Lions Preview Ready to Roar ON SALE NOW
Once every four years something very special happens in Rugby Union - a Lions tour!
To get you in the mood, this special edition, in-depth preview of the tour has been produced - Ready to Roar!
And the 2025 edition is a mouthwatering prospect as Andy Farrell takes his team Down Under to face the Aussies.
From the stunning wins over New Zealand and South Africa in the 1970s, to the famous Martin Johnson-lead triumph over the Boks in 1997 and up to the modern day drama-packed tours against the Kiwis, a Lions series is never dull.
Last time out, the Lions suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of South Africa, but they will be heading to Australia this time looking to repeat the 2-1 victory they enjoyed there in 2013 under the leadership of Warren Gatland.
We have features on head coach Farrell, captain Maro Itoje youngster Henry Pollock, Marcus Smith, Jac Morgan, Sione Tuipolutu and Mack Hansen.
Every member of the squad is profiled, we take a look at the Aussies and the battle between the coaches.
There is a guide to the venues and the tour matches as well as a look back at previous tours, and some of the greatest Lions.
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RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Ratings: Ryan Baird and pack shine as Leinster deliver URC title
Leinster ended an almost four-year search for a trophy with a brilliant 32-7 victory over the Bulls in the BKT URC final at Croke Park. Jack Conan, Jordie Barrett, Josh van der Flier and Fintan Gunne scored the tries, while out-halves Sam Prendergast (10) and Ross Byrne (2) contributed points off the tee. Here's how we rated the players. 15. Jimmy O'Brien - 7.5 Solid at the back and countered cleverly as well. Exactly what Leinster needed in the absence of Hugo Keenan. Linked well with his wingers and centres. Outplayed the vastly more experienced Willie le Roux. 14. Tommy O'Brien - 7.5 Brilliant reward for a player who has been so unlucky with injuries. Justified his starting place and worked hard all day. Didn't get a clear chance with ball in hand but defended well. 13. Garry Ringrose. 7.5 Excellent defensive showing from the Ireland centre as the Leinster blitz defence showed its teeth again. Totally outplayed his opposite number and made his tackles as required. 12. Jordie Barrett - 8.5 Calm and poised throughout, the All Blacks centre signs off with a try and winners medal. Did superbly for his score, hacking on and winning a race against his team-mate, Tommy O'Brien, to raise the roof at Croke Park. 11. James Lowe – 8 Unusually, didn't get a score at GAA HQ but used his boot to good effect all day. Dealt with opposition kicks well and linked well with the backline without ever breaking clear of the defence. 10. Sam Pendergast – 8.5 Brilliantly measured performance from the young out-half, who kicked well in defence and attack. His 50:22 paved the way for their third. Contributed 10 points off the tee. Came into the game under pressure and delivered on the big stage. 9. Luke McGrath – 8 A late call-up for the injured Jamison Gibson-Park, McGrath made light of the Lions back's absence. His box-kicks were mostly on the money and he avoided all trouble at the breakdown. Clever and well executed kick for Barrett's try. 1. Andrew Porter – 8 Was penalised a couple of times at the scrum, which he debated but was part of a Leinster pack that dominated their vaunted opponents. Played all but the last five minutes. 2. Dan Sheehan – 8 Excellent display from the hooker even if it came without a trademark try. Was superb out of touch and always in the mix in the loose. He'll start the Lions Tests. 3. Thomas Clarkson – 8 Leinster have not missed Tadhg Furlong as much as would have been expected and that's largely down to Clarkson. Was really up for the physical battle. 4. Joe McCarthy – 8.5 More South African than the South Africans themselves? Never shirked in the tackle or carry all day; made gain line and pushed the Bulls back when they wandered into his field. 5. James Ryan – 8 Absolutely relished the physical battle with the visitors, carried with purpose and put his body on the line time after time. Made way for RG Snyman just two minutes into the second half. 6. Ryan Baird – 9 Named player of the match for the second week running and fully deserved the merit. Was on it from the start, attacking with purpose, beating three defenders, and tackled with venom. Excellent in the lineout. Will be looking forward to the Ireland tour this summer. 