Argentina stun British & Irish Lions in Dublin
Santiago Cordero of Argentina scores the match winning try against the British & Irish Lions in Dublin.
Photo:.
The Lions started their campaign with a rare home game against the Pumas of Argentina, before their highly anticipated tour of Australia in a fortnight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Five newcomers named in All Blacks squad
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has announced five newcomers in his 33-strong squad for their upcoming test series against France. Rugby reporter Joe Porter spoke to Charlotte Cook. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Marc Marquez wins Italian Grand Prix to delight Ducati fans on home soil
Ducati rider Marc Marquez leads at the Italian Grand Prix. Photo: Photosport Ducati's Marc Marquez won the Italian Grand Prix after a dogfight for podium places at the Mugello Circuit, taking the chequered flag ahead of his brother Alex to maintain his iron grip on the riders' championship. Gresini Racing's Alex briefly led the race early on before Marc took control, while Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Racing claimed third place after snatching the final podium spot from his Italian compatriot Francesco Bagnaia. Home favourite Bagnaia also led the race in the initial stages but the Italian, who had won the last three races at Mugello, was overshadowed by the Marquez brothers and could only finish fourth in front of his home fans. Marc's victory was also the 93rd win of his career across all classes, matching his motorcycle number, and the Spaniard celebrated by planting a Ducati flag in front of the home fans who once saw him as a rival when he was with Honda. "Amazing feeling... three Ducatis on the podium, to win here (at Mugello) in the red," said Marc, who now leads Alex by 40 points while Bagnaia is 110 points back in third. "I already understood this morning that was super special for them, even for me, because I feel part of them. Super happy. "We managed the race... I was calm and then when the tyres dropped a bit, I started to give everything. Happy to take the 37 points in this amazing weekend." Fresh from claiming his historic 100th career pole with a blistering lap record and Saturday's unlikely sprint victory, Marc found himself locked in a fraternal battle with Alex -- a running theme this season. Marc Marquez Photo: Photosport The opening laps unfolded as a masterclass in close-quarter racing between the two factory Ducati machines -- their special Italian Renaissance livery flashing through Mugello's sweeping turns -- while Alex stayed on their tail. The crowd erupted when Bagnaia briefly snatched the lead from Marc after turn one but what followed was high-speed drama as they traded positions, occasionally making heart-stopping contact with each other. Disaster nearly struck when Bagnaia, pushing his bike to the limit, touched Marc's rear tyre as he was forced to brake hard and surrender his position to Alex. Fans in the grandstand witnessed a spectacular moment when all three riders thundered into turn one abreast, a three-wide gamble that saw Alex briefly seize control, drop to third on the brakes and then reclaim the lead moments later on the exit. But Marc eventually broke free, leaving brother Alex to doggedly defend second position against a relentless Bagnaia. However, the Italian did not have the late-race pace to catch up and he was soon forced to defend the final podium place, with Di Giannantonio looking to upstage his compatriot. With two laps to go, Di Giannantonio made his move on turn seven as he squeezed past the twice champion and raced away to claim his first podium finish at Mugello. "I knew that I had to risk a lot to take him but at the end, the last lap, I said, 'Okay, let's go for it,' and we've done it," Di Giannantonio said. "My first podium in MotoGP Mugello, in front of this fantastic group of fans." - Reuters
1News
2 days ago
- 1News
British and Irish Lions lose their Australia tour warmup to Argentina
First, the good news for the British and Irish Lions: They didn't appear to suffer any tour-ending injuries against Argentina on Saturday. The bad news: They lost to Argentina 28-24 in the warmup to their nine-game tour of Australia. The result, humbling for now, will be regarded as a minor setback, maybe even an inspiration, if the Lions go on and win the three-test series against the Wallabies. The Lions led the Pumas for only 12 minutes in the entire match and had two prime attacking chances in the last four minutes. But their lineout maul was stopped in its tracks, then a Lions penalty in front of the posts was overturned due to a neck roll by Tadhg Beirne. "We weren't as consistent as we would have liked to be. We only showed glimmers of what we can do," Lions captain Maro Itoje told broadcaster Sky Sports. ADVERTISEMENT "When we were on it, we looked good, we just need to do it more consistently. Argentina showed us where we are lacking. I am happy we had a hard-fought game. We live and learn. This is only match one." Despite a training camp in Portugal that was meant to help cement combinations, and nine English starters, the Lions still looked less cohesive and determined than Argentina, which was missing a dozen front-liners and had only two proper training runs. The Pumas beat the Lions for the first time in a history between them that goes back to 1910. They also warmed up the 2005 Lions in Cardiff, and suffered heartbreak when Jonny Wilkinson landed a penalty in the 87th minute for a 25-25 draw. No draw this time. The Pumas were ruthless with their chances and matched the Lions with three tries. Two tries from inside their own 22 were the game's highlights. Argentina's Tomas Albornoz, left and teammate Argentina's Simon Benitez Cruz celebrate after winning the Rugby Union international match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Source: Associated Press) The Lions enjoyed majority possession, had the better scrum, and gave away only five penalties but they forced too many passes and the Pumas defence was outstanding. "You can't win a test with that error rate," Lions coach Andy Farrell said. "We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. They were hungrier than us with the ball on the ground. ADVERTISEMENT "There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off, I take responsibility for that. I hope we are better off for that." The Lions were nowhere near their test side. Few players from last weekend's finals of the English Premiership and United Rugby Championship were involved, and only six of the 16 Irish players. But the Pumas were understrength, too, for a match outside the test window. Argentina scored the first points, a Tomas Albornoz penalty, and the first try, finished by wing Ignacio Mendy from an Albornoz miss-out pass to fullback Santiago Carreras in a gap. Meanwhile, the Lions had two tries in the first quarter ruled out for knock-ons but Bundee Aki finally got their first touchdown when he busted through three defenders. Lions' Bundee Aki drives forward as he runs on to score a try during the Rugby Union international match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Peter Morrison/AP) The second quarter was all Argentina. Albornoz kicked two more penalties and converted his own injury-time try for 21-10. The Lions didn't protect ruck ball in the Argentina 22 and Rodrigo Isgro and Carreras set Albornoz away in an 80m counterattack. ADVERTISEMENT The Lions rubbed out the deficit thanks to the forwards. A penalty try from a lineout maul also sent Pumas prop Mayco Vivas to the sin-bin, and the Lions used the man advantage to give Beirne a converted try. But moments later, an Isgro aerial catch started a sweeping counterattack involving Albornoz, No. 8 Joaquin Oviedo, debut starter Justo Piccardo and Matias Moroni that was finished by a swan dive from Santiago Cordero. Even with 22 minutes left, the Lions could not find a reply The first game in Australia is against the Western Force in Perth in eight days.
