Wales to play under closed roof in Japan
Wales players will face more intense conditions on Saturday when the roof of Noevir Stadium in Kobe is shut.There was extreme heat and humidity during the first Test in Kitakyushu last Saturday which Japan won 24-19.With the opening match of the series kicking off in mid-afternoon, players were using caps of ice to try and cool down - and Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau will miss the second Test after he suffered "heat-related cramping" in the first game.The conditions in Kitakyushu meant World Rugby mandated three-minute water breaks in each half and an extended 20-minute half-time interval.Those measures are expected to be repeated this weekend, with a closed roof also presenting issues of high humidity and a resultant slippery ball."From experience of the roof being closed in Principality Stadium, the ball can be a little bit greasy," said Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt."It's going to be hot, maybe a little bit wet, but there'll be some atmosphere because the fans here love their rugby."Atmospherically it's going to be a great experience for the players and obviously there's no getting away from the heat."
Welsh rugby loves roof rows as Eddie Jones weighs in on conditions
Saturday's game in Kobe will kick off at 14:50 local time with Wales facing a different sort of test with the roof being closed.Welsh rugby knows all about a "roof row". There have been many debates about whether the Principality Stadium roof will be open or closed since the ground opened in 1999.Japan head coach Eddie Jones has experienced that, especially during his time with England.While Wales confirmed the roof will be closed this weekend, Jones was not as forthcoming, claiming he did not know.When asked whether he thought Japan had benefitted from the weather conditions and kick-off times, Jones responded: "It's quite ironic talking about roofs when you're playing against Wales."Having known the the goings-on when you go there with England, whether it's going to be open or closed, is it going to rain, is it not going to rain?"All those machinations are the same in every country in the world. "When we go up and play in the northern hemisphere, no one turns the heating on. These are the conditions in Japan. It's the same for both teams. "That's one of the great things of rugby. We have these different conditions and you need to adapt to them."
No excuses
Wales face the Brave Blossoms desperate to gain revenge for last weekend's 24-19 reverse in Kitakyushu, in which they led 19-7 with 20 minutes remaining.That was an 18th successive defeat and the tourists have insisted they are not using conditions as an excuse for results.Captain Dewi Lake is unsure whether he wanted the roof open or closed."There is probably going to be a different type of heat being inside a closed stadium," said Lake."I know in the Principality when the roof is closed, it gets sticky so with the heat over here I am not sure if that will be good or bad."I know there will be no sun and it will be in shade but sometimes the ball gets a bit wetter. "We won't make any excuses for the weather or surroundings, we will make sure we get our things right."Lake says he has not got used to the hot temperatures."The heat is tough but it's the same for both teams," said Lake. "Last week we tried to find shade wherever possible and huddled in groups.If we were behind the posts or had just scored, groups were in shaded areas. So we tried our best to stay out the heat and sun as much as possible."I don't think there is getting any used to it, it's just about dealing with it."After two weeks we are probably better than we were at the start, and we will be fine at the weekend."
Keeping training short
Sherratt agreed with his captain about the elements."The heat is tough," said Wales interim head coach, who will return to Cardiff after this final game of the season."There is no getting away from that. We are not used to playing in it."It has not surprised me, just reinforced what I was told before I came out here."Sherratt says Thursday's training session was the most intense they had experienced."Today was probably the hottest it's been, about 35C or 36C," Sherratt added."Without making excuses, this is a very new group. "We have a new forwards coach who has to install lineouts and Gethin has come into the defence. "I have had three weeks and there is so much work to put in. We are almost starting from scratch but we can't spend three hours in 36C heat so we actually cut today's session slightly short."If the players do not have energy it doesn't matter how much they know tactically or technically, they are not going to have the legs to deliver it."
