Will Slattery: A big day for three Irish Lions, Andrew Porter v Ellis Genge and Finn Russell edges ahead
Ah, now we are properly into the teeth of the Lions tour. Waking up bright and early on Monday morning to discover the midweek team is sitting in your inbox from overnight tells us that the time-zone tennis between our reality and rhythms of the Australian schedule is as up and running as the rugby.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Keenan and Gibson-Park get chance to remind everyone of their class
OWEN FARRELL WAS recently asked to pick out the best current rugby player and having lauded the individual genius of Antoine Dupont and Ardie Savea, he said he really loves players who 'make teams tick.' Players like Jamison Gibson-Park. 'I love watching the way he brings everybody into the game, and constantly making good decisions is what I'm drawn to,' said Farrell on The Big Jim Show. 'I appreciate massively the individual brilliance, but I've got a massive appreciation for people who make everybody else look good.' So does Andy Farrell. The Lions boss truly appreciates the value of Gibson-Park, who will make his Lions debut against the Reds on Wednesday. It would be an exaggeration to say that Farrell unearthed Gibson-Park but he seemed to see a higher potential in him than nearly everyone else. Even if the framing of Farrell's decision to pick Gibson-Park for Ireland when he wasn't first-choice in Leinster somewhat diminishes the credit the scrum-half himself deserves for his improvement, there's no doubt that they have built a brilliant working relationship. Farrell backed Gibson-Park, and Gibson-Park helped Farrell's team to take off. Now, they're hoping to kick it on to another level with the Lions. Farrell has been patient in making sure Gibson-Park is ready to go. His glute injury was managed carefully because the scrum-half looks like being a key figure in the Test series against Australia. As the unfortunate Tomos Williams' tour ends due to injury, Gibson-Park is ready to belatedly kick his off. Ben White has joined the Lions squad in Williams' place and Alex Mitchell is a fine player, but Gibson-Park is the clear front-runner for the number nine shirt in the Tests. Gibson-Park is the clear frontrunner at nine. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Indeed, his halfback pairing with Finn Russell on Wednesday has the bang of a Test combination about it, all the more so given that this will be Russell's second start at out-half in five days. Gibson-Park and Russell have never played together, so they need to get rolling. Wednesday could be one of just two matches as a pairing ahead of the first Test if they're Farrell's preferred duo. Russell looked comfortable steering the ship against the Force in Perth on Saturday, impressing with his decision-making, kicking, and tackling. Now, it's Gibson-Park's chance to show that he's top dog. His ability to pick out a wide variety of passes is one of his superpowers. The Irish scrum-half has been a leader in terms of firing flat, fizzing passes across the face of defenders into blind spots on their outside. Advertisement He is a master of exploiting the shortside, regularly darting back there after his teams have played away from the touchline and taking advantage of any overeager or lazy defence. Gibson-Park's kicking game has improved out of sight in the last five years, while his pace and appetite for getting stuck in have also made him a strong defender. He ticks all the boxes as a scrum-half and now just needs to get rhythm back in his game as he plays for the first time in three-and-a-half weeks. Hugo Keenan hasn't played for even longer due to a calf injury, his last appearance coming back on 31 May in the URC quarter-finals. It has been frustrating for Keenan waiting for his Lions debut, but he knows Farrell loves what he brings at fullback. Recent form is important on these tours, but Keenan's body of work over the last few years gives him a big chance to start the Lions Tests at fullback. James Ryan will get up and running off the bench. