Wicklow's Jack Conan is the ace in the pack as Lions clinch series win with thrilling triumph against Australia
Ireland's Hugo Keenan scored the late try to guarantee the result in front of a record 90,000-plus crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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Irish Times
3 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Tadhg Furlong likely to start again for Lions as big Irish contingent expected for third Test
Andy Farrell is again likely to make a sprinkling of changes to the British and Irish Lions matchday 23 when unveiling his side to face the Wallabies in Saturday's concluding third Test in Sydney's Stadium Australia. But it will be a measure of his and his team's intent to complete a landmark 3-0 series whitewash that the core of the Lions' starting XV is likely to remain intact. The Lions selection is scheduled to be announced on Thursday in the early afternoon in Sydney – early morning Irish time – and, on foot of confirmation that Joe McCarthy and Mack Hansen have resumed training and will be in consideration for selection, it would be surprising if the former was not restored to the secondrow. McCarthy had a strong 45 minutes in the first Test before being forced off with the foot injury that ruled him out of last Saturday's dramatic 29-26 win in the MCG. It will also be hard to omit James Ryan given his impactful 25 minutes off the bench. Hansen was a strong candidate for the first Test in light of his all-action display in the 48-0 win over an AU/NZ Invitational XV in Adelaide and could well be named in the 23 for his Lions Test debut. READ MORE Assistant coach Andrew Goodman hailed Hansen's 'work-rate, kick-chase, scramble defence' and communication skills. 'He grew up playing a lot of 10 so he's really smart around what he sees and making the right calls off the back of that,' said Goodman. All in all then, without being too parochial, it certainly looks as if the Irish representation in the starting XV might even exceed last week's record of nine, and the 11 named in the matchday squad may also be surpassed. After all, there seems no reason to change the composition of both the starting and finishing frontrow, which maintained the scrum power that has been a feature of this tour. Jack Conan training with the Lions on Tuesday. Photograph: Photograph: David Gray/AFP via Getty Images No less than Maro Itoje , Tadhg Furlong deserves to start all three Tests in a row again – in his case for a third successive Lions series. Ditto Jack Conan for a second series in a row, while Tadhg Beirne has been immense to date, and so too has Tom Curry, albeit there is fierce competition at openside from Jac Morgan and Josh van der Flier . It's hard to believe that the Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell partnership won't be retained, and while Blair Kinghorn could also come into consideration for the left wing slot after his telling impact there, James Lowe's left boot is an option Farrell and Co won't discard easily. 'Cohesion versus freshness,' as Goodman admitted. 'You've also got to reward form when guys have been playing well and are match-hardened in those Test matches. It is a balance and I'm sure we'll have some good discussions as we always have around selecting the best 23 for the group.' Alas and alack, as feared and as expected, the one player who has been ruled out of consideration, and for the third Test in a row, is Garry Ringrose . One of last Saturday's more poignant sights was that of Ringrose cuddling his son Freddy on the day of his first birthday. 'He's disappointed, as you can imagine,' said Goodman. 'Garry was playing some amazing rugby through this tour ... It's been a dream of his for so long to represent the Lions and he's managed to do that. But he wanted to be a Test-match Lion so it's been devastating for him.' Asked about the influence of Farrell, Goodman spoke of his motivational skills and unifying the group 'He's had his finger on the pulse the whole time. A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all-in, all the time in terms of what we do on the field and off the field, you always add to the group. You're always preparing the group as best you can whether you're starting, on the bench or not involved. He's constantly on that and he's constantly on us as coaches to make sure we're driving that. Garry Ringrose will play no further part in the Lions tour. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho 'He's a great man motivator, he's a great man around connecting the wider staff and management group as well. I'm learning stuff off him every day, he's an amazing coach and it's a privilege to work underneath him. Goodman also cited Farrell's capacity to make training fun. 'Today we got down to training and he'd sent Fogs [scrum coach John Fogarty] down early to set up the Squid Game mini-team challenge, the whole field was covered in equipment. 'The staff were dressed up in all that kit, the speakers were all set up, a bit of fun, stuff like that to get a bit of energy back in the group. 'The mini-team stuff, the little challenges he'll have at the start of meetings, there's always a bit of craic, a bit of a laugh involved. It keeps the boys engaged and fresh and it's not just going into a meeting where it's rugby all the time. There are little bits like that that make it enjoyable as well. 'We had a squid game challenge – green light, red light – the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye on people. It was a good craic. And who was killed off first? Goodman smiled and revealed: 'Tom Clarkson – one of the props – hard to hide.'
