Andy Farrell 'absolutely delighted' with Lions' win over Australia in first Test
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BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Australia coach certain Morgan clearout was penalty
Australia coach Joe Schmidt says the decision not to penalise Jac Morgan for his clearout in the lead-up to the British and Irish Lions' match-winning try in the second Test goes against the sport's "push for player safety".Hugo Keenan's score in the final play of the game snatched a 29-26 victory for the tourists and secured a first Test series win for the Lions since Television Match Official checked Morgan's clearout on Carlo Tizzano at the final ruck before the try and agreed with Andrea Piardi's initial decision to award the try."I think everyone can make their own decision on that," Schmidt said."Players make errors, match officials make errors. Our perspective is we felt it was a decision that doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they're talking about."You cannot hit someone above the level of their shoulders and there's no bind with the left arm, the hand's on the ground."That's what we've seen, we've watched a number of replays from different angles. It is what it is, we just have to accept it."Schmidt said you have to "read law 9.20" to understand why it should have been a 9.20 states: "A player must not charge into a ruck or maul without binding onto another player."It also states that "making contact above the line of the shoulders with an opponent is a dangerous play and is prohibited". A textbook and brilliant clearout - Russell Fly-half Finn Russell said Morgan, who came on as a replacement for Tom Curry early in the second half, produced a "textbook" added that he felt Tizzano's reaction was to try to get the score overturned."When he goes down holding his head, there's always going to be a question," Russell said."But I think when you saw it back, it just shows that it's a textbook clearout. I think it's a brilliant clearout from Jac."He's gone in there and Tizzano's over the ball, which is a good play from him. But I think Jac's just cleared him out really well. It's almost the aggression that he cleared him out with."That's what the question mark was almost. It shouldn't be a question mark. He obviously holds his head and tries to get a penalty from it."The fly-half's view is similar to the one held by Lions head coach Andy Farrell."It was a brilliant clearout. I couldn't understand what they were going back for," added Farrell."They seem to go back for absolutely everything these days, don't they? I'm so pleased that the referee held his nerve. The right decision in my opinion." Former Lions tourist Andy Nicol was also in agreement that Morgan, who is the only Wales player remaining on the trip and was making his Lions Test debut, did "nothing wrong".Nicol told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly: "He was always low. The 'jackaler' went in and put his head in a dangerous position and Jac cleared him out."I was watching in the stands and said if this is turned over, it's the end of rugby."That was a classic rugby incident. That's how Jac Morgan and every player is taught and coached to clear out a ruck. "Just because the player went flying back and highlighted where it was on the back of the neck, that's where real injuries happen so they are looking at it, but that was a perfect clearout."The Lions went into the game as favourites to seal the series after a comfortable first Test win in Brisbane, where they at one point led Wallabies finished well there to lose 27-19 and continued that form into the second game in side grabbed three first-half tries - two in quick succession with England's Tommy Freeman in the sin-bin - to lead 23-5.A decider in Sydney, as there was in 2013, looked to be on the cards until the Lions fought back from 18 points down to win the game with the final play and get in front for the first time in the the crushing defeat, the Wallabies - who for the first time in their history failed to qualify for the knockout stages of a Rugby World Cup in 2023 - showed they were a worthy match for Lions."It's painful, I'm so proud of the team and how we bounced back," Wallabies captain Harry Wilson said."We played some terrific footy and to not get the result and go to a series decider hurts everyone."
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Ray French - dual-code international and iconic voice of rugby league
For millions brought up in rugby league's television age, Ray French's voice was synonymous as the soundtrack to the glory years of the sport in the 1980s and was a time when rugby league was a staple of Saturday afternoon Grandstand, with a nationwide audience tuning in to action from places largely across the north of England - Wigan, Castleford, Oldham, it was a time when the sport had a wider profile, when Ellery Hanley, Garry Schofield, Martin Offiah and, further afield, Mal Meninga were household Ray French was one too. Walking the walk to go with the talk French was far more than an iconic broadcaster, however. He walked the walk to go with his commentary was a much-respected player and, employed as a teacher in his native St Helens away from the field - grounding that would prove essential in his future ability took a lad from the working class north into the establishment elite of English rugby union, earning him international honours in the 15-player Helens saw the qualities and brought him home to play rugby league, and he was part of a successful side alongside fellow Saints legends such as Kel Coslett, Tom van Vollenhoven and later commentary partner Alex ended his career at Widnes, and became a dual-code international when he represented Great Britain and was part of the 1968 World Cup squad, playing alongside stars such as Roger Millward, Neil Fox and Cliff was an intelligence to his play, an eye for a pass to go with the robust requirements of playing second-row in the hurly-burly of the 1960s. Becoming the voice, following an icon For all his on-field excellence, it was the voice, the tone and the lexicon employed in French's second rugby league career which made many, including