Lions arrive in Australia with concerns over Irish duo
The British & Irish Lions have touched down in Australia with head coach Andy Farrell revealing there remain lingering injury concerns over Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan.
Farrell's squad arrived into Perth after a 20-hour journey from Dublin via Doha ahead of Saturday's opening fixture on Australian soil against the Western Force.
There's doubt over whether Ireland duo Gibson-Park and Keenan will be able to take part at Optus Stadium because of respective glute and calf problems, but Scotland centre Huw Jones has recovered from an Achilles issue and is available.
"We'll see how they pull up in midweek," Farrell said of Gibson-Park and Keenan.
"Huw Jones is good, he's been training. He trained fully with us last week so he's up and running."
Farrell confirmed the team against Western Force will mostly be made up of players from Leinster, Bath and Leicester, who joined up with the Lions after last Saturday's United Rugby Championship and Premiership finals.
There were no fresh injuries arising from Friday's 28-24 defeat by Argentina at the Aviva Stadium, with Farrell keen not to dwell on the disappointing tour send-off.
"We're here to build for what's going to be a fantastic Test series. We want to play some good rugby along the way," he said.
"We'll find out more about each other as we keep on going. Of course, we'll analyse what went on against Argentina and why, but that's all part of the journey - to understand where we need to go next.
"It's great to be here, this is what it's all about. We're here for a good time. Hopefully we can start this part of the tour off really well on Saturday."
English star Tom Curry warned his teammates they cannot afford to waste a moment in their search for respect as they target an immediate response to the Pumas' loss.
"The thing with this sport and this tour is that it comes and goes so quickly. You've got to make the most of it," the England flanker said.
"Every meeting and every session. Before you know it we'll be playing in Australia so we can't let moments pass us by.
"We speak a lot about respect with our own teammates. We've only got six weeks together. Respect is so hard to earn but so easy to lose.
"It's really important that every session and meeting we turn up and push in the right direction.
"We have got to pull tighter, it's the only way. I feel like this group has taken so many steps off the field. I haven't got a bad word to say about anyone."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
43 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Aussie ace Minjee Lee wins Women's PGA Championship
Cementing her greatness, Australian golf superstar Minjee Lee has claimed a historic third career major with a steely victory at the mega-money Women's PGA Championship in Texas. Lee had her four-shot overnight lead slashed in half early in the final round before hanging on, then surging gamely for a three-shot triumph in more extremely trying conditions at PGA Frisco's windswept Fields Ranch East course. The 29-year-old bogeyed three of the first six holes in an understandably anxious start before steadying to close with a sufficiently sound two-over-par 74 on championship Sunday (Monday AEST). Lee finished with a 72-hole four-under 284 total to deny fast-finishing American Auston Kim (68) and Thai Chanetee Wannasaen (68) improbable comeback victories at the third women's major of the year. In adding to her 2021 Evian Championship triumph and 2022 US Open success, Lee completed the third leg of women's golf's fabled grand slam to edge ever closer to a place in the sport's Hall of Fame. The British Open and Chevron Championship are the only two majors to elude Lee. Just as significantly, Lee joined legends - and fellow females - Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson as only the third Australian golfer in history to win three different major championships. With three majors, Lee also surpassed the great Greg Norman and David Graham on Australia's all-time majors winning list. Lee now only trails seven-times major champion Webb and five-times British Open winner Thomson. Sunday's victory also snapped a 19-month winless run, the longest drought of her decorated career, and secured Australian women's sport's highest earner another monster cheque of $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million). Perhaps most gratifying of all, the Perth prodigy also buried the demons from last year's spectacular final-round crash at the US Open. Lee opened up a three-stroke back-nine lead only to collapse down the stretch to finish tied for ninth at Lancaster Country Club.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Shamar Joseph stunned the cricket world. Now he wants another crack at Australia … and Konstas
In just two Tests against Australia, Joseph became a hero in the Caribbean. After removing Steve Smith with his first delivery in Test cricket, Joseph finished those two matches with 13 wickets and 57 runs. Then came a hero's welcome across the Caribbean. 'A lot has changed,' Joseph says. 'There were a lot of opportunities that came my way. 'There was a big welcome by fellow Guyanese people and all over the Caribbean. Everywhere I go, there are a lot of congratulations and a lot of love has been shown towards me because of my achievement. Not just my achievement, but West Indies cricket overall. It's been a while since we have done something great against Australia. Joseph returned home to the remote riverside Guyanese village of Baracara to celebrate before the next whirlwind: a contract with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. There were concerns Joseph might drift into the T20 circuit, but he says Test cricket is still very close to his heart. 'This man may be the saviour in the purest form of the game,' former Australian captain Steve Waugh wrote on Instagram at the time of Joseph's heroics. 