Irish Examiner
3 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Maro Itoje: British and Irish players will want to be a Lion as long as rugby is being played
Maro Itoje has made a passionate defence of the British & Irish Lions and the continuing rotation of tours to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Lions captain was speaking on Tuesday as the tourists transitioned from celebrating their unassailable 2-0 series lead against the Wallabies, achieved last Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, into the 2025 squad's bid for a first series sweep since 1974 against the Springboks. Last Saturday delivered a classic Lions Test match as Itoje led his side to a dramatic 29-26 victory over Australia in front of 90,307 supporters at the MCG, the win and the series secured by a late Hugo Keenan try. It was the first time a Lions side has taken a 2-0 series lead since the defeat of the world champion South Africans in 1997, though the final Test was lost. Itoje and his players have been upfront in expressing their determination to make it 3-0 over the Wallabies with this Saturday at Sydney's Accor Stadium their chance to earn a place in Lions lore. Yet with the world rugby calendar under strain, and with a breakaway Rugby 360 tournament set to be launched placing increasing pressure on international teams, the current captain made his case for the continuation of a touring tradition now 137 years old. 'It's been without a shadow of a doubt one of the highlights of my career,' Itoje said. 'When I am old and grey these occasions and these tours are going to be one of the experiences I look back (on) with extreme fondness. Read More Garry Ringrose ruled out of Lions' third Test against Wallabies 'And it's the aspiration of every British and Irish rugby player. I would be surprised if you can find a British and Irish rugby player who says they don't want to be a Lion or they don't want to play for the Lions. 'It's something that each player holds dear to their heart and the opportunity… I'm sure you could have seen from the reactions of when people got called up of what it means to the players. This is something the players want and the players will continue to want for decades and for as long as rugby is being played. 'It's something that I think world rugby wants, something I know each of the southern-hemisphere teams that the Lions tour – Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – it provides a huge sense of excitement for all of those three nations. And it adds an extra bit of spice and intrigue to the Six Nations when it's Lions year. "So I am struggling to see the negatives. It is a great occasion, it is a great event and long may it continue.' Itoje, a three-time tourist playing Tests against all three of the traditional South Hemisphere opponents, was asked if the Lions should consider touring to different nations outside the usual rotation, with France having been mentioned as a possible destination. 'I don't know,' the captain said. 'I thought about this at the beginning of the tour. My answer is, with the three nations it tours, there's a strong sense of history and tradition. Perhaps the Lions is the last of the traditional organisations in the modern era. 'Part of me is keen for it to continue to rotate among the three countries it does. But, that being said, you have to stay relatively open-minded. As it stands, the three nations it tours is pretty good. Also it wouldn't feel the same if we took a short-haul flight. It needs a long-haul flight! For Itoje, the friendships forged within this four-nation squad while on tour are what he will remember most, though the 30-year-old Saracens and England captain gave the actual rugby produced by the Lions careful consideration. 'The rugby or the people? It's hard to differentiate it. If I had the best time of my life, but we lost every game…it's probably likely we wouldn't have the best time of our lives. Ultimately, it is going to be the people but the rugby makes it sweeter. I'm kind of halfway house a bit. Ultimately, it's going to be the people. Lion's Hugo Keenan, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne and Maro Itoje during the national anthem. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland. 'There is a verse that I can't quite remember what book it is from in the Bible (Mark 8:36), but it says, 'What does it gain for a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?'. If we won every game and we absolutely hated one another, in some ways that is what you are obviously going for because it is a Test series win, but I think life is more than that.' To underline his point Itoje added: 'I have built relationships with people I really did not know well. Someone like 'Showbiz', Jamie Osborne, his nickname is Showbiz. I never thought I would have a relationship with him. 'I wouldn't mind the nickname 'Showbiz' if you are going to start it but I am happy with 'Pearl' to be honest. I know now whenever I play against him in the future I can call him 'Showbiz' and he will have that little smirk on his face. 'Relationships like that. Getting to know people from different nations like Jac. I have a lot of admiration for Jac Morgan, who is a very, very talented player. I've respected him from afar while he has been doing his thing for Wales and being on his side and being alongside him while he makes such positive contributions for the team has been amazing. 'I can go through the team. Finlay Bealham is another one that I never thought we would have a good relationship, but he's absolutely hilarious, funny, he's a very endearing person. I can go through so many others.' What has united them all through their time together in Australia is an ambition to close out the series as 3-0 victors. 'We want to be part of something very special. Winning a Lions Test series is obviously extremely special but what would be an absolute dream would be to go out there and perform to the level that we think we can perform and win the third game. 'While the first two games have been great because we got two wins, there's a still a feeling that we haven't put it together in a way we know that we can. That's the exciting for us - we want to chase down the performance we have been searching for.'
