Murphy 'relishing' starting role at Ulster
Ulster fly-half Jack Murphy says that starting for the province and driving his side on is something he "relishes".The 20-year-old has established himself at Ulster this year after arriving last summer from Leinster.Murphy has started Ulster's past six games, scoring his first try against the Stormers last month, and he believes he is growing in confidence with regular game time. "It's difficult coming in as a young guy, but the lads are really understanding with me, they want someone to drive them on and as an out-half that is your job and that is something I relish," he told BBC Sport NI."Getting a run of games has been massive for me, playing at that level in Bordeaux and in URC games, it's a higher level than what I have ever played so to get that experience is really good, and it has helped me grow as a player."Murphy says that he is "settling in really well" to life in Belfast and is not fazed by being coached by his father Richie Murphy at the province, having worked with him in a professional capacity before."In the [Ireland] under-20s last year he was coaching so I got used to that then and it's not a thing really, he is strictly my coach when I'm in here."The young fly-half is preparing for a return to his former side at the weekend as Leinster host Ulster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) at the Aviva Stadium.Murphy says that it will be a "special" occasion but that his side are focused on picking up a win which will help them move a step closer to qualifying for the URC play-offs. "There's loads of teams around eighth, and even down as far as 13th the points are really close, so we know picking up points is going to be vital over the next few weeks as it's really tight," he added."It's a good test for me and for the team to go against one of the best teams in the world."
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
All-Ireland SFC: Who needs what in final group games?
Right, here we go then: for the last time - at least for the foreseeable future - the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship has arrived at the all-important final round of group next year, the competition will have another new guise, with the round-robin phase scrapped in favour of a new format. More on that here. But this weekend, four teams will have their dreams of lifting the Sam Maguire Cup shattered for another year at least as 16 is whittled down to put, there are eight matches this weekend: four on Saturday and four on Sunday. As it stands, holders Armagh are the only team guaranteed a spot in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. As for the rest, a wide assortment of possibilities await. Let's get into it. A quick reminder: the team that finishes first in their group moves straight through to the quarter-finals. Second and third earns teams a preliminary quarter-final spot (those finishing second will have home advantage), while fourth is knocked out of the championship. Group One Tyrone v Cavan, Brewster Park, Sunday, 16:00 BSTDonegal v Mayo, Dr Hyde Park, Sunday, 16:00 BSTPermutations everywhere you look here. After two games, Donegal, Mayo, Tyrone and Cavan all sit on two points heading into the final round-robin weekend, the first time this has happened since this format was introduced. Ulster champions Donegal comfortably hold the most superior scoring difference (+16), thanks to their 19-point victory over Cavan in round two. However, the first tie-breaker is head-to-head, and given that Tyrone beat Donegal in the first round, the Red Hands will top the group if they beat Cavan and Donegal overcome Mayo, a sequence which would eliminate the Connacht county. Tyrone will also finish top if they win and Donegal and Mayo play out a draw, which would knock Cavan out. Courtesy of their win over Tyrone last time out, Mayo will top the group if they beat Donegal and Tyrone defeat Cavan. This would eliminate Cavan. Donegal will top the group if they beat Mayo and Cavan get the better of Tyrone, thus sending the Red Hands out. Jim McGuinness' Donegal will also secure first place if they win and the Tyrone-Cavan game ends in a draw, eliminating Mayo. Both games ending in a draw is a highly unlikely occurrence, but if that does happen, Donegal will top the group on scoring difference while Cavan will finish will finish top if they beat Donegal and Tyrone beat Cavan. They will also finish top with victory over Donegal and a draw in the Tyrone-Cavan game. Cavan can still finish top despite entering the weekend bottom. To do that, they will need to beat Tyrone and hope that Mayo see off Donegal, which would eliminate Donegal. If Cavan win and Donegal-Mayo ends in a draw, Cavan will finish at the summit and Tyrone will head for the exit door. Jeopardy. That's what everyone wants and this group is full of it. It could go right down to the final kick. Group Two Kerry v Meath, Tullamore, Saturday, 16:15 BSTRoscommon v Cork, Portlaoise, Saturday, 16:15 BSTMercifully, this group's web won't take quite as long to untangle. Kerry enter the weekend top after wins over Roscommon and Cork. Having already accrued four points, a win or draw against Meath will guarantee top spot for the Kingdom and a spot in the quarter-finals. If Kerry and Roscommon win, Kerry will finish top and Cork will be eliminated. If Kerry and Cork win, Roscommon will be are the only other team that can finish top, but they will obviously need to beat Kerry for that to happen. The best Cork can do is finish third, but they'll need to beat Roscommon. If it ends in a draw, the Rossies will secure third. Group Three Monaghan v Down, Athletic Grounds, Sunday, 14:00 BSTLouth v Clare, Portlaoise, Sunday, 14:00 BSTIn stark contrast to Group One, this group's package of permutations is much slimmer. The winner of the all-Ulster encounter between Monaghan and Down in Armagh will secure top spot. Down have a slightly superior scoring difference so they will clinch top spot with a draw, which would signify remarkable progress for the Mournemen given they had not played an All-Ireland game since 2019 before this year. Neither team can finish worse than second. The losers of the Louth-Clare game will exit the championship. A draw will see Louth scrape through in third courtesy of their superior scoring difference. Group Four Dublin v Derry, Pairc Esler, Saturday, 18:30 BSTGalway v Armagh, Breffni Park, Saturday, 18:30 BST Even though Armagh have already locked up top spot, Group Four is sure to deliver some Saturday-night drama. Below the Orchardmen, there could be much to-ing and fro-ing. Armagh face familiar foes Galway in a rerun of last year's All-Ireland final. After earning a crucial point in last-gasp fashion in their thriller against Derry a fortnight ago, the Tribesmen can still finish second and earn a home preliminary quarter-final. To do that, they must beat Armagh and hope Derry beat Dublin in Newry. In that scenario, scoring difference would decide second place (Galway are on -1, with Derry on -4). Dublin will finish second with victory or a draw over Derry, regardless of what happens in the Galway-Armagh game. If Dublin-Derry ends in a draw and Galway win, Derry will be eliminated. If Dublin-Derry ends in a draw and Armagh win, Galway will exit the championship, meaning Derry will move into the next stage without having won a game. Dublin will also finish second if they win and Galway-Armagh ends in a draw, eliminating Derry. Derry are guaranteed survival with a win as they will edge out Dublin on the head-to-head rule. If Derry and Galway both win, second place will be decided by scoring difference with Dublin knocked out. If Derry and Armagh win, Derry will finish second and Galway will be will also finish second if they beat Dublin and Galway-Armagh ends in a that's that. Come Sunday evening, the road ahead will show nothing but straight knockout for the final 12 teams. Before that, expect endless twists and turns as we bid farewell to the All-Ireland group stage. Knockout schedule The preliminary quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of 21/22 quarter-finals will be played on 28/29 semi-finals will be staged on 12/13 July with the final at Croke Park on 27 July.
