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BBC News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Furlong ready to roar for Lions on third tour
Tadhg Furlong pronounced himself ready for the challenges of a third Lions tour ahead of Saturday's first game on Australian soil against Western Force here in 32 year-old is a veteran of the last two tours to New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a draw, and South Africa four years ago, when the Lions Leinster prop, however, was a stalwart of both series playing in all six tests matches and he'd like to extend that run Down Under.'Would it be cool to say that I played in all three again?'Yeah, it would. Is it something that motivates me at the minute? No.'I think obviously after the result last weekend, we're looking straight ahead for this Saturday, so it's just about trying to get my best out onto the pitch and trying to get results with the lads,' explained so long ago there were doubts Furlong would make the squad. A calf strain was the latest in a long line of injuries that kept him sidelined for most of last season missing Leinster's URC win a couple of weeks ago.'There wasn't a big bang and it was like you're out for six months and you're trying to scramble back.'They're all kind of short-term injuries, and you're always trying to get back for this game or that game, and I suppose I was fully invested in the end of the season with Leinster, so it wasn't ever feeling of you wouldn't get back fit for something.'It's more a feeling of would you get picked, have you done enough?Furlong will pack down in the front row against Western Force alongside his Leinster team mate and now Lions captain Dan Sheehan.'I suppose knowing Dan, he doesn't overthink it a whole lot, and he always plays well, and I think he has the respect of the group.'I'm delighted for him as a friend and a teammate.'He was a big old hooker and I remember him coming into a few scrum sessions. 'It's hard to find your slot, what's comfortable, what works for you.'Then it just exploded for him. He's a freak. I'm not sure at what point, but when he came onto the scene, he came onto the scene quick.'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dan Sheehan warns Lions will match Western Force's hunger
Dan Sheehan insists his British and Irish Lions will use their pride in the jersey to match the determination of a Western Force side who are targeting a famous victory in Perth. Lions captain Maro Itoje has been stood down for the opening fixture on Australian soil so Ireland hooker Sheehan takes charge of Andy Farrell's men at Optus Stadium on Saturday. Advertisement Henry Pollock makes his first start for the elite of British and Irish rugby after being picked at number eight while Finn Russell, the early favourite to take the playmaking duties against the Wallabies, is given his maiden outing of the tour at fly-half. The Lions know they are being targeted by Super Rugby teams eager to make history but Sheehan, who skippered Ireland against Wales in the Six Nations, declares they will not have a monopoly on passion. 'It's important to know where the opposition's mindset is and how they approach a game that only comes around every 12 years, like it does for the Western Force,' said the 26-year-old, who is one of nine players in the matchday 23 set to make their Lions debuts. Advertisement 'I'm sure the Force will be 150 per cent of what they usually are. They will be flying into it and that bit of extra hunger can produce some powerful things. 'They would have been eyeing this game up since they probably first stepped into that Western Force change room. It'll mean an awful lot to them. 'But I don't want them to think that they're going to be hungrier than us. We have to demonstrate back our own mindset because this will be the first time I will be putting on the jersey, along with a few other lads.' The Force is the second game of a tour that began with a 28-24 defeat by Argentina in Dublin and while matches will soon come thick and fast, chances to impress Lions boss Andy Farrell will be limited. Advertisement Farrell, however, has cautioned over the danger of players wanting a Test place too much. 'That's desperation and that's what we don't want because desperation leads to people being distorted in the way they go about the game,' he said. There are two survivors from the side that faced the Pumas in Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne, although they have been switched to inside centre and blindside flanker respectively. Three-time Lions tourist Tadhg Furlong is given the chance to improve his match fitness with a start at tighthead prop following a season that has been heavily interrupted by calf injuries. Tadhg Furlong has worked his way back from injury to start in Perth (Niall Carson/PA) 'There wasn't a big bang moment when you're out for six months and you're trying to scramble back, they were all short-term injuries,' Furlong said. Advertisement 'It was tough because as the weeks went on we still thought we had a fighting chance for getting back for Leinster at the end of the season, but it just wasn't right. It would have been very risky to chance something. 'As desperate as you are to get on to the pitch, you also have a situation where you can't push. 'In some ways you can live with yourself because you're doing everything you can to get out there. When you can't, you can't.'