this boy from beyond the heartlands in Nottingham, fall in love with the game and his wonderful was a tough gig, following in the footsteps of the pioneering Eddie Waring, who took rugby league mainstream and forged a career in light entertainment as a well-known figure in the broadcasting was not for rubbing shoulders with Morecambe and Wise. For him, it was about putting the sport in its best his first Challenge Cup final in 1981 through to the last in 2008, and a host of Test matches and internationals, French soundtracked some of the greatest players and the greatest games in his inimitable 1985, Wigan versus Hull. Arguably the ultimate Challenge Cup final."He can step on a threepenny bit this lad!" French said as John Ferguson worked in the tiniest of spaces to finish for emotive language, the punching tone bright with enthusiasm and excitement. Nine years later, Jonathan Davies outstripped Australia's rapid-quick Brett Mullins to score a brilliant try - again on Wembley's grand stage."He's got the head back! The Welshman is in for a magnificent try."One of the most memorable Great Britain tries, called the greatest moment was his call of Martin Offiah's rip-roaring length of the field effort under the twin towers for Wigan in the 1994 Challenge Cup final against Leeds, just months before Davies' was goosed having touched down, barely able to acknowledge his feat as he sank to his knees with emotion. French had the words."That must rank among the finest ever seen on this ground."Captured to all commentators, he had his pet lines. "He's going for the line!" being a famous one, and his penchant for the combo of a player's weight and amateur club was another little idiosyncrasy that fans grew to package of a sing-song voice-note forged by his St Helens upbringing, the richness of his vocabulary, his authenticity as someone steeped in rugby league and his brilliant rapport on the mic with Joe Lydon, Maurice Bamford and former team-mate Murphy, and in later years those he had called home to score such as Davies, helped establish Ray as an iconic voice. 'A genuinely lovely human being' Beyond all of his abilities in a professional capacity, those who worked with Ray in the game will recall a genuinely lovely human coaches, directors, owners, fans encountered an engaging, friendly, humble and kind man, always happy to talk about his beloved years he was the main man for rugby league at the BBC, and yet never forgot his roots and his his later years, Ray kept his hand in commentary with Radio Merseyside often alongside great friend Allan Rooney, and it was a joy to spend time listening to the pair's stories, patter and was the equivalent of seeing Barry Davies or John Motson down at your local club, yet it was just business as usual for French will always be rugby league royalty and a broadcasting legend.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Calandagan finally wins his big one as he comes from last to first in the King George at Ascot
CALANDAGAN has been called lots of names over the last 12 months, not many of them nice. Well, now he'll forever be known as a King George winner after a performance which silenced the doubters in no uncertain terms. 1 The horse who long seemed destined to go down as one of the game's great bridesmaids had every opportunity to throw in the towel when Kalpana quickened away and push came to shove. He could have folded like a cheap suit when asked to make a lung-busting run after the filly who'd got first run and was getting 3lb, or hoisted the white flag when eye-balling her in the heat of battle. Instead, he dug deeper than the Channel Tunnel to give his burgeoning trainer Francis-Henri Graffard — a coming force on the world stage — his second King George in a row. Magnifique. Not so the Ballydoyle tactics, which even left Graffard and winning jockey Mickael Barzalona scratching their heads. Here they had the 5-2 second favourite in Jan Brueghel, a horse with abundant stamina who outstayed Calandagan at Epsom two months ago and for whom a strong, end-to-end gallop was vital. Everyone expected the 40-1 rag Continuous to set off on his usual pace-making duties to ensure it wasn't a tactical race. Puzzlingly, he was dropped in behind his stablemate and they ended up going a crawl as Jan Brueghel did the donkey work. It made little sense — not that Barzalona was complaining. He was on the horse with the best turn of foot, so he must have been licking his lips. Mind you, Andrew Balding's fine filly Kalpana showed an impressive burst of her own as she kicked for home at the two-furlong pole. Oisin Murphy moved up going strongly as Jan Brueghel struggled to go through the gears as the pace lifted before she suddenly exploded two or three lengths clear. It looked for the best part of a furlong that Calandagan would be unable to reel her in but, as all the top-class ones do, he quickened once, quickened twice and was going away by a length at the line. He was second in the Juddmonte International, Champion Stakes, Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup — but he's the Chantilly shirker no more. Graffard said: 'I never had any doubts about his will to win, when he's been beaten he has had excuses. 'He was really far back at York last year and he quickened really strongly, probably too late. He was beaten by a good horse in Dubai and at Epsom things didn't go to plan. 'I never thought it was because he didn't want to try and his jockeys have never reported that to me either. 'This is the fifth time Mickael has ridden him, he has been getting to know him and knows what to do on him now. There is no doubt anymore about the horse.' In hindsight, maybe Murphy could have held on for a few more seconds on Kalpana before committing her for home. But Balding was chuffed with the run as she continues to build towards her D-Day in the Arc. He said: 'I'm very proud of her, she's run her heart out again and just been beaten by a good horse. We'll work back from the Arc, now.' It looks like the Juddmonte International at York is next on the agenda for Calandagan, where a mouthwatering showdown with Field Of Gold awaits. Tres bien. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
