Latest news with #AUSNZInvitationalXV
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Sexton rejects Australian claims that Lions blocked Samu playing
Johnny Sexton has rejected claims made in the Australian media that the British & Irish Lions blocks blocked Wallaby back-rower Pete Samu from the playing for the First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne next Tuesday. The Sydney Morning Herald claimed on Friday that the Lions had prevented Samu from facing them on the grounds he had not played Super Rugby in 2025, as per the tour agreement for this final midweek game of the tour, between the first and seconds Tests. Samu helped Union Bordeaux Begles to their Champions Cup triumph in May before re-signing with Rugby Australia and returning home to join the Waratahs in 2026. The powerhouse back-rower did play against the Lions last Saturday in Adelaide for an AUSNZ Invitational XV but that game, it appears, fell in the pre-Test stage of the tour. First Nations & Pasifika head coach Toutai Kefu was quoted in the Herald as saying that both he and Samu were 'absolutely gutted' with the player's enforced withdrawal but that was news to Lions assistant coach Sexton, who spoke the media at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Friday afternoon local time ahead of Saturday's first Test with the Wallabies. 'The Lions have blocked him?' Sexton queried when asked about the Samu situation. 'I don't know if the Lions have blocked him. I think it's more the rules and regulations of what was agreed before the tour. 'I don't think that's accurate. But look, we're concentrating on tomorrow. I think Tuesday will look after itself. The most important thing for us as a group is concentrating on tomorrow and trying to get a good performance out there.' A follow-up question asked if Sexton had any personal issue with Samu taking the field, to which the former Ireland and Lions fly-half said: 'Well, I'm not a player anymore. You'd have to ask the players who've played against Pete already on this tour. 'But look, it's not for me to talk about really. I'm here to talk about the game tomorrow and look, as a playing group, as a coaching group, I don't think we're that fussed either way to be honest.' Former Wallaby Kefu, however, was certainly fussed when quoted by the Herald. 'I'm absolutely gutted. I still can't believe that they would do it, complain about it. I suppose it is what it is, but it's extra motivation for our boys,' Kefu said. 'We're a team that's just been put together. We're facing a massive challenge as it is, so he would have definitely strengthened us, there's no doubt about that. 'They must have been worried we were going to win. I don't know why they would do it.' If the Lions hierarchy did block Samu from playing next Tuesday, it would be in contrast to a row which blew up between the tourists and Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt during Andy Farrell's squad's first week on Australian soil. The Lions had insisted then that they wanted Wallabies to be released back to their Super Rugby clubs to face them in tour matches, with Schmidt hitting back by saying his refusal to do so save for exceptional circumstances after the opening game against Western Force on June 28 was in accordance with the tour agreement. Tuesday's opposition for the Lions at Marvel Stadium was organised when the Melbourne Rebels went to the wall last year and because it falls in the Test window is subject to a different part of the tour agreement. Sources inside the Lions suggested they were happy with any player who meets the selection criteria as per the tour agreement and the touring side had not pointed out Samu's ineligibility. Rugby Australia issued a brief statement on Friday which suggested the issue was not of their making. 'We are pleased with First Nations & Pasifika XV's preparation for their inaugural match against the Lions at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday,' an RA spokesperson said. 'Pete Samu is a valued member of the Waratahs and has added greatly to the First Nations & Pasifika squad since entering camp. We had naturally hoped he would be playing in this fixture.'