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Daily Mail
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Whinging Wallabies cry foul over 'dangerous' clearout before winning try... but Lions left wondering what all the fuss is about
The Lions' epic Test triumph at the MCG to seal a historic series victory over Australia sparked a bitter, polarised post-match row about officiating, play-acting and welfare. 'Robbed' is the furious headline in one of the newspapers Down Under and that reflects the mood of host-nation outrage about an incident which they believe unfairly denied the Wallabies a win which would have set up a seismic decider in Sydney next Saturday. The eruption of rage and indignation was prompted by an incident in the last minute of the pulsating close encounter. Ireland lock James Ryan gathered the ball from an attacking ruck, swerved past a defender and drove hard towards the Australian line. When he was tackled, home back-rower Carlo Tizzano pounced to compete over the ball at the ensuing breakdown, only to be smashed backwards by the Lions' Welsh flanker, Jac Morgan, with 79 minutes, four seconds on the match clock. Seconds later, Hugo Keenan crossed for the decisive try, while Tizzano was lying on the ground, holding his head. He had made every attempt to highlight to referee Andrea Piardi that there had been what he considered to be illegal contact made by Morgan. On the pitch, a try was awarded, but there was a chaotic aftermath. Wallabies captain Harry Wilson approached Piardi to vehemently protest about the nature of the challenge which sent Tizzano sprawling theatrically. Seeing the conversation taking place, Maro Itoje dashed over to intervene and forcibly move his opposite number away from the Italian official. Once footage of the incident was reviewed in conjunction with the Television Match Official, Piardi's voice was broadcast on the stadium speakers, declaring that he and his assistants had not seen any evidence of foul play, so the try stood. Cue a cacophony in the stands. The Lions had won. After that, all hell broke loose. Amid a rising tide of Australian unrest about what they regarded as a miscarriage of justice, victorious head coach Andy Farrell was asked for his take on the episode. He said: 'I thought it was a brilliant clear-out. It depends which side of the fence you come from. I can understand people's opinions. I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on.' Itoje had spoken before the series opener about the need for him to communicate well and establish a positive rapport with the referees. So how had he managed this delicate situation? 'It was fine,' he said. 'Naturally, their captain was trying to get his point across and, in my view, argue for something that didn't happen. I guess I was just arguing for something that did happen. 'Fortunately, Jac was accurate with what he was doing and everything was fine.' When Joe Schmidt, Australia's head coach, addressed the issue soon after, there was a very different take on the contentious moment. According to the Kiwi, the evidence was conclusive. 'I think everyone can make their own decision on that,' he said. 'You just have to read law 9.20 and you just have to listen to the description from the referee and then watch the vision when two players are described as arriving at the same time. Just watch the footage.' World Rugby law 9.20 relates to 'Dangerous play in a ruck or maul'. Section b states: 'A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders. Sanction: Penalty.' Here was a classic example of how rugby's shades-of-grey laws are open to wildly conflicting interpretation. To the British and Irish, it was a non-issue. To the Australians, it was a glaring and disgraceful miscarriage of justice. To the British and Irish, Tizzano had come in from the side of the ruck, illegally — plus he had stooped too far so his head was below his hips, which is not allowed. To the Australians, Morgan hit him too high and had a hand on the floor, which he mustn't do. Schmidt was asked how the officials could 'get this so wrong' and his response was: 'Because they are human. 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 are talking about. 'In a world of player welfare, I think that decision… You only have to look at law 9.20. It's what they are there to enforce. A player who dives off his feet and is clearly beaten to the position over the ball, makes neck contact. 'You cannot hit someone above the levels of the shoulders and there's no bind with the left arm — his hand is on the ground. That's what we have seen. 'We have watched a number of replays from different angles, so it is what it is. We just have to accept it.' Pressed on whether he felt the fact this took place in the last minute was a factor, he added: 'Yeah, yeah I do.' This viewpoint about the significance of the timing was endorsed by a former Wallabies captain acting as a match-day pundit. Speaking on Stan Sport, Michael Hooper said: 'I can see what the referee is saying, but there's a penalty there — whether it's on head, neck or going straight off his feet to the ground. I would say if that is minute one, that's a penalty.' Wilson, the current Australia skipper who had been intercepted by Itoje, was asked what he had said to Piardi before the Lions lock had tried to usher him away. He said: 'I saw a shoulder to the neck and Carlo was pretty sore afterwards and he was straight down. I went to him (Piardi) about it. I was told since he wrapped his arms it's all good to be hit in the neck.' The Lions remained resolute in their belief that it was all a storm in a teacup. Finn Russell dismissed any suggestion of foul play by Morgan and argued that Tizzano had gone overboard with his response to being legally moved away from the ruck. 'I think when you saw it back, their boy is over the ball and Jac has cleared him out. It's a hard clear-out and that's all it is. 'I think he (Tizzano) obviously ends up holding his head as if it's illegal, which it wasn't. He obviously holds his head and tried to get a penalty from it. They were trying to get anything at that point. I think that was a brilliant clear-out; pretty much a textbook clear-out. When he's gone in over the ball, Jac has hit him hard, and that's how it is.' Former Lions head coach Warren Gatland was on duty with Sky Sports and speaking after the game, he gave his verdict. 'I just think that's a clear-out,' he said. 'I don't know where Jac Morgan is supposed to go. He hasn't tried to make contact with the head — he's gone low. It's a rugby incident; someone just clearing out a ruck.'
