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Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Resmed Champions Sleep Health as The Official Sleep Partner of The Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia 2025
SAN DIEGO and LONDON and DUBLIN and SYDNEY, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), the leading health technology company focused on sleep, breathing, and care delivered in the home, has been named the Official Sleep Partner of the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia. The Tour brings rugby fans' dreams to life over a six-week period. For the first time in 12 years, The Lions squad, alongside an estimated 40,000 fans, will battle it out with the Wallabies, Super Rugby Pacific teams, and exhibition sides in six cities across Australia. As the Official Sleep Partner, Resmed will launch 'Tackle Your Sleep,' a digital and content focused campaign featuring legendary rugby players. The campaign takes a light-hearted look at serious sleep health issues affecting players and the fans in Australia, the UK, and Ireland, with the rugby legends sharing advice and tools to support better sleep. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of quality sleep for the rugby players and fans, as the third pillar of health, alongside exercise and diet1. Poor sleep can take a serious toll on mental health, physical health2, relationships3, and daily performance4. For athletes, it can impair optimal training, motivation, physical performance, and increase the risk of fatigue-related injuries3. A study of 175 rugby and cricket players found that half were classified as poor sleepers, with many reporting significant daytime fatigue5 — highlighting how sleep hygiene and recovery routines can offer a real competitive edge. Despite these known negative effects, Resmed's 2025 Global Sleep Survey found that one in four people globally are choosing to live with poor sleep6. Katrin Pucknat, Chief Marketing Officer of Resmed, said: 'Poor sleep affects every aspect of our lives, but the good news is there are steps we can take to improve our sleep health. 'As the Official Sleep Partner of the tour, we're excited to raise awareness about the powerful connection between sleep and athletic performance and inspire fans to think about the role that sleep plays in their own lives, while having some fun along the way.' Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions said: 'The Lions are always seeking new ways to support our players and management team and sleep is a vital component of performance. 'Resmed adds another dimension to our acclimatisation and recovery strategies, ensuring the squad is primed to perform for the duration of the Tour. They will also be sharing insights to help travelling supporters stay well rested and in full voice for each fixture.' Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh said: 'Resmed is a leader in their field and we're incredibly pleased to welcome them as an official partner for this year's British & Irish Lions Tour. 'Quality sleep is certainly important for our players to perform at their best but there's no doubt good sleep is just as vital for all those celebrating and connecting throughout the Tour across Australia.' The British & Irish Lions will play 10 matches in total, with three Test matches against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. About The British & Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is an iconic sporting brand in the world of rugby. Every four years, the Lions Men – the best of the best selected from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – travel to the southern hemisphere to take on Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa on landmark tours. The British & Irish Lions has announced the initial details of a historic inaugural Lions Women's Tour with the best women's players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales traveling to New Zealand to play the current world champions in 2027. The British & Irish Lions will continue to collaborate with all key stakeholders, including its constituent Unions, World Rugby, and the various leagues to finalise full Tour details. The Lions is the pinnacle of players' careers, a once in a lifetime experience for fans and leaves an enduring legacy wherever the team visits. The Lions foundations are strong, built upon 130 years of history and tradition with tours taking place regularly since 1888. About Resmed Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) creates life-changing health technologies that people love. We're relentlessly committed to pioneering innovative technology to empower millions of people in 140 countries to live happier, healthier lives. Our AI-powered digital health solutions, cloud-connected devices, and intelligent software make home healthcare more personalized, accessible, and effective. Ultimately, Resmed envisions a world where every person can achieve their full potential through better sleep and breathing, with care delivered in their own home. Learn more about how we're redefining sleep health at and follow @Resmed. For Media: Cassie-Anne Low, Resmed news@ For Investors: Mike Ott, Resmed Investorrelations@ The 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia 1 Stott D, Forde D, Sharma C, et al. Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2024;21(3):329. Published 2024 Mar 12. doi:10.3390/ijerph21030329he 2 Lloyd-jones et al, Life's Essential 8: Updating and Enhancing the American Heart Association's Construct of Cardiovascular Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association, Circulation 2022 3 Gordon AM, Chen S. The role of sleep in interpersonal conflict: Do sleepless nights mean worse fights? Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2014;5(2):168–175 4 Perry GS, Patil SP, Presley-Cantrell LR. Raising awareness of sleep as a healthy behavior. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013 5 Swinbourne R, Gill N, Vaile J, Smart D. Prevalence of poor sleep quality, sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnoea risk factors in athletes. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016 Oct;16(7):850-8. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2015.1120781. Epub 2015 Dec 23. PMID: 26697921. 6 Resmed's 2025 Global Sleep Survey
Irish Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Joy of Lions players the saving grace at sanitised event that pandered to sponsors and day-drinking fans with deep pockets
