
Lions secondrow Joe McCarthy a doubt for Second Test in Melbourne
Joe McCarthy
is a doubt for the
British & Irish Lions' Second Test
against the Wallabies in the Melbourne Cricket Ground next Saturday has been underlined by the tourists' decision to call up the Scotland and Glasgow Warriors lock Gregor Brown as additional cover.
McCarthy was taken off in the 43rd minute of Saturday's 27-19 win over Australia and afterwards Lions head coach Andy Farrell confirmed the 24-year-old Leinster and Ireland lock is suffering from plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation to the foot sole.
'It was niggling away at him there. We got him off. Hopefully we got him off in time,' added Farrell. The clear signals are that McCarthy will not be able to train this coming week, and ultimately he will need rest and recuperation, and possibly an operation.
It's too early in the week for the Lions to ascertain whether McCarthy will be able to play for 40 or 50 minutes in the MCG next Saturday. But either way Brown's promotion will probably mean Ollie Chessum, who replaced McCarthy, won't be risked in Tuesday's final midweek fixture against a Toutai Kefu-coached Pasifika XV likely to include Kurtley Beale.
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Brown's call-up means the Lions squad has been extended to 45 players, and he will join the squad in Melbourne on Sunday along with Scotland team-mates Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman, who featured in their country's win over Samoa last Friday in Auckland.
This expansion of the squad, akin to recent Lions tours, ahead of a final midweek game when the head coach does not want to risk the vast bulk of the Test 23 will invariably lead to more claims that this match devalues the tour and that the fixture should be removed from the schedule in the future.
However, in the aftermath of the First Test win, Farrell said: 'Well, we care about the squad and nothing but the squad. That's how it's been the whole time. We've never separated once. We've been all in everything together. We'll enjoy this victory tonight together. We travel to Melbourne tomorrow. We'll name a side internally just before dinner. Then everyone will roll in on Monday to make sure that team, in an extended captain's run like we've been doing over the past four of five weeks, is (given) as good a preparation as we've had all tour. It matters to us on Tuesday night as a group.'
He also confirmed that Blair Kinghorn and Garry Ringrose are likely to feature and thus put themselves in contention for the remainder of the series.
'Blair's doing well. Blair's doing pretty well, so we'll see. Garry's good. Garry's going well. Hopefully they carry on that trajectory and could be available for Tuesday.'
Finn Russell was 'cramping a little bit', said Farrell, 'so that's why we took him off.'
Asked if Tuesday's game might be a distraction for the Lions and therefore help the Wallabies in any way, and speaking ahead of Brown's call-up, Australia's head coach, Joe Schmidt, commented drily: 'They've got 44 players, so I don't really see it as an edge.
'I'm not great at maths. I was an English teacher. But 44 players still leaves them 21 that don't have to play on Tuesday night. So, I think they'll roll into the weekend pretty well.'
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RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt both expect better for second Test
Andy Farrell has been here before with the British and Irish Lions. Twelve years ago he was an assistant to Warren Gatland as the Lions brought a 1-0 lead into the second Test in Melbourne, only for the tourists to show up lame in a tense and nervous affair, where Adam Ashley-Cooper scored the only try of the game on 74 minutes, to give the Wallabies a 16-15 win. Recent Lions history has shown how hard it is to repeat the physical and mental performances from a first Test win into a second, with South Africa in 2009 the last to have won the first two games of a Lions series. Last week in Brisbane, the Lions came out flying with Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry launching into the Wallabies from the first whistle, and the game was effectively won by half time. But Farrell doesn't believe it's inherently difficult to hit that same emotional pitch two weeks in a row. "It shouldn't be [hard] because that's all here, in the head," the Lions head coach said on Thursday, after naming his side for the second Test in Melbourne. "I suppose everyone is a human being. But if you look at it from an Australian point of view, they played the same 80 minutes, the same contest. "It cannot be the case that they're more up for this game because they're in the exact same scenario. "I honestly believe this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest game we have all been involved with so selection always matters in that regard until we get to the next one." On paper, Saturday's Test at the MCG looks far more evenly balanced, with the Wallabies pack considerably bolstered by the return to fitness of Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and Dave Porecki. And while the Wallabies are likely to be better with another week of rugby in their legs, Farrell is demanding improvement from his own team, who he admits had "a dip in focus" during the second half, after they had cruised out to a 24-5 lead. "It wasn't just one thing, it was a number of things and a dip in focus is probably what goes with that, the intent drops off a little bit and what that looks like to us might look something different to another team. "During victory you get an opportunity to be unbelievably honest and show each other just how much you can improve and there has been nothing but that this week as far as honesty is concerned, about where we can get to. "We certainly feel we left a few things out there, most aspects of our game will need to better but it is proving to ourselves it can be better as well. "Doing things properly, that is what we have talked about all week, what it looks like for us and the expectation that it has to happen the majority of the time. "We are realists, we are all