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Stop moaning Australia, your player dived
It felt fitting that this truly enthralling Test, electrified by the Wallabies' wounded pride and the British and Irish Lions' extraordinary powers of perseverance, should end on a moment of the richest theatre. Just when it seemed that Hugo Keenan's last-gasp try had put a rousing, controversy-free exclamation point on this series, with Tadhg Furlong windmilling down the touchline to celebrate, referee Andrea Piardi deferred to the TMO to see whether Jac Morgan had committed an illegal clear-out on Carlo Tizzano just before the full-back scored. In the end, the verdict was clear: the Australian had tried to buy a penalty, falling backwards with an exaggeration of which an Italian centre-forward would have been proud. For the hosts, it was the one sour note in an otherwise highly creditable performance, where they reclaimed their reputation with exceptional spirit and defiance on a night that few present would forget. Tizzano clearly milked the incident, collapsing with a melodrama that could easily have persuaded some officials to chalk off Keenan's try. As Piardi waved off the Australian protests, Andy Farrell could be seen muttering a few choice oaths in relief. It would have been hugely unjust for the series-clinching score to be ruled out on the basis of one player's histrionics. He deserved, as his team did, to celebrate long into the Melbourne night. Still, this could not quell a sense among some Australians that they had suffered a grave miscarriage of justice. Morgan Turinui, the former Wallabies centre, lamented: 'The end is a penalty to the Wallabies, and the referees were too weak to give it. It doesn't matter – you cannot hit a guy in the back of the neck to save the ball from a guy who is legally jackalling. The referees got it wrong. It has cost the Wallabies survival in the series and the Lions lead 2-0. It was brave of them to come back but it was a terrible decision to decide this match.' Such a view smacked of misplaced bitterness. The reality was that Morgan's clear-out technique was blameless: he wrapped his arms legally and could not have gone any lower. By contrast, Tizzano's reaction – staggering back, clutching his head as if in mortal agony – was anything but. Eventually, Piardi agreed, awarding the try that brought rapture for the Lions and deep recriminations for their opponents. As the Lions' families spilt out on to the pitch, with Will Stuart and Bundee Aki leading the chants, you saw the beginnings of a party that might still be going strong in a week's time. Australia earned admiration for the way they turned this into such a compelling contest, even briefly threatening a runaway victory when James Slipper, Jake Gordon and Tom Wright combined for a hat-trick of first-half tries in eight minutes. It was a stirring riposte after the derision they had drawn for their anonymous display in Brisbane, with all in green-and-gold at the MCG marvelling at the ruthlessness with which they exploited their man advantage when Tommy Freeman was sent to the sin bin for his indiscipline. In that exhilarating interlude, you saw the heights of which the Wallabies were capable, whether in their clever kicking game or in the magical, defence-splitting run that Joseph Suaalii produced to send Wright clean through. It was a night, all told, when the sport in Australia rediscovered its soul. The sadness for these players was that even at their most inspired, they still could not sustain the jeopardy until Sydney. Harry Wilson was a study in desolation at the final whistle, explaining: 'We were written off, but we came out here and put our bodies on the line. To lose it at the very end, it hurts.' The captain reflected that he was 'not in the right emotional space' even to discuss the Tizzano incident. Not that this stopped Joe Schmidt from trying, with the Australia head coach suggesting that Morgan had flown into the ruck with such force that he collected Tizzano high. 'It was described as arriving at the same time, and we can all see that that's not the case,' he said. 'We can all see clear contact with the back of the neck, which might be a different decision on another night. We led for 79 minutes and I couldn't quite believe that we didn't get a decision at the end to lead for 80. That's the wicked backlash that sport provides.' HUGO KEENAN WINS IT FOR THE LIONS! 🦁 — Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 26, 2025 But the Lions were also remarkably resilient, weathering the surprise bombardment with patience before finally engineering a stunning coup de grace courtesy of Keenan. Somehow, they conjured this from a 23-5 deficit, completing the greatest comeback ever witnessed in a Lions Test. Even if the pedigree of this Wallabies side continues to be debated, with the limitations again in evidence after Will Skelton and Rob Valetini punched themselves out, the scale of the Lions' feat is beyond dispute. They are only the third side to go 2-0 up in a series in 51 years, and a first clean sweep since 1927 is now firmly in their sights. Such was the euphoric chaos in which this Test ended, they were still faintly giddy in the aftermath. With the MCG long having emptied, they brought plastic chairs out to the centre of the pitch in this vast sporting citadel, sitting in a circle to drink in the grandeur of the setting and the magnitude of their achievement. At one stage, they broke into a refrain of The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, apparently in tribute to Finn Russell and Huw Jones, who had both been outstanding once more. In the corner, Keenan replicated his try in the deserted stadium by diving across the line. The delighted reaction of his team-mates was a reminder of how, once the ructions over the clear-out were stripped away, all that remained was the glory.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Gill and Rahul dig in to lead India fightback after Stokes hits England ton
