started getting bodies back all the time, it led from there." A fourth All-Star award could now be in store for Clifford, who has looked as good as ever since his half-time introduction in the quarter-final against Armagh. The 28-year-old said: "Obviously I had a good league but I just couldn't get a hamstring injury right for a while. In the lead-up to the Armagh game, I just didn't feel great that week even. 'So I suppose I'm just delighted really that everything worked out for myself and us obviously. We put a lot of work into it all year so I'm just delighted that it worked out for us.'
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
There was a clear turning point in Kerry's season which ultimately made them All-Ireland champions
A RESULT that was portrayed as a fatal defeat for Kerry was ultimately one that gave them the kiss of life. When the story of this run to 3 A 1-26 to 0-19 win meant Kerry were crowned All-Ireland champions for the 39th time 3 Jack O'Connor's side lost 1-22 to 0-16 to Meath in their final group game 3 Meath icon Graham Geraghty writes for SunSport In the next game, they Even then, when I sat down to pick out my top eight teams left in the Championship for this column, I had them at No 1. Why? Because when you back them into a corner, Kerry come out fighting. And I could see then that going to Croke Park as underdogs would suit them down to the ground. That's where their season really started, despite the fact that they'd already won the league and Read more on GAA Before the month was out, they had Claiming the big prize by recording Croke Park wins over Donegal, Tyrone and the Orchard County is as definitive as statements come. In a year that saw the game overhauled, the Kingdom stayed true to their style and they have been richly rewarded. Kerry looked unstoppable at times in the first half of yesterday's final. That being said, it almost felt as though Donegal were giving them too much respect and subsequently disrupted their own system. Most read in GAA Football They stood off Kerry completely and gave them the room they needed to attack and hit scores. It was an unusual tactic from a Jim McGuinness team. Kerry exploited it to great effect, particularly in the first half when they were absolutely exceptional. This was a really impressive all-round performance from Kerry. 'Sad to see him go' - GAA fans emotional seeing Michael D Higgins attend last men's All-Ireland final as President It is not often that everything comes together like that on All-Ireland final day, yet it's a joy to watch when it does. Kerry looked like they were going to raise a flag whenever they attacked. At the other end, Donegal were working much harder for their scores. On a day when the Ulster champions would have been hoping for a big impact from their bench, it never came. PLENTY OF CHANGES BUT LITTLE CHANGE They had four subs on before Kerry used their first, yet it changed very little. The loss of Ciarán Thompson to an injury in the first half, followed by another talisman in Ryan McHugh going off early in the second half, did not help their cause. When a team sees senior players leaving the game, it has a detrimental effect. Donegal would obviously have tagged Clifford obviously did damage when he was on the ball but perhaps they put too much emphasis on him. Brendan McCole was almost completely taken out of the game by the two-time Footballer of the Year. SELFLESS PLAY Clifford spent most of the first half out under the Hogan Stand, which only served to pull Donegal's defensive structure apart. It probably sums up Clifford's brilliance that he went in at half-time with 0-7 in his back pocket, despite not affecting main play in the game to a massive degree. Every ball he touched, it seemed to end up over the bar. The two-pointer before half-time would really have helped to kill Donegal's spirit. Given how things had been playing out, a five-point deficit at that stage would not have been a disaster. For Kerry to add another two to the margin really put a different complexion on things. Kerry's ability to hit two-pointers was obviously vital. By contrast, Donegal only attempted a couple and to no avail. But that is down to Kerry too. They defended higher than Donegal and starved them of the required space. The tactical nous of McGuinness is often lauded. UNSUNG HEROES And with good reason at times. But this time it was Jack O'Connor who got everything right. For Paudie Clifford to be on the ball 76 times is almost unheard of. There are some lads who would not see that much ball in a whole season! At every level, there is always one lad you want to kill whenever he gets the ball. Paudie is probably in that bracket, which is something he revels in too. Every time he had the ball, Donegal players seemed to swarm him but he just handed it off at will and created space for others to prosper. He was utterly magnificent. After a tough season with injuries, it was great to see him conjure up a performance of that quality. Along with Joe O'Connor and White, Paudie was one of several man-of-the-match contenders. In particular, O'Connor exerted a massive influence in the first half. He seemed to be on all the breaking ball and he covered every blade of grass. And he put the icing on the cake with a great finish for the goal. JACK O'CONNOR'S LAST? If this was to be Jack O'Connor's swansong, it was a fitting way for the man to go out. It was a very different game 21 years ago when he won his first All-Ireland. Still, here he is bringing Sam Maguire back to the Kingdom yet again. He is a wonderful manager with extraordinary longevity. As a five-time All-Ireland winner now, he has to go down as one of the greatest the game has ever seen. It will be a long winter in Donegal as they contemplate coming so close but failing to get over the line. But I expect McGuinness to be back and driving them forward again in 2026. As for Michael Murphy, will he stay on? I have my doubts. He has had a massive influence on how they play since he returned, so a bit of a reset would be required if he steps away again. Paddy McBrearty has probably also seen Croke Park for the last time too. Donegal still have the nucleus of a young team, so they have a lot to be encouraged by. But getting to these heights again without Murphy will be a tall order.