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Maro Itoje: 'We are all trying to strive to being the best team we can be and get that 3-0 win'
Tour captain Maro Itoje has endorsed Henry Pollock's assertion that the British & Irish Lions can whitewash the Australians in the upcoming Test series, suggesting it would be wrong to think any differently. Pollock, the youngest and least experienced player in the 2025 Lions squad at 20 years old and with just one England cap, has attracted headlines in Britain, Ireland and Australia after post-match comments following the 48-0 victory over an AUSNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide last Saturday that a 3-0 series win over the Wallabies was 'definitely on the table' for the tourists. The Northampton Saints back-rower, who is in the selection conversation for the blindside flanker vacancy in Andy Farrell's team for the first Test in Brisbane this Saturday, had said: "We want to come here and be the best Lions team ever. We have been talking about that loads and 3-0 is definitely on the table, hopefully. "We are all trying to strive to being the best team we can be and get that 3-0 win." Pollock may have been viewed as being brash with his remarks at the Adelaide Oval but as the Lions began preparations for the first Test in earnest on Monday in Brisbane, his England pack-mate and captain had no issue with his comments. 'I think that's definitely the ambition,' Itoje said. 'It would go without saying, no one ever wants to lose a game. It would be a bit weird if one of my team-mates said we want to win two and lose one – that would be a bit odd. That's definitely the ambition. 'I'm sure if you were to ask… you said Will Skelton was here earlier… or any other Wallabies players, I hope that's their ambition too, to win all the games. 'Look, obviously we want to win every game we play, that goes without saying. We want to win, as to wear this badge is a tremendous honour and we want to go there and win. But all we're focused is this Saturday. The other two games will look after itself. We just want to get a good result this Saturday.' With another back row Test hopeful, Ben Earl revealing that becoming the best Lions team ever was a collective ambition of the 2025 touring squad, Itoje said his players had the potential to achieve that objective. All that was left was to match those words with actions on the pitch, starting this Saturday. 'We have the capability to do that – it is on us now to deliver. 'And it's on us to deliver over the next three weeks, over these next four games. If we want to do that, if we want to be that, then it's not about talking about it, it's about being about it. The performances over the next three weeks will ultimately be the judge of that.' Itoje, on his third Lions tour having faced the All Blacks in 2017 and the Springboks four years later, confirmed there had been change in atmosphere within the Lions camp now Test week had got underway and the intensity outstripped any national team build-up. 'We know there's going to be a big step up. As we get closer and closer to the game, we'll sharpen and sharpen. There's a healthy tension in the squad because we know this is what we've been working towards. 'It's just the grandness of it, the occasion. It's different to a Test match at Twickenham, it's different to a Test match in any other part of the world, different to a World Cup. The fans go crazy, streets will be lined with people in Lions shirts. You won't be able to go anywhere without Lions fans and people being there. 'It's just a little bit different in that respect. But it's also brilliant, it's also an opportunity that one should relish, an opportunity that we as players should look forward to. We should walk into it. It's one of the great opportunities and events for us.' Both captain and assistant coach John Dalziel on Monday revealed the inspiration the tourists were taking from the Lions memory boards, one for the forwards, another for the backs, created by the players at the suggestion of the coaches. 'The whole idea being that it's a link to history,' Itoje said. 'When you wear this badge and represent the Lions, you have a responsibility because you're representing all four nations. You're also representing all the amazing players who have played and worn the jersey and who've been successful in the jersey. The idea being that it's now our turn, it's our opportunity, and it's up to us to take it forward.'
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
How the British and Irish Lions Test team looks ahead of game one with Australia
Full-back Hugo Keenan's performance against the AUSNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide on Saturday reminded everyone just how dependable he can be at 15. Emerging after 12 days of illness which clearly hampered his efforts on his Lions debut against the Waratahs seven days earlier, Keenan will eased concerns about the full-back berth following Blair Kinghorn's knee injury. Kinghorn's fitness for this Saturday cannot be guaranteed at this point but Andy Farrell will ve satisfied that Keenan is a more than just a next-best option for the first Test. Verdict: KEENAN Right wing Another impressive Mack Hansen outing on the wing for the Lions has given the tour management a real headache over who to select at number 14. A tough decision between Hansen and Tommy Freeman just got even more difficult. Freeman's start against the Brumbies was perhaps his quietest outing of the tour but the Northampton and England wing is strong in the air and a proper out and out finisher compared to Hansen, the roaming playmaker and supplier of a killer last pass while his hunger for work and involvement makes him a Farrell favourite. Verdict: HANSEN Centres What a difference a few days makes. Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose looked string favourites to start as 12 and 13 respectively following their showings against the Brumbies last Wednesday. Then came the news Ringrose had failed concussion protocols after suffering delayed symptoms and was ruled out of the first Test on a 12-day stand down. That now throws Aki's involvement into doubt with Scottish pairing Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones both impressive on Saturday. And then there was the 30-minute contribution off the inside centre from Owen Farrell on his 2025 tour debut. The English veteran's sharp passing, with Tuipulotucmoved to outside centre, was a standout feature in the final quarter and his ability to manage a game invaluable, making up for any lack of pace in midfield. An all-Scottish 10-12-13 axis with Finn Russell at fly-half makes a lot of sense but has Farrell junior muddied the waters? Does Aki still have a chance in a mix and match pairing and could that be at 13, in tandem with Tuipulotu or Farrell? It will be a tough call. Verdict: TUIPULOTU and JONES Left wing After the Brumbies game we underlined the value of James Lowe's booming left boot to any back three combination in the wake of an otherwise below-par performance for the Ireland wing. Lowe may remain favourite for the number 11 jersey in next Saturday's first Test but could he be sacrificed to solve the Freeman-Hansen conundrum on the opposite edge by playing both in-form wings? Lowe's kicking effectiveness at the highest level may be enough to make him a Test Lion, but he is not irreplaceable. Verdict: LOWE James Lowe with fans. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland. Half-backs Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and fly-half Finn Russell remain the front-running half-back pairing for the Test series having sat out Saturday's mismatch against the AUSNZ Invitationals. The less experienced Fin Smith did not male the impact at 10 he would have hoped to make on Saturday and though late call-up Ben White, on debut, made a big impression on the head coach in his start at scrum-half in Adelaide, his run may have come too late to oust Gibson-Park from the Test number nine jersey. Fin Smith may have also lost ground for the bench covering role at fly-half alongside his Northampton Saints and England partner Alex Mitchell with Marcus Smith bringing impact off the bench as his replacement against the AUSNZ XV in an effective tandem with Owen Farrell at 12. Verdict: RUSSELL and GIBSON-PARK Loosehead prop The shootout between Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter for a start against the Wallabies remains in play as Pierre Schoeman started at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday and played the full 80 minutes. That Porter was an unused replacement appears to indicate his place in the Test 23 is secure and as was suggested here following the Brumbies game, Andy Farrell has the luxury of a powerful one-two punch to face Australia, whichever way round he deploys the Irish and English looseheads. Verdict: GENGE Hooker Dan Sheehan remains nailed-on as the first Test starter after being given the night off at the weeekend, while Luke Cowan-Dickie's head injury in his start on Saturday means he has been ruled out of the Brisbane series opener. That clears the way for Ronan Kelleher to secure his place on the Lions Test bench, with two-tour veteran Jamie George leaving England's tour in Argentina to link up with the Lions as additional cover. Verdict: SHEEHAN Tighthead prop Will Stuart has reacted brilliantly to rescue his Lions tour following a disappointing debut against Queensland Reds more than two weeks ago. It may not be enough to dislodge a similarly resurgent Tadhg Furlong though. Much like at loosehead, the Lions have a one-two at tighthead in Furlong and Stuart, or Finlay Bealham for that matter, to go into a series against the Wallabies with confidence. Verdict: FURLONG Read More Springboks borrow playbook from Under-14 B schools team Locks Tour captain Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy remain the first-choice second-row combination for the Test series but Tadhg Beirne has advanced his claim for a bench spot. The Munster captain led the Lions to their 48-0 victory over AUSNZ on Saturday and put in a solid shift, as did fellow lock James Ryan, as the tourists finally sorted out their breakdown issues, albeit against disappointing opponents. Beirne will also be an option as a starting blindside flanker but his the matchday 23 against the Wallabies this Saturday could be secure. Verdict: ITOJE and McCARTHY Blindside flanker The selection battles for the numbers six and seven jerseys appear to remain unresolved The initial issue could be whether to choose a third lock, that hybrid player between a second row and blindside such as Ollie Chessum and Tadhg Beirne, or a flanker in the Tom Curry/Henry Pollock mould. Andy Farrell is keeping his cards close to his chest. Pollock brings a genuine x-factor to the position and poses a real threst out on the fringes but for the purpose of reaching a decision, the hybrid option outweighs, literally, the lighter, more mobile models who can bring an impact off the bench. Verdict: CHESSUM Openside flanker Perhaps the most hotly contested positional vacancy with Josh van der Flier and Jac Morgan both playing excellent rugby while Ben Earl and Curry are also among the runners and riders. Ireland's van der Flier came off the bench against both the Brumbies and AUSNZ in consecutive matches and made his presence felt in a positive manner with Curry having failed to fire as the starter at number seven. Morgan, flying the flag for Wales, made sone strong impacts as the starter at seven on Saturday and it will be a tight call whichever way Farrell eventually makes his choice. Verdict: VAN DER FLIER No.8 Jack Conan's strong showing against the Brumvies last Wednesday looked to be enough to nail the Test start, although Ben Earl played well as the starter in Adelaide three days later. It could be another 50/50 call for the Lions brains trust to make. Verdict: CONAN.