As England walked off for lunch on the fourth day at Old Trafford they could have been forgiven for thinking their opponents were beaten. India had endured the kind of morning that usually dictates a couple of paracetamol and the curtains being redrawn, such was the pummelling Ben Stokes delivered with bat in hand. It was not just Stokes, either. After his first Test century for two years drove England to 669 all out – 141 from 198 balls – the tourists were tasked with negotiating 15 minutes before the break – a negotiation that could scarcely have gone worse had a couple of contestants from The Apprentice been handling it. Chris Woakes conjured up two wickets in two balls before India had made a dent in the whopping 311-run deficit. And yet by stumps this fourth Test had taken on a different complexion courtesy of a couple of hugely determined performances from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Resisting for two wicketless sessions that forced the Saturday crowd to make their own fun, they steered India to 174 for two from 63 overs. Though still 137 runs behind, there is a chance of rain on Sunday and the draw that seemed so unlikely is now possible. Kudos must first go to the two set batters, not least after 157 overs in the field. Though a decent surface in the main, enough deliveries were shooting low and yet at no point did their focus waver. Both do obduracy in the most elegant ways, with Gill's low-slung hands still caressing the ball and Rahul all technical excellence. Reaching 78 and 87 not out respectively, two of India's senior pros had delivered a message to those lower down. But it also hinted at some of England's shortcomings when Stokes, their standout performer with the ball, is out of action. The supposed cramps that forced him off the field on day three may well be something more sinister going by the sight of him clutching his upper leg a couple of times. After his five-wicket haul in the first innings, all Stokes could do this time was run through the tactical playbook and wait patiently. Woakes was the pick overall and his new-ball burst was something to behold. First went Yashasvi Jaiswal, squared up and edging to slip as Joe Root clung on at the second attempt. Then came a dismissal that Gautam Gambhir could relate to, Sai Sudharsan's attempted leave on his first ball catching the bat and also flying to the cordon. Think back to the India head coach's dismissal at the Oval in 2014, even if he would sooner forget it. But after the hat-trick ball to Gill was survived, the chief threat came from Liam Dawson trying to trap the two right-handers on the back foot with a bit of skid, only for the ball to be met with enough willow each time. And it was Dawson who put down the one genuine chance to materialise during an afternoon that seemed to just disappear. Gill sliced hard to backward point when on 46, only for the ball to burst through the all-rounder's hands. Had it stuck, India would have been 74 for three and Brydon Carse's account in the match would have been opened. Jofra Archer, his fellow quick, got the new ball to talk initially but a couple impassioned appeals for lbw were declined. This five-match epic is asking plenty of both sets of fast bowlers – even those who joined halfway – and India's attack was certainly relieved to get off the park before lunch. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Stokes had given them the runaround, both through the completion of his 14th Test century and the 125 runs that were trowelled on to a pile already bulging from Root's historic 150. Not since 2014 had India shipped a 600-plus total in a Test match, while Jasprit Bumrah's runs column running into three figures was simply a first. If the return of Stokes as a force with the ball has arguably been the biggest plus for England in this series then this innings was not far behind. Resuming on 77, Stokes opened up with a couple of imperious fours off Mohammed Siraj and then tipped past three figures with a flick down leg. Out came the celebration not seen for a good while – that crooked finger salute and a look to the sky to honour his late father, Ged. This was the first time an England captain has scored a century and claimed a five-wicket haul in the same Test match and soon the afterburners were lit as he and Carse (47 from 54 balls) ransacked 95 runs for the ninth wicket. When Stokes monstered Washington Sundar for a straight six it took him past 7,000 Test runs, something only Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis had previously combined with 200-plus wickets. But unless Stokes is able to resume bowling on day five, or others step up in his absence, India could yet wriggle free and head to the Oval with a chance of squaring the series. Gill, previously kept quiet for three innings, is also ominously back in the groove.