7. Josh van der Flier – 8.5 Another man of the match contender, the Lions flanker carried well and tackled his heart out. Picked the perfect time shear off for Leinster's third try. 8. Jack Conan – 8.5 Another who produced a performance fitting of a final, full of energy and frustration from recent disappointments and criticism. Took the opening score well and made eight successful carries, more than twice the next best. Top tackler with 15. 16. Rónan Kelleher (for Sheehan 56) – 7 Came on to see out the game and did all that was required. 18. Rabah Slimani (for Clarkson 56) – 7 Solid outing and Leinster lost nothing on his arrival. 19. RG Snyman (for Ryan 42) – 8 Came on to add impetus to attack in the second half and delivered his usual array of offloads, carries and lineout nous. Not on long enough to rate 17. Jack Boyle (for Porter 75) 20. Max Deegan for (Conan 75) 21. Fintan Gunne (for McGrath 69) - scored an excellent try. 22. Ross Byrne (for Prendergast 69) 23. Jamie Osborne (for Ringrose 75)
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leinster player ratings as the Blues come good in URC final
Dominant throughout and hungry for more to the end, it wasn't just the Leinster superstar cadre that were putting in massive shifts. Thomas Clarkson's place in the Irish rugby hierarchy was cemented as he monstered a supposedly superior Bulls front-row. Ireland may have Tadhg Furlong and Finlay Bealham on the Lions Tour but Clarkson is now firmly in place behind them. Ryan Baird was outstanding at the lineout while a special word for stand-in Luke McGrath who came in as a late replacement for Jamison Gibson Park. Jimmy O'Brien - Regularly in the right place at the right time whether to field a kick or make a tackle. 8 Tommy O'Brien - Not a lot to do out wide as Leinster's plan remained conservative but delivered when needed. 8 Garry Ringrose - Enthusiastic, always looking for work and a major thorn in the Bulls through the 80 mins. 8 Jordie Barrett - Involved early and often, sensational 14th minute 'soccer' chip and chase on for his try. 9 James Lowe - Livewire all day, clearly desperate to get on the scoresheet the more the game progressed. 8 Sam Prendergast - Early kick settled him, two missed either side of half-time, led the side well out-half. 8 Luke McGrath - Heard, heeded Barrett's call ahead of second-try and launched perfect chip kick. Hero for a day. 8 Andrew Porter - Referee Piardi, who will be the Lions second Test ref, never has problems with Porter's technique. 9 Dan Sheehan - Solid scrummaging and a powerhouse with the ball about the field for his 55 minute stint. 9 Thomas Clarkson - First scrum penalty after 4 minutes, murdering the Bulls scrum for his 55 minutes. 10 Joe McCarthy - Played an important part, his power helping to keep the Bulls pack from dominating. 8 James Ryan - Another demonstration of solidity and concentration that has earned him a first Lions call up. 8 Ryan Baird - Powerhouse display, Man of the Match. Took in the first two line-outs, the second setting up first try. 10 Josh van der Flier - Set the tone with first metres-gaining carry, bagged the third try just after first quarter. 9 Jack Conan - The skipper put in a huge shift on the day Leinster managed to get back to trophy-winning days Replacements: Rónan Kelleher 8, Jack Boyle 8, Rabah Slimani 8, RG Snyman 8, Max Deegan 7, Luke Fintan Gunne 8, Ross Byrne 7, Jamie Osborne n/a Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux 5; Canon Moodie 6, David Kriel 6, Harold Vorster 3, Sebastian de Klerk 6; Johan Goosen 5, Embrose Papier 6; Jan-hendrik Wessels 4, Johan Grobbelaar 5, Wilco Louw 5, Cobus Wiese 6, JF van Heerden 6, Marco van Staden 6, Ruan Nortje (capt) 6, Marcell Coetzee 5 Replacements: Akker van der Merwe 4, Alulutho Tshakweni 5, Mornay Smith 5, Jannes Kirsten 5, Nizaam Carr 5, Zak Burger n/a, Keagan Johannes 5, Devon Williams 5
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gibson-Park maintains Leinster have been improving and are peaking for Bulls
Leinster will take the field with nine Lions among their 13 Irish internationals, eight of whom are on IRFU central contact. Add the best All Black on the planet Barrett and Leinster's in-form but as yet uncapped Tommy O'Brien to make this Jake White has picked a forward-oriented side which has six Springboks in the side albeit none of the big RWC the forwards on the bench look a decidedly weak unit compared to the international Ronan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Slimani, Snyman, Max Deegan it's ironic that South African rugby has revelled in the Bomb Squad notion, it is Leinster who actually have the heavyweights on the line - it has the ironic feel of somebody offering you an Irish whisky that's been made in talked up out-half Johan Goosen during the week and pointed out he was a teenage 'prodigy' but his career never panned is ability there but Rassie