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO The excitement of the warm-up games can sometimes lead to performances against relatively weak opposition being slightly overweighted, even if it is paramount that perceived Test starters still show their class in those build-up matches. It was telling that Farrell picked out Mack Hansen's moment of huge work-rate as the play of the day in the Lions' win over the Force. That's the kind of stuff Keenan specialises in, along with his strong kicking game, superb aerial skills, quality in contact, and extremely low error count. Blair Kinghorn is belatedly on his way to Australia, having won the Top 14 with Toulouse, and he is a more electrifying attacking player than Keenan, yet there is more to elite fullback play than that ability to create magic. There is a battle for Keenan, with England's experienced, balanced Elliot Daly also in the mix and Marcus Smith having played at fullback in the Argentina game, but the Irish number 15 must be backing himself to win out. Joining Gibson-Park and Keenan in returning from injury in Brisbane is the experienced lock James Ryan, who was hurt in the URC final. The 28-year-old is an ultra-aggressive presence whose ball-carrying has hit a peak this season, while he is also a strong lineout operator. Leinster and Ireland tend to have their best days when Ryan is fit and firing. He should not be discounted from the Lions Test squad mix, even with plenty of quality in the second row crop.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Emma Raducanu strolls past Brit Mimi Xu, 17, and sets up second round against former Wimbledon champion
EMMA RADUCANU survived the heat of Wimbledon's hottest opening day – but almost got wiped out by a stray champagne cork. Mimi Xu, a South Wales schoolgirl, was sent back to the classroom she lost 6-3 6-3 to the former US Open champion on her debut. Advertisement 3 Emma Raducanu cruised into the second round Credit: Reuters 3 Rookie schoolgirl Mimi Xu was sent back to the classroom Credit: PA This was not quite the schooling that many had expected, given the gulf in class, age and experience because Xu, 17, performed admirably on her rookie appearance. Yet In fact, the biggest challenge she faced was evading a cork that flew out of a champagne bottle and on to No.1 Court turf. This happened after Raducanu had taken the first set and she comically offered it back to the culprit in the crowd. Advertisement READ MORE IN TENNIS Champagne tennis from the British No.1 will have to wait for another day but this was an encouraging start to her campaign. It was a sticky 31.7 degrees in south-west London by the time Raducanu began her eleventh singles appearance at Wimbledon. This arena brings back uncomfortable memories as it was here that she suffered an anxiety attack in her debut year in the last 16 against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. Back then, she was an unknown teenager, thrust into the spotlight of Wimbledon while in the middle of her A Levels. Advertisement Most read in Sport JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS A few months later she passed her biggest exam of them all, winning the US Open in historic fashion and becoming a global superstar. Xu is in a similar situation to the pre-famous Raducanu verison from that early part of 2021. Earlier this month, the Swansea star sat her biology A Level and when she came out of the room, she discovered she had received a All England Club wildcard. Advertisement The pair both have Chinese parentage – Raducanu speaks to Xu's mum in Mandarin. And Xu is coached by Nigel Sears, who was in Raducanu's box four years ago. They even dress the same, with similar Nike white clothes, golf visor and hair in a ponytail – though Xu had green underwear on – and celebrated key points in identical manner. 3 Advertisement Wimbledon 2025 LIVE - After breaking the Xu serve inside two minutes, Raducanu was instructed by coach Mark Petchey to get her racquet restrung backstage. That break proved decisive as she moved one-nil up after 36 minutes and then dominated the second set to win her fourth match on grass this month. The next match will be against Advertisement Provided they can both stay clear of champagne corks that is. Post-match, Raducanu said: 'I'm super pleased to have come through that match. It's so difficult playing another Brit in the first round, when the draw came out. 'I can't say I was loving it. Mimi is a really dangerous player. She's so young. Got some amazing weapons at her disposal. 'I am really happy to have come through that and I want to thank everyone for their support on both sides. It was a really nice atmosphere. Advertisement 'Sometimes it's difficult (to find rhythm) in the moment with nerves and adrenaline, you don't have an idea of what is going on. I think I had some really good patches. 'And some moments where I lost my focus and Mimi was able to come back. 'I'm really happy with how I toughed it out in the really crucial games and won the important points today. 'Well, I'm glad people were having fun today. I mean I saw a champagne cork fly on to the court – glad you guys are having a good time. Cheers to you. Advertisement 'It's really nice to be back and I just use it as support. I love it. I love playing in this atmosphere. It's my favourite tournament by far. I'm just so happy to get another match here.'
