Farrell: Waratahs may have over-watered pitch to hinder Lions
The Lions kept their unbeaten record but produced their least impressive performance so far against a Waratahs team stripped of most of its Wallabies.
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Lions must 'strip back' intricate gameplan
The British and Irish Lions would benefit from "stripping things back" and adopting a more simple style of play, says former England wing Chris Ashton. The Lions made nine unforced errors in their unconvincing 21-10 win against New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday. Advertisement Head coach Andy Farrell has yet to fully integrate the attacking system of complex pre-rehearsed moves that has been so successful with Ireland. "It was rubbish. If that was their first game, OK," Ashton told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast, after the 2025 Lions' fourth match. "Why have the Lions not stripped things back? There were so many changes and so many games, why not just go really simple against the Waratahs. "Then it gives people more of a chance to show off their X-Factor and bring their personality to the game. Instead of all these intricate plays. There isn't time for it." Advertisement Farrell, who won back-to-back Six Nations titles playing in this style with Ireland, included 15 Irishmen in his initial touring squad. However handling errors continue to haunt the Lions' attack - and even the Ireland players who know Farrell's system have struggled to gel alongside their new team-mates from other nations. Former Wales coach Warren Gatland led the last winning Lions tour in 2013 and with the series poised at 1-1, started 10 Wales players in the deciding Test. "Gatland played it simple and had a big Welsh contingent that he coached and trusted," said Ashton, who narrowly missed out on selection for that tour. Advertisement "It seems now that would be easier to implement, as you have a relationship and gameplan that is flowing. "I just wonder now what they will do on Wednesday against the Brumbies," added Ashton about the match that is 10 days before the first Test. Freeman, Aki & Ringrose in Ashton's Test team Tommy Freeman scored two tries against Queensland Reds to push his claims for a Test spot [Getty Images] It will be intriguing what Farrell does with his selection for Wednesday's game against the Brumbies. On paper it will be the Lions' toughest game in Australia outside the matches against the Wallabies and it has been suggested he could include most of his Test team in order to build cohesion. Advertisement He paired Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones together in the midfield for the first time against the Waratahs. It was a success, with Jones scoring two tries - the first of which was set up by his Glasgow Warriors team-mate. Farrell has yet to pair Ireland centres Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose together on tour, but Ashton feels they have the edge over the Scotland pair. "Bundee Aki has been very good," the former Saracens wing said. "There is a lot to be said for that 12-13 axis to have played together, to know how each other run lines. "Having a different partnership unnecessarily is not the way to go. Therefore I'd go to Aki and Ringrose [for the first Test]." Advertisement Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe started every game of Ireland's 2023 Grand Slam-winning campaign and the trio are on the Lions tour. Despite their level of collective cohesion, Ashton says England wing Tommy Freeman has been the best back-three player so far in Australia and should start the first Test. "Freeman is carrying all over the pitch and is scoring tries - only he is doing that so far out on the wing this tour," Ashton added. "He is hitting lines in the middle of the pitch as they want to use his carrying. "He's got a yard more pace compared to Hansen and a bit more size." Advertisement The selection at full-back is another call to be made after Keenan, who played his first game in more than a month on Saturday, struggled to impose himself on his Lions debut. Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn started on the wing against the Waratahs and lacked ball to show off his attacking prowess on his Lions debut. The 28-year-old joined the tour late after starting the Top 14 semi-final and final on the left wing for Toulouse, leaving only two games to get a start in the number 15 shirt before the first Test. "The full-back Test spot is open," Ashton said. "Kinghorn has hardly played full-back for his club, which takes a bit of time to adjust back to. Advertisement "He has to train and play at 15 and get what he is so good at - the two-sided attack from the ruck and be that extra ball carrier - he has to remember to do that, rather than chasing kicks on the wing."
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
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'We showed typical Scottish values'
Scotland showed 'typical Scottish values' as they worked until the last whistle to record a historic victory over the Maori All Blacks, says scrum-half George Horne. Having led by 17 points, the Scots were only up by three with the Maoris attacking their line in the final play, but they managed to turn the ball over and kick it dead to earn victory. Advertisement "It was unbelievable," Horne said. "We came into the game with quite a new team, a young squad, and we've come together really well in the last few weeks. "To come together and put on a performance like that... it wasn't that pretty but we dug in and we showed typical Scottish values. To get the win at the end, to keep them out in the corner, was huge." Horne was instrumental in the Scotland victory, starting and scoring two tries in his own typical fashion. "Getting the chance to represent Scotland is everything for me," he added. "To cap that off with a win first and foremost, and to get over for a try is always nice. Just delighted. Advertisement "It just shows the character of the team. We defended for four or five minutes at the end there, gave away a few penalties, got a yellow card. That didn't phase us. "We stuck to our system and it was massive moment with that big counter-ruck at the end, it just shows what we mean to each other and how much it means to play for Scotland."
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2 hours ago
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Huw Jones believes Lions' centre options are interchangeable as first Test looms
Huw Jones insists the British and Irish Lions' centres are fully interchangeable despite the presence of established national combinations as the race for Test selection reaches a critical point. While a host of Andy Farrell's men played their way out of contention for the series against Australia in an unimpressive 21-10 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs, Jones seized his chance with both hands. Advertisement The 31-year-old ran in two tries in Sydney – the first the product of his understanding with Scotland midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu – in the most eye-catching performance from a 12 or 13 so far on tour. Jones shone against the New South Wales Waratahs (Robbie Stephenson/PA) If the Lions are to blend their best performing centres against the Wallabies in the first Test on July 19, then Bundee Aki and Jones will start. The conundrum facing Farrell with two matches to go before the Brisbane opener is whether to reward form or opt for the familiarity provided by the ready-made units of Tuipulotu and Jones or Ireland's Aki and Garry Ringrose. Jones, however, believes after being in camp for three weeks, the quartet have reached a point where they are interchangeable. Advertisement 'As a centre group we have been working really hard to get the connections with all of us,' the Glasgow Warriors back said. 'For the first try, Sione knows where I'm going to be. We have played loads together and it's all about timing. 'It worked against the Waratahs, but there's no saying it wouldn't have worked with any other player. 'We have worked as a unit in building those sorts of connections, whatever combination plays in the next couple of games, so hopefully we will see more results like that. 'We bounce loads of ideas off each other in terms of rugby stuff, but socially as well it has been great to get to know the others. They are great guys and that makes it easier. Advertisement 'If you enjoy each other's company then you're willing to spend the time with each other on and off the field. That goes for the whole squad. 'It has been a really enjoyable couple of weeks, but once we get on the field we are giving each other all the secrets and trying to help each other out as much as we can.' Jones has scored three tries in as many appearances for the Lions and having joined the tour with a niggling Achilles problem, he is now flying. 'After the Six Nations I was struggling with injury. I got it scanned late on in the season and we managed to then have a bit of an intervention,' he said. Advertisement 'It definitely feels better now, which is good. I didn't play much since the Six Nations, just two games. 'So over this last week it has been good over to get two 80 minutes in a row and a bit off the bench against the Western Force. I feel like I have shaken off the dust.'