human and we realise it is not going to be perfect all of the time, it is not going to be a perfect 85-minute performance but staying on it as much as we can will give us a better chance of getting what we want. "This game might be completely different, we might have a role reversal and we have to adapt and be honest with ourselves and stay on point if we are in front, if we are behind, things going your way, not going your way. It is just staying honest as long as we possibly can." Farrell's opposite number Joe Schmidt remained optimistic after last Saturday's game, clinging to the positives of their two late tries in the 27-19 defeat at Suncorp Stadium, while also knowing he would have three more forwards back on deck for the MCG. However, while he repeated his pride in how his side fought back last week, Schmidt acknowledged that they can't allow a repeat of last week's first half, when they were bullied up front by the tourists. 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And the former Ireland boss believes a win against the Lions, in front of an expected 90,000 crowd at Australis's most storied ground, could have a force-multiplier effect on his side going forward. "I'd certainly love that to happen. I've been lucky to have been on the periphery of some fantastic outcomes over the last 20 years of coaching professionally, but this would be special inevitably. "It'd be special for this group. I think it would accelerate a little bit of their growth as well, because in terms of gaining confidence, it's hard to top competing with the best. "At the same time, it's like any sport. If you play against a team that are stacked and maybe have more experience than you do and have a richness of talent across the board, then that's how you start to extend your own performance. And I'd love to see some of the players really extend their own performances. "I honestly felt we saw a little bit of it, particularly in that second half last Saturday, but also I'm a realist. I know that last Saturday will count for nothing at kick-off. Those last 25 minutes, we won't get to live those again -- we've got to be able to create those again."

The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
Porter's pride, family in Oz, prop friend, and cut ears
ANDREW PORTER HAS just come from training and there are cuts on his ears gently weeping as he sits down for an interview. His ears are cut all year round now. This is the life of an international prop. In fact, he and his wife, Elaine, had to buy black bed linen. 'I can't have white pillowcases at home anymore because it looks like Texas Chainsaw Massacre after I wake up in the morning,' says Porter with a smile. 'I've been banned from the white linens anyway at home.' A massive part of Porter would love to be at home in Ireland right now. Elaine gave birth to their son in May and it's tough being away at this stage. 'I've learned that babies get very big when you're away from home,' says Porter when he's asked what this Lions tour has taught him. 'My wife is at home looking after the baby. He's nine weeks now. 'I could say it's not easy for me but I don't think my wife would like that too much. I wouldn't get much sympathy! Advertisement 'My wife is at home looking after our baby at the moment. She's the one in the trenches at home at the moment. I'm in the trenches over here. Well, I can't really say that. We're looked after here quite well. 'But it's a sacrifice on both ends. She's there with sleepless nights at home looking after him and I'm here representing my family, my country, and representing the Lions. It's two different kinds of sacrifices. But I'll definitely owe her for this for a long time anyway.' Ellis Genge with Andrew Porter. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO Porter is doing them proud in Australia. He came off the bench for his Lions Test debut last weekend in Brisbane, a brilliant moment for him given that he was ruled out of the 2021 Lions tour due to injury. And on Saturday, Porter will make his first Lions Test start after head coach Andy Farrell named him in the number one shirt for the second Wallabies clash. He will have family watching in person in Melbourne. His father, Ernie, arrived for the first Test in Brisbane and will be there on Saturday too, enjoying a 'a nice old holiday,' according to his son. Ernie's two sisters, Becky and Vera, live in Australia, so Porter has had his aunties and cousins supporting him too. 'They're all around the place - Perth, Brisbane, most of them in Sydney. 'It's a good opportunity for him to go and meet up with all the family and everything. I mean, it's great for me as well. There's a lot of them I wouldn't have even met before. A few cousins and stuff, a lot of them I haven't seen in years and years. 'So, it's a great opportunity to reconnect with family as well as being down here.' Porter packs down with two familiar faces in the Lions' front row on Saturday. He's part of an all-Leinster, all-Irish front row along with Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong. Porter with a Lions fan. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO 'It's incredible being in the squad with them and being able to pack down with them in a Lions Test is another step up again,' says Porter. 'I'm delighted to be able to do it alongside them. I just need to be on top of my game because they've had great tours so far, so I just need to be able to make them look good.' Porter takes over from Ellis Genge as the Lions' starting loosehead but they know they're a combination. When Genge was picked to start the first Test, Porter was the first man to congratulate him and that was reciprocated when Porter was named. 'He's an incredible guy, an incredible player, and it's been great to build a friendship as well as learn from him,' says Porter. 'He's one of the best in the business so it's great being able to become closer as mates and learn from each other along the way. 'But yeah, he was the first one to congratulate me yesterday and sure he handed out my cap to me last week instead of my dad. So he's the dad of the squad. He's a great fella and a great player.'


Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'Another dream ticked off' for Porter as Lions Test start awaits
It just keeps getting better for Andrew Porter. From being a Lions Test debutant off the bench in Brisbane last Saturday to reaching the pinnacle of any Irish player's career and becoming a starter, it cannot get much better for the 29-year-old loosehead prop. Except that the Leinster and Ireland star gets to do it in an all-Irish front row alongside Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong and in a pivotal Test match against Australia that could end in a first Lions series victory for a dozen years. At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and in front of an expected crowd in excess of 90,000. If Carlsberg did perfect scenarios and all that. Definitely. 'It's a dream come true,' Porter said. 'Firstly just being a part of this squad and then hearing your name in the Test team last week was incredible. Hearing my name in the starting line-up for this week is another dream ticked off again. 'I'm just incredibly excited for the opportunity to go out there and play for this team and play with these lads who we've created such a great connection with over the last few weeks. It's incredibly exciting and looking forward to ripping into it. 'I'd say it's up there with one of the biggest games of my life. How often can you say you've done this down in the MCG with 90,000 plus people there? 'With, obviously, the series on the line like this and being able to kind of back up 2013, to win back-to-back tours. It's definitely up there with one of the highlights. 'Like, even just being on this tour up there with one of the highlights of my life and career as a professional rugby player.' That the first squad member to congratulate Porter was the man he will replace on Saturday, Ellis Genge, made it all the sweeter as a moment to savour. "Yeah, he was the first one. It's been said so many times but you come into this squad with perceptions of different players. You're so used to playing against them in the Champions Cup or Six Nations or wherever but your perceptions are dashed pretty much the minute you step in the door. 'Me and Ellis were rooming together as well, so I got to know him better. He's an incredible guy, an incredible player, and it's been great to build a friendship as well as learn from him. He's one of the best in the business, so it's great being able to become closer as mates and learn from each other along the way. "But yeah, he was the first one to congratulate me yesterday and sure he handed out my cap to me last week instead of my dad. So he's the dad of the squad. He's a great fella and a great player. 'Starting or finishing, it's a huge honour to do both in a Lions Test team. 'Probably everyone would probably say starting. But, being a part of this squad is just an incredible privilege and incredibly grateful to be part of it, whether it's on the bench last week or starting this week.' Either way, Porter has and will have given blood to the cause. His ears were weeping as he spoke and he said: 'They're cut all year round now. They're just all year round. I can't have white pillowcases at home anymore because it looks like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre after I wake up in the morning. 'So, yeah. I've been banned from the white linens anyway at home.' Porter now favours black pillowcases, explaining: 'You can't see anything on them. Probably disgusting though.' The patience of Mrs Porter, Elaine, has been further stretched by her husband's lengthy absence so soon after the birth of their first child. 'What have I learned about myself? I learned that babies get very big when you're away from home. Yeah, my wife is at home looking after the baby. He's nine weeks now. 'I could say it's not easy for me, but I don't think my wife would like that too much. I wouldn't get much sympathy. 'Yeah, it's that side of it as well. My wife is at home looking after our baby at the moment. She's the one in the trenches at home at the moment. I'm in the trenches over here. Well, I can't really say that. We're looked after here quite well. 'But it's a sacrifice on both ends. She's there with sleepless nights at home looking after him and I'm here representing my family, my country, and representing the Lions. It's two different kinds of sacrifices. But I'll definitely owe her for this for a long time anyway.' Porter is not totally without family support in Australia. His father Ernie arrived in time for the first Test and has been catching up with his sisters, Andrew's aunts Becky and Vera, both of whom left Dublin when they were young. 'My old man came down. He was down there for last weekend in Brisbane and he's down here now. So, he's having a nice old holiday. We have a load of family down here as well… all around the place. Perth, Brisbane, and most of them in Sydney. 'It's a good opportunity for him to go and meet up with all the family and everything. Yeah, I mean, it's great for me as well. There's a lot of them I wouldn't have even met before. A few cousins and stuff, a lot of them I haven't seen in years and years. 'So, it's a great opportunity, obviously, to reconnect with family as well as being down here. A lot of Porters all over the world now. 'They got most of their own tickets, in fairness. So, yeah, I'm trying to get rid of tickets now.'