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Henry Pollock given golden Lions opportunity with Western Force start at No 8
Henry Pollock will make his first start for the British and Irish Lions in Saturday's opening fixture on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth. Pollock made his debut off the bench in Friday's 28-24 defeat by Argentina at the Aviva Stadium and the 20-year-old rising star of English rugby – who is the youngest player in the 2025 Lions squad – features at No 8 in an early opportunity to press his claim for Test selection. Lions captain Maro Itoje has been stood down for this weekend so hooker Dan Sheehan leads the team at Optus Stadium, having skippered Ireland for the first time against Wales in this year's Six Nations. Sheehan is one of five starters who will make their Lions debuts with his Ireland team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier completing the list. There are two survivors from the side that faced the Pumas in Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne, although on this occasion they have been switched to inside centre and blindside flanker respectively. 'Dan Sheehan gets the opportunity to lead the side against Western Force, which is a great honour for him and his family – so congratulations to Dan as he captains the side on his Lions debut,' Itoje said. 'We know the quality and experience the Force have and the opportunity to play against the Lions always brings out special performances from the Super Rugby sides, so we expect them to be at their best.' Pollock is one of two opensides picked in the back row with Van der Flier also more accustomed to playing in the number seven jersey. Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy form the second row partnership against the weakest of Australia's four Super Rugby teams while three-time Lions tourist Tadhg Furlong is given the chance to improve his match fitness. Tighthead prop Furlong has been struggling with a calf injury since May amid a season affected by hamstring and calf issues, forcing him to miss the entire autumn and most of the Six Nations. Finn Russell, the early favourite to take the fly-half duties for the first Test against the Wallabies on July 19, makes his first appearance of the tour, forming a half-back partnership with Tomos Williams. Ireland wings Lowe and Mack Hansen are included in a back three alongside England's Elliot Daly while Marcus Smith is on the bench to provide fly-half and full-back cover. British and Irish Lions team to face Western Force: 15. Elliot Daly (Saracens/England); 14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland), 13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/Ireland), 12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow/Scotland), 1.1 J Lowe (Leinster/Ireland); 10. Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), 9. T Williams (Gloucester/Wales); 1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland), 2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland, capt), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland), 4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow/Scotland), 5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Ireland), 6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), 7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/Ireland), 8. Henry Pollock (Northampton/England) Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland),17. Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), 18. Will Stuart (Bath/England), 19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester/England), 20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland), 21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton/England), 22. Huw Jones (Glasgow/Scotland), 23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England)
CNA
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Australia coach Schmidt impressed by depth of Lions squad
SYDNEY :Australia coach Joe Schmidt was impressed with the depth of the British & Irish Lions squad and thinks the Wallabies will have to play their own game if they are to come out on top in the three-test series in July and August. The New Zealander knows many of the 38 players named last week from his time as Ireland coach but is looking forward to the Lions taking on Argentina on June 20 to get a glimpse of others and an idea of the way Andy Farrell's team might line up. "I think everything's a contest there," Schmidt told reporters on Monday. "Some of them I know very well having coached them, but I think some of the lesser-known ones are going to be very interesting. "And also just to see what combinations the Lions staff are deciding to put together, because that might give us an indication of who we might face in the first test. Because there's a lot of competition for places." Schmidt said he had been impressed with what he had seen of 20-year-old England flanker Henry Pollock, who was selected for the Lions after playing only 32 minutes of test rugby. "(He) is a very, very promising player," he said. "Considering he was playing in the England under-20s at the start of the Six Nations and came through and ended up playing for the senior side, not many players get to do that, particularly not in the forwards." Schmidt oversaw a marked improvement in the Wallabies last year but said failing to beat Ireland in Dublin last November after leading 13-5 at halftime had taught them a key lesson. "I don't think that we can come out against the Lions and say, right, let's try to shut the game down," he said. "They have power, skill, they have speed. So they can play in a number of ways and whatever way they play, we're going to have to try to play our game." Schmidt said he would select a squad of up to 40 players after all the Australian teams had concluded Super Rugby, but would also release test players back to their teams to allow them to face the Lions in tour matches. The 59-year-old reiterated that no eligible player, whether they are currently playing overseas or heading offshore at the end of the season, had been ruled out of selection for the series. He said he had been in touch with overseas-based lock Will Skelton, centre Samu Kerevi and winger Marika Koreibete, who all played tests last year, as well as flyhalf James O'Connor, who is playing Super Rugby in New Zealand. "We don't want to discount anyone because, as Andy's done, we'd love to pick a form squad," he said. "But as I've always said, if there's anything that we think is 50-50, it's more difficult to absorb someone in from outside of the groups that play together already. It's just not the same cohesion."
