British and Irish Lions: Owen Farrell captain for First Nations & Pasifika XV clash as Blair Kinghorn returns
Farrell is given his maiden start of the tour 17 days after he joined the Lions squad as a call-up for Elliot Daly and forges a midfield partnership with fellow late arrival Jamie Osborne.
The former England captain came on as a second-half replacement against AUNZ on July 12 and produced some eye-catching moments in attack as he blew away the cobwebs in his first appearance since May 4.
It will be the first time in four tours that he has skippered the Lions and his selection presents the opportunity to play his way into contention for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies.
Blair Kinghorn has the chance to prove his fitness for the Melbourne Cricket Ground showdown after missing the series opener in Brisbane with a knee injury, lining up at full-back.
Alex Mitchell is set to continue his remarkable run of having played in every match on tour after being picked on the bench, where he is joined by Ben Earl and Marcus Smith, who are also backing up, having been involved in Saturday's 27-19 win against Australia.
Garry Ringrose has recovered from the concussion that forced him to miss out at Suncorp Stadium to secure a replacement's role for the final midweek game of the tour.
The Ireland star was favourite to start the Test series at outside centre until he suffered his head injury, resulting in Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu being paired together in their tried and tested all-Scotland combination.
There are three specialist opensides in the back row in Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock, each of whom has an outside chance of winning a place on the bench for the second Test.
Apart from Farrell and Osborne, there are seven further late additions to the squad involved in Darcy Graham, Ben White, Jamie George, Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Tom Clarkson and Gregor Brown.
"This fixture gives players another opportunity to put their hand up for selection for the final two Tests," Lions head coach Andy Farrell said.
"The coaches' minds are open when it comes to selection, they have to be with so many players performing and pushing for places and we want that to continue for the remaining two Tests.
"This group know the level of performance that we will require against a First Nations Pasifika team that is packed with talent and power."
Lions XV: B Kinghorn; D Graham, J Osborne, O Farrell, D van der Merwe; F Smith, B White; P Schoeman, J George, F Bealham, J Ryan, S Cummings, J Morgan, J van der Flier, H Pollock
Replacements: E Ashman, R Sutherland, T Clarkson, G Brown, B Earl, A Mitchell, M Smith, G Ringrose
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gulden leads Swans to win over Bombers in 100th game
Sydney have handed Essendon a ninth consecutive loss, defeating the Bombers by 14 points in a scrappy contest in slippery conditions at the SCG. Swans superstar Errol Gulden kicked the first goal of the game in his 100th AFL match, and the Swans were never headed thereafter, cruising to a 9.14 (68) to 7.12 (54) win on Saturday. With Nick Blakey (28 disposals) controlling play from the back half, and Gulden (30 disposals) and Isaac Heeney (28 disposals) racking up possessions through the middle, the Swans never looked like losing. The perfect way to kick off your 100th game from Errol Gulden 🤩#AFLSwansDons — AFL (@AFL) August 2, 2025 Ruckman Brodie Grundy, who has polled coaches' votes in his last seven games, continued his outstanding form, giving the Sydney midfielders first use around stoppages and winning plenty of the ball himself, finishing with 39 disposals. The Swans lacked an obvious focal point in attack, with Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean on the sidelines, but found goals through Braeden Campbell and Justin McInerney, who kicked two each. Essendon battled hard around the contest, finishing with just eight fewer contested possessions, but the gap in class when it came to ball use was obvious. The Swans had 115 more uncontested disposals, and were able to change angles and create handball chains while the Bombers looked impotent with the ball in hand. With 16 players unavailable due to injury, the Bombers looked undermanned and often uninspired, regularly kicking the ball long down the line for little reward on the scoreboard. Essendon could manage just four goals to three-quarter time, but continued to fight, mounting a late challenge in the final term through goals from Mason Redman, Isaac Kako and Lachie Blakiston. But after the Bombers trimmed the margin to 13 points with plenty of time left on the clock, Sydney settled and took control, slowing down play and chipping the ball around. Sam Durham battled manfully for the Bombers, while Rising Star contender Archie Roberts showed great composure in the back half, but there was little else for Essendon fans to take out of the match. With finals out of the equation for both sides, Sydney will meet Brisbane, Geelong and West Coast in their final three games of the season, while Essendon have matches against Geelong, St Kilda, Carlton and Gold Coast to come.