Irish Examiner
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Easterby reveals positive scan for Kinghorn eight days out from Lions Test
The British & Irish Lions insist Blair Kinghorn has a chance of passing fit for the first Test against Australia in eight days but there is confidence from within the coaching group that rival full-back Hugo Keenan has all the attributes to stake his claim to the 15 jersey. Keenan starts at full-back at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday against a strong AUSNZ Invitational XV, the Lions' final tour match before the Test series with the Wallabies gets underway in Brisbane seven days later. After a difficult start to his tour when the Irishman's Lions debut was delayed until game three against the Waratahs in Sydney last Saturday, Keenan has been presented with a shot at Test selection if he lives up to expectation and finds form in Adelaide. Kinghorn sustained a knee injury in last Wednesday's win over the Brumbies, considered serious enough to call up Jamie Osborne from Ireland's tour in Portugal. Lions defence coach Simon Easterby on Friday explained the versatile Leinster back would have only a training role on his arrival in Brisbane this Sunday and suggested Scotland and Toulouse's Kinghorn could be back on the practice field himself ahead of the first Test. 'At the moment, sprained knee is what we're hearing,' Easterby said following training at the Adelaide Oval. 'Obviously he didn't look great against the Brumbies and it was the right thing to do to pull him off. But actually, the scan has showed up way more positive than we'd hoped originally. 'We're hopeful that he'll take some part in next week and then it'll be a little bit of a waiting game in terms of whether he's available for the first Test. 'Not being a medical person, I'm not sure exactly the timeframes. But yes, it'll be one of those things that we'll just have to take day by day. Like a lot of these injuries throughout a tour, we'll give guys an opportunity to try and prove their fitness. And who knows? If it works out, great. If not, we've got good guys who are able to step up.' Easterby said Keenan would be 'keen but not desperate' to make up for lost time in his second start for the Lions. 'He is pretty level-headed, he is pretty calm and he is just frustrated I guess that he hasn't had the opportunity, or as much opportunity, to put on the jersey and perform. He will be keen but not desperate to impress tomorrow, I think everyone will. 'It is a really strong team we are putting out and going against a really strong outfit so it is a great challenge. 'You know the strengths of Blair but we have also got a couple of other very good options at 15. Hugo has obviously had a bit of illness and has not been able to take part fully in preparation for each game so tomorrow presents a really big opportunity for him to go well and have a really strong performance.' Easterby works regularly with Keenan in his role as Ireland defence coach and interim head coach for the last Six Nations and he knows the full-back's value to a team. 'Whatever system he is in, he is a bit of a goalkeeper at the back, he talks brilliantly, his comms are good, his actions are better and his connections with the front line, all the things you want a 15 to be in defence he is all of that. 'And then, his ability on the ball and in the air, which is where the game is being challenged at the moment in terms of that aerial contest, so he has got everything Hugo has, and it is a perfect opportunity for him after having a good few days without any sickness. He is feeling a lot better and stronger and it is a great opportunity for him to stake a claim for next week.' The addition of Osborne to the touring party next week will bring the Irish playing contingent to 17, 13 of them from Leinster, a number from one club pointed out to Easterby by an English journalist that was equal to England's representation. 'It is the first time we have thought about that but it's certainly not something that we have thought about,' Easterby. 'But those partnerships they help obviously, but you can see some really good partnerships being built from players from different clubs and different players from different countries. 'Obviously certain things in a short space of time will help. But I don't think anyone has ever considered bringing in Jamie because he is a Leinster player or an Ireland player; he is just the right player. 'You saw in the Georgia game, he performed well and he performed well at the end of the season. He was always in the conversation like a lot of players were but because he has had great experiences with Leinster and with Ireland as well working with some great people. 'He's stepped up for Ireland in Georgia and getting the feedback from Paul (O'Connell) over there and how he has gone on that tour is something that has impressed everyone. Him coming out here is brilliant. He will want to come out and get stuck in and if he gets an opportunity I am sure he will take it.'