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Irish tennis star, 21, hails ‘dream come true' Wimbledon debut as his dad reveals unconventional way he was trained
AN IRISH tennis star has hailed as a "dream come true" the chance to play at Wimbledon. James McCabe, 21, faces Hungary 's Fabian Marozsan tomorrow in his first involvement at Advertisement 3 James McCabe is making his Wimbledon debut tomorrow Credit: Alamy Live News 3 His dad revealed he first learned to play through YouTube Credit: Alamy Live News He is Australian-born - with his dad Patrick having moved to Patrick, originally from Walkinstown in Mr McCabe appeared on He admitted: "I did it through money ." Advertisement Read More on Wimbledon Their early base of operation was a complex in Rockdale, near Sydney Airport. Patrick added: "There were two tennis courts in the facility. "I took James down when he was two-and-a-half or three so he had a bit of aptitude. "If the courts weren't there, I don't think James would have picked up a racket." Advertisement Most read in Sport Along with tennis, James showed an aptitude for both He is a former national champion in the pool , while he learned how to play the flute and piano and is a self-taught guitar player. Grumpy Wimbledon fans left with sticky fingers as record-breaking weather sees ice creams melt before getting to court While his dad admitted to getting "carried away" and being "a bit hard" on his son, James himself argued he did not know any different. McCabe explained: "That was my childhood. Maybe it wasn't normal at the time but it is what it is and that is the only thing I knew so it was normal to me. Advertisement "Probably looking back now, it wasn't the most normal but it builds character and without it, I wouldn't be where I am now." That is despite a hectic daily schedule that did not even account for tennis, which he temporarily gave up when he was 12 until 15. "I had to wake up at like 4am or 5am in the morning. "Swimming training would start at 5am then go to 7am and then at 7:30am I would have to do orchestra or choir or symphonic wind band or marching band depending on the day. Advertisement "I would go to school , it would start at 8:30am, recess at 10:30am, music lesson then and then 10:30am to 1pm would be classes and then another music lesson. "3:45pm finish school, try to get something to eat quickly and then there would be orchestra after school, marching band, or symphonic wind band. "That would finish at 5pm or 6pm, then try to get something light to eat then before swimming lessons at 7pm. "I would be finishing at 9pm, get home at nearly 10pm. Try to get my homework done, go to bed at midnight and get up the next day at 5am." Advertisement 'GOOSEBUMPS' Once he picked the racket up once again, his talent was quickly apparent. James won schoolboys national titles in singles, and nationals in singles and doubles before getting a wildcard into the Australian junior championships. He beat Tomas Barrios Vera of Chile at Roehampton to qualify for He beamed: "It is every tennis player's dream to play Wimbledon. Advertisement "It is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and, being Irish, my dad's dream was always to come to Wimbledon. "He would always watch it when he was younger. He would watch Bjorn Borg because it was on "It is a bit overwhelming. All the history hits you at once. "I was lucky enough to get the Championship Tour so I got to walk where Advertisement While born in Australian and the son of a Philippine mum, James is proud of his Irish roots. He holds an Irish passport, a distinction his 13-year-old sister Jasmin is keen to replicate. And he revealed his dad Patrick has imparted his taste in Irish music onto him. "I have three aunties in Ireland: one in Blessington, one in Saggart, and one in Mullingar. I have also got an uncle in Sydney. Advertisement "Irish has always been a big part of my life. "I have been to "He always listens to the Dubliners and all that stuff. Every day he plays the old Irish songs . "He makes me play them on the flute, the Irish national anthem and the old songs about the Advertisement 3 James Mccabe plays a baseline shot to Colton Smith during the match in the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Open Credit: Alamy Live News