CNET
2 hours ago
- CNET
How to Watch Australia vs. British & Irish Lions From Anywhere: Stream 3rd Test Rugby Union Free
The British and Irish Lions could claim an historic tour whitewash today as they take on Australia in the third and final Test at Accor Stadium. Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch this match as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the game isn't available where you are. The Lions enter this final clash with an unassailable 2-0 series lead, after Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan condemned the Wallabies to an agonising defeat in last Saturday's encounter with a controversial late try, Andy Farrell's men have won all seven games in Australia so far, with a win here set to see the Lions claim their first unbeaten tour since 1974's campaign in South Africa. Australia have been forced into five changes for this final face off. Matt Faessler, Allan Ala'alatoa, Harry Potter, David Porecki and star forward Rob Valetini are all ruled out through injured with Tom Hooper, Billy Pollard, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Taniela Tupou and Dylan Pietsch drafted in as replacements. The tourists make two changes to last weekend's line up with Blair Kinghorn coming in for James Lowe and James Ryan replacing Ollie Chessum. Australia takes on the British & Irish Lions on Saturday, August 2, at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. AEST local time in Australia, which makes it a 6 a.m. ET or 3 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada. For rugby fans in the UK it's an 11 a.m. BST kick-off, while it's a 10 p.m. NZST start in New Zealand and a noon SAST start in South Africa. Lions skipper Maro Itoje was named man of the match in last weekend's second Australia vs. British & Irish Lions in the US Rugby fans in the US can watch today's game on streaming service Paramount Plus, which has exclusive rights to show all three of this year's British & Irish Lions Tests in the US. Paramount Plus subscriptions cost $8 or $13 per month, depending on the tier you select. Both give you access to today's game. The entry-level Essential plan is ad-supported. The pricier Showtime plan removes most ads and includes downloads and Showtime programming. You can also purchase a full year of either plan and save some money versus paying monthly. How to watch the British & Irish Lions tour online from anywhere using a VPN If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the international rugby action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming. It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security. They can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance. If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial. James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at Livestream Australia vs. British & Irish Lions in the UK and Ireland The third test of the Lions' three-game series against Australia will be broadcast exclusively live via Sky Sports Main Event and Action from 10 am. Now TV Now Watch the British & Irish Lions tour in the UK for £35 Subscribers can also stream the action via the Sky Go app. Sky subsidiary Now (formerly Now TV) offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for £15 (perhaps just for the final round) or sign up for a monthly plan from £35 a month to watch all four days of the tournament. See at Now Livestream Australia vs. British & Irish Lions in Canada If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. DAZN DAZN Watch international rugby in Canada from CA$30 a month A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$20 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, plus EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis. As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there's a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs. See at DAZN Livestream Australia vs. British & Irish Lions free The great news for rugby fans down under is that all three of the British & Irish Lions test matches are being broadcast free across Channel 9 and 9Gem. That means you'll be able to watch the games online free on the network's streaming service 9Now. Quick tips for streaming Australia vs. British & Irish Lions using a VPN
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Panthers down Titans in golden-point thriller
Penrith five-eighth sensation Blaize Talagi has scored a golden-point try for the ages to down a brave Gold Coast 30-26 in a drama-charged classic at Robina. Panthers halves Talagi and Nathan Cleary orchestrated a 24-0 lead by halftime before the Titans hit back in stunning fashion in front of 18,174 fans. Gold Coast fullback AJ Brimson and half Jayden Campbell turned it on with sheer individual brilliance as the hosts scored five tries in 25 minutes to take a 26-24 lead in the 74th minute. Cleary, as only he can, landed a 41m two-point field goal in the 79th to take the match to golden point. He then missed his first field goal shot from 30m out before 20-year-old Talagi started and finished a 60m attacking raid in the 83rd minute.. The Panthers secured an eighth consecutive victory to leave the four-time defending premiers on 29 competition points, just one behind the fourth-positioned Warriors. In an ominous omen, Penrith have made the grand final on all five occasions (2003 and 2020-2024) they have previously won eight in a row. The Panthers are capable of challenging for a fifth straight title but will need to heed lessons from their great escape. They were cruising at halftime but the Titans had other ideas. Talagi seals the game in golden point! 💥Telstra Moment of the Match — NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2025 Brimson sent centre Brian Kelly in before Campbell intercepted a Cleary pass to race 90m and get the 16th-placed Titans on the board. Campbell was at it again to step and weave his way through and hooker Sam Verrills dived over from dummy-half. Minutes later Phil Sami finished off a Brimson bust and the lead had been cut to two. Sami was in again after Penrith muffed a Kieran Foran bomb and Gold Coast led 26-24 with six minutes to play. The high drama continued when a Panthers trainer ran in front of Campbell as he was preparing to line up the conversion. He missed after re-setting. The Titans scored three tries when centre Izack Tago was in the sin bin for a professional foul on Brian Kelly. It was Cleary and Talagi brilliance that then saved Penrith. Talagi has been a revelation in 2025 after filling the big shoes of club legend Jarome Luai. His confidence and decision making have grown each week, and the 20-year-old's skillset and speed are top notch. Panthers winger Thomas Jenkins has enjoyed a breakout year and he leapt high above opposite number Jaylan De Groot to snaffle a pinpoint Talagi bomb to open the scoring in the 19th minute. Cleary genius with the ball in hand deceived the Titans defence to lay a pass on for fullback Dylan Edwards to score. Cleary, again, bombed away and Talagi leapt high above Brimson before streaking away under the sticks. Centre Casey McLean then rocketed 55m to score on the cusp of halftime. The fireworks then exploded after the break in what was a sensational confrontation.