Irish Examiner
3 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Andrew Goodman: 'A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in'
A relentless man motivator who pushes his coaches as much as his players and gets huge buy-in from all who work under him. Even when it's a recreation of hit TV show Squid Game before training, it is no surprise to Andrew Goodman that Andy Farrell has brought the British & Irish Lions to the brink of a series clean sweep over Australia. The Lions are just a win away in Saturday's third and final Test from making the 2025 series against the Wallabies a 3-0 whitewash, which would complete a 100% return from nine tour matches on Australian soil under head coach Farrell's command. Ireland attack coach Goodman is one of four of Farrell's assistants on tour alongside Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Johnny Sexton and the New Zealander can count Scott Robertson, the current All Blacks boss, at the Crusaders and Leinster's Leo Cullen as 'pretty amazing coaches' whose strengths he sees in the Lions boss. Yet one suspects Farrell has left the deepest impression on the Kiwi and that this journey Down Under has only enhanced his appreciation of his boss. That was clear on Tuesday as he outlined what the head coach had brought to the tour. 'Just his motivation and his ability to bring the group together and his ability to make sure everyone has been all in together the whole time,' Goodman said. 'Whether they are involved in Test matches are midweek games, it doesn't feel like there has been any separation in the group whatsoever. 'He's had his finger on the pulse the whole time. A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in, all the time in terms of what we do on the field and off the field, you always add to the group. 'You're always preparing the group as best you can whether you're starting, on the bench, or not involved. He's constantly on that and he's constantly on us as coaches to make sure we're driving that. He's a great man-motivator, he's a great man around connecting the wider staff and management group as well. I'm learning stuff of him every day, he's an amazing coach and it's a privilege to work underneath him.' To give an example of Farrell's methods, Goodman did not have long to recall the impact he has on Lions sessions, citing Tuesday's return to the training field at North Sydney's Shore School and a surprise recreation of the satirical Korean drama set on a dystopian reality television show, where players risk their lives playing children's games. 'Just his relentlessness. It's not just one thing, it's because it's every day. He's always on having fun as a group. Today we got down to training and he'd sent Fogs down early to set up the Squid Game mini-team challenge, the whole field was covered in equipment. 'The staff were dressed up in all that kit, the speakers were all set up, a bit of fun, stuff like that to get a bit of energy back in the group. The mini-team stuff, the little challenges he'll have at the start of meetings, there's always a bit of craic, a bit of a laugh involved. 'It keeps the boys engaged and fresh and it's not just going into a meeting where it's rugby all the time. There are little bits like that that make it enjoyable as well. 'We had a Squid Game challenge, green light, red light, the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye on people. It was a good craic.' Fortunately for the Lions, death was not a consequence of a wrong move, though Goodman did reveal the first victim. 'Tom Clarkson - one of the props - hard to hide. 'Every week we've done things like that. All part of touring, isn't it? Even with Ireland it's a part of his week to make sure there's fun involved.'