Erasmus hasn't touched him for eight years while scrum-half Embrose Papier is rated by Erasmus either and he hasn't been next nor year a Boks cap for six 'Boks stars in the back are just that, Willie le Roux and Can Moodie but an uncapped centre pairing in David Kriel and Harold Vorster are facing Ringrose and Barrett. "Physicality," says Leinster spinning-top, Six Nations star performers and assuredly Lions first choice no9 when asked to sum up the Bulls threat, "the physicality side of it."They fronted up hugely in a couple of big semi-finals against us previously and, as well as that, they've got a lot of firepower."Out the back there will be Willie Le Roux pulling the strings and although he is a no15 he steps up to first receiver a lot of the time and they've got some other unbelievable backs as well."Leinster, as a group, were not overly agitated by their 'performance' against Glasgow where, to be fair, they were out the gate at 37-5 up with 10 minutes left to play, the match finishing 37-19."From our point of view it was a better overall performance than the Scarlets quarter-final."There are a few different areas that we were happy with, like always a few areas to work on but I think overall the sense was that we're better than we were the week before."It's the final, there's a trophy on the line so it's going to be another level up. The Bulls have had experience in a few finals over the last number of years as well."So they'll be hungry and I think they'll be a different animal again but hopefully one would be ready for and it will be an exciting day in Croke Park."Meanwhile Stephen Ferris, a noted harsh critic of Leinster in the past - perhaps their harshest critic - can't see Bulls having enough to cause a surprise. 'The reality is it will be a huge, huge upset if the Bulls come to Dublin and overturn Leinster and win. "That would make it five years in a row that Leinster have finished a season without a trophy. There is so much to play for. There are so many elements to this Final, it should be a fire-cracker of a game.'There's brilliant match-ups all over the pitch but I can't look any further than the front row."Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar and Jan-Hendrik Wessels destroyed a World-Cup winning front row at Sharks last weekend - now they're up against expected Lions starter Andrew Porter as well as Dan Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson.'The Bulls are very set piece dominant. It's all about the scrum and big guys getting on top of the opposition, eking out penalties, getting good field position and trying to launch off it.' Beating Leinster wouldn't just be down to skill either, it would require a game plan and sticking to it when the heat comes on. 'They can't just give Leinster easy opportunities. It's going to be more about what's between the ears. 'The coaches will be trying to get the mental parity of their players right and to make sure they peak at the right time – to ensure they are not going through the motions but that the attention to detail is absolutely spot on. 'There are some key players for Bulls - Sebastian de Klerk for one, he is in fabulous form. Plus Johan Goosen at 10 who gives them that really strong kicking game and percentages as well." Former Ireland international Ferris is predicting the South African side won't be afraid of the 'three-six-nine' mantra. 'The thing about the Bulls is they are extremely efficient. Expect Bulls to take three points when they are on offer pretty regularly."They might only get three or four (tray-scoring) opportunities in a game - but they will take two of them, they have a high success rate. Leinster will have to sharpen up on their efficiency when they are in the right areas. 'The Bulls will be fully focused on trying to be physically dominant like they were last year, make impact tackles, back their defence and stop Leinster's big runners on the gain line and if they do that hopefully it will stem any flowing attack that Leinster might bring. "I see Leinster winning this by at least one score - I'd really like to see them lift the trophy.' Leinster (v Bulls, Croke Park, 5pm, Saturday, TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & Jimmy O'Brien, Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (CAPT)Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie OsborneVodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Canon Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marcell CoetzeeReplacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon WilliamsReferee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 55th league game).VERDICT: Leinster to win comfortably, Bulls don't have the bench to extend the game past the hour.