'Cinderella stories are rare in sport but this was truly epic from a young man who has single-handedly reignited the passion of cricket followers in the Caribbean and all over the world.' After such a magnificent start to his career, it was always going to be difficult for Joseph to maintain such a high standard of world-class fast bowling. He played three Tests against England in mid-2024, taking respective match figures of 0-68, 2-119 and 2-72. Joseph picked up 12 wickets in his next three Tests against South Africa and Bangladesh, but hasn't played a red ball match for the West Indies since November last year, having battled shin splints and hamstring issues. Joseph was at this year's IPL but didn't play a game. He went wicketless in one-day internationals against Ireland and England, but recently, showed signs of rhythm in a West Indies A match against South Africa A, collecting 1-78 and 2-40. In total, Joseph has 29 wickets from eight Tests at a healthy average of 26.75. If selected, Joseph is eager to test himself against Australia again, including 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who turned heads with a bold Boxing Day debut. Does Joseph think the teenager opener will have the audacity to try and ramp him? Joseph grins. 'Well, that's up to him. I will do my part.' 'I think my pace will be back to normal again. I'm looking to put the ball in my areas and I'm up for the challenge. 'I actually saw him [Konstas] against India playing his shots. It was encouraging him coming out as a youngster making his debut with that confidence. 'I just want to stay focused.' Joseph says he's learned plenty since his debut and still exchanges the occasional message with Australian captain Pat Cummins, who he met again during the IPL. 'He just encouraged me to keep doing the hard work,' Joseph says. 'He said to remember what I did to get here and keep doing the best I can.' Loading Joseph's match-winning performance at the Gabba reduced West Indies legend Brian Lara to tears in the commentary box. The last time the West Indies beat Australia before that Gabba Test was when Lara made 60 in a world-record fourth-innings run chase of 418 in Antigua in 2003. Joseph believes his team can deliver another upset across a series that heads to Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica. 'There's a lot of confidence. We work as a team to be successful,' Joseph says.
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Shamar Joseph stunned the cricket world. Now he wants another crack at Australia … and Konstas
In just two Tests against Australia, Joseph became a hero in the Caribbean. After removing Steve Smith with his first delivery in Test cricket, Joseph finished those two matches with 13 wickets and 57 runs. Then came a hero's welcome across the Caribbean. 'A lot has changed,' Joseph says. 'There were a lot of opportunities that came my way. 'There was a big welcome by fellow Guyanese people and all over the Caribbean. Everywhere I go, there are a lot of congratulations and a lot of love has been shown towards me because of my achievement. Not just my achievement, but West Indies cricket overall. It's been a while since we have done something great against Australia. Joseph returned home to the remote riverside Guyanese village of Baracara to celebrate before the next whirlwind: a contract with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. There were concerns Joseph might drift into the T20 circuit, but he says Test cricket is still very close to his heart. 'This man may be the saviour in the purest form of the game,' former Australian captain Steve Waugh wrote on Instagram at the time of Joseph's heroics. 'Cinderella stories are rare in sport but this was truly epic from a young man who has single-handedly reignited the passion of cricket followers in the Caribbean and all over the world.' After such a magnificent start to his career, it was always going to be difficult for Joseph to maintain such a high standard of world-class fast bowling. He played three Tests against England in mid-2024, taking respective match figures of 0-68, 2-119 and 2-72. Joseph picked up 12 wickets in his next three Tests against South Africa and Bangladesh, but hasn't played a red ball match for the West Indies since November last year, having battled shin splints and hamstring issues. Joseph was at this year's IPL but didn't play a game. He went wicketless in one-day internationals against Ireland and England, but recently, showed signs of rhythm in a West Indies A match against South Africa A, collecting 1-78 and 2-40. In total, Joseph has 29 wickets from eight Tests at a healthy average of 26.75. If selected, Joseph is eager to test himself against Australia again, including 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who turned heads with a bold Boxing Day debut. Does Joseph think the teenager opener will have the audacity to try and ramp him? Joseph grins. 'Well, that's up to him. I will do my part.' 'I think my pace will be back to normal again. I'm looking to put the ball in my areas and I'm up for the challenge. 'I actually saw him [Konstas] against India playing his shots. It was encouraging him coming out as a youngster making his debut with that confidence. 'I just want to stay focused.' Joseph says he's learned plenty since his debut and still exchanges the occasional message with Australian captain Pat Cummins, who he met again during the IPL. 'He just encouraged me to keep doing the hard work,' Joseph says. 'He said to remember what I did to get here and keep doing the best I can.' Loading Joseph's match-winning performance at the Gabba reduced West Indies legend Brian Lara to tears in the commentary box. The last time the West Indies beat Australia before that Gabba Test was when Lara made 60 in a world-record fourth-innings run chase of 418 in Antigua in 2003. Joseph believes his team can deliver another upset across a series that heads to Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica. 'There's a lot of confidence. We work as a team to be successful,' Joseph says.