Rhyl Journal
13 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Finlay Bealham will be a great fit for the group – Lions head coach Andy Farrell
Glasgow Warriors tight head Fagerson has been ruled out of the summer tour to Australia by a calf problem. The news of Fagerson's withdrawal came a day before the squad – minus those involved in the Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship finals – headed out to Portugal for a training camp. Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia after sustaining a calf injury. We wish Zander all the best in his recovery 💙 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 9, 2025 Farrell, though, accepts such situations are part of the game, with the group now looking to sharpen focus towards a warm-up fixture against Argentina in Dublin on June 20. 'It is heartbreaking, but at the same time, he (Fagerson) is a realist. All rugby players know that's the game,' Farrell told Sky Sports. 'He will work unbelievably hard to get himself fit and who knows what's going to happen down the track.' Finlay Bealham = 🦁 Congratulations to @FinlayBealham who has been called up to the @lionsofficial squad. More: — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 9, 2025 On Ireland's Bealham being added to the squad, Farrell said: 'Finlay has been called up in his place and he is in good form. He is very good at what he does. 'He was certainly right up there in the conversation from the very start as well, and he would have been disappointed not to make the group. 'So we just know he will be a great fit for the group going forward. He is the only conversation that I was able to have because of the way we did the squad announcement. 'By giving him a phone call and telling him he was selected within the squad, unfortunately for Zander, but it was one of the best phone conversations I have ever had. 'The emotion that went through the phone actually welled me up. It was great to be able to do that.' With 15 of the selected players still on club duty – including 12 from Leinster – England duo Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour have also joined the five-day training camp at Quinta do Lago to provide some front-row cover. 'It is what it is,' said Farrell. 'You've just got to be open-minded enough to see what you end up with – what we have ended up with is a squad of 24. Bill's new keeper! 🫡 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 11, 2025 'It is a new group that has come together for the first time, so to keep it small and tight gives plenty of time in this five-day camp for people to get in the saddle and get up to speed with new systems, a new way of playing. 'We will see what we need to add to the squad in the coming weeks.' The fixture against Argentina is set to be a first Lions game played in Ireland. The tour of Australia schedule – which features three Tests against the Wallabies – begins against Western Force in Perth on June 28.
North Wales Chronicle
13 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Finlay Bealham will be a great fit for the group – Lions head coach Andy Farrell
Glasgow Warriors tight head Fagerson has been ruled out of the summer tour to Australia by a calf problem. The news of Fagerson's withdrawal came a day before the squad – minus those involved in the Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship finals – headed out to Portugal for a training camp. Zander Fagerson has been ruled out of this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia after sustaining a calf injury. We wish Zander all the best in his recovery 💙 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 9, 2025 Farrell, though, accepts such situations are part of the game, with the group now looking to sharpen focus towards a warm-up fixture against Argentina in Dublin on June 20. 'It is heartbreaking, but at the same time, he (Fagerson) is a realist. All rugby players know that's the game,' Farrell told Sky Sports. 'He will work unbelievably hard to get himself fit and who knows what's going to happen down the track.' Finlay Bealham = 🦁 Congratulations to @FinlayBealham who has been called up to the @lionsofficial squad. More: — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 9, 2025 On Ireland's Bealham being added to the squad, Farrell said: 'Finlay has been called up in his place and he is in good form. He is very good at what he does. 'He was certainly right up there in the conversation from the very start as well, and he would have been disappointed not to make the group. 'So we just know he will be a great fit for the group going forward. He is the only conversation that I was able to have because of the way we did the squad announcement. 'By giving him a phone call and telling him he was selected within the squad, unfortunately for Zander, but it was one of the best phone conversations I have ever had. 'The emotion that went through the phone actually welled me up. It was great to be able to do that.' With 15 of the selected players still on club duty – including 12 from Leinster – England duo Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour have also joined the five-day training camp at Quinta do Lago to provide some front-row cover. 'It is what it is,' said Farrell. 'You've just got to be open-minded enough to see what you end up with – what we have ended up with is a squad of 24. Bill's new keeper! 🫡 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 11, 2025 'It is a new group that has come together for the first time, so to keep it small and tight gives plenty of time in this five-day camp for people to get in the saddle and get up to speed with new systems, a new way of playing. 'We will see what we need to add to the squad in the coming weeks.' The fixture against Argentina is set to be a first Lions game played in Ireland. The tour of Australia schedule – which features three Tests against the Wallabies – begins against Western Force in Perth on June 28.