The mood at London's O2 arena was buoyant. The home crowd had an English captain to celebrate, not to mention the crowning of their young starlet. Of all the players announced at Thursday's Lions squad reveal, Henry Pollock's name received the most vociferous cheer from fans in attendance. The Lions top brass were also jubilant. Andy Farrell beamed, his torturous selection process complete. Ben Calveley, the Lions chief executive, boasted that double the number of fans will travel to Australia than what was seen in 2013. More than half a million tickets have been sold, he said. They'll get 100,000 in the door for the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The first game against Argentina, at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, 'could have sold out five times over.' The positivity was infectious, the vibes circulating between those on the stage and an audience delighted to be drinking gin and tonics at lunchtime on a Thursday. This was, after all, the first time the Lions have announced their squad in front of a real crowd. READ MORE If those running the show are to be believed, this will be the biggest and best Lions tour yet. The numbers certainly are impressive. But who is this all for? Those skiving off work to attend were initially charged in the region of £60 for the privilege. Two thousand souls were expected beforehand. The arena was not full. A month ago, Ticketmaster still listed seats for the Argentina game at €180. Not posh ones. These were in the Aviva's top tier. The IRFU wouldn't dream of charging that much for Six Nations tickets up in the gods. But the Lions, well, they've been snapped up, Ticketmaster now showing no more availability. Former England player Ugo Monye and presenter Lee McKenzie during the Lions squad announcement at The O2, London. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire 'Not everyone gets to go on tour,' said Calveley. 'We want to find as many ways we can of bringing fans close to the action.' Given the prices and proximity to Canary Wharf just across the Thames, not to mention the frequent jokes about day drinking, we can guess which sort of fans will be getting closer than others. In terms of the live event itself, dragging the arse out of it would be an understatement. Presenters Ugo Monye and Lee McKenzie started with some sort of video game. A live feed of a Lions mural – sponsored by Howden – painted in East London, plus an interview with the artist, Nelly, won't live long in the memory. Guests aplenty were wheeled out. Calveley, Farrell, John Fogarty, Aled Walters and even Alun Wyn Jones – he wasn't a shock out-of-retirement pick, was he? – all made appearances. Monye used the dreaded 'we'll announce the squad... after the break' to dramatic effect. Everyone has their pound of flesh, Sky never taking their eye off the advertising money. The story of his young daughter accidentally telling the neighbours of his top-secret appointment added to Fogarty's appeal We're beginning to see who this is all really for: fans with deep pockets, sponsors and rights holders. They weren't lying when they said the Lions was a corporate beast. For all the cynicism, snippets of authenticity did insist on breaking through. Fogarty showed one of the reasons Farrell took him on tour as one of his assistant coaches. His ability to hold a room is unrivalled. When Farrell first called to give him the Lions job, Fogarty thought he was in for a 'bollocking' after Ireland's somewhat disappointing Six Nations. 'Is that okay to say?' he panicked, realising he may have just sworn live on Sky Sports. 'I'll use that as a tester,' he reasoned. Assistant coach John Fogarty and head of athletic performance Aled Walters. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho 'Wherever you're going next, don't,' warned Monye. 'Bollocking is the limit.' 'We're okay until two o'clock,' said McKenzie. 'Then we go out on national television.' The story of his young daughter accidentally telling the neighbours of his top-secret appointment added to Fogarty's appeal. Touring with him should be fun. If the Ireland scrum coach brought the house down, Maro Itoje's entrance earned a standing ovation. His smile as he walked to the stage, wading through the crowd while holding on to mascot Bil the Lion for dear life, was a reminder of why we put up with the corporate shilling. The Lions still matters to the players. Even Gavin Hastings got the phone out to record the moment. Maro himself wasn't short of a story, the combination of Farrell's +353 number and Wigan accent confusing him no end when he heard the news on Tuesday. Like Fogarty, he gave his best effort at replicating his new boss's northern English tones. One suspects it won't the last time we hear a Farrell impression. [ Munster and Ulster look to experience hands for high-stakes encounter at Thomond Park Opens in new window ] [ Lions squad announcement as it happened: Andy Farrell chooses 15 Ireland players for Lions Tour to Australia Opens in new window ] After yet more dilly-dallying – featuring another trip out to the Howden-sponsored mural, this time with Itoje's name speedily painted on – Ieuan Evans eventually called out the 38 names. The live audience cheering every selection didn't help everyone's patience levels, but it did add to the atmosphere. Based on the reactions, Tadhg Furlong was the most popular Irish pick. Pollock and Fin Smith are the English darlings. This ultimately was a window into what the Lions is. Flickers of genuine emotion packaged into a product which appeals to a minority of the population but, perhaps due to its scarcity, ultimately sells. The 40,000 travelling fans ticks a big box. Sponsors are happy, TV companies must be too. It's a long, dragged-out process to get to this point, let alone the three Tests starting at the end of July. The squad announcement starts a months-long row between online parochial interests, all the way until that first significant game. Then, maybe the cynicism will dissipate, mercifully replaced by meaningful rugby.
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Rugby fans face extortionate ticket price charge to watch Lions squad announcement
Rugby fans face extortionate ticket price charge to watch Lions squad announcement The British and Irish Lions squad announcement will take place in London next week with fans able to watch the big reveal live in person - but they will need to be prepared to pay a hefty price Head coach Andy Farrell and his team are hoping to lead the Lions to glory in Australia this summer (Image: British and Irish Lions ) Rugby fans will have to dig deep into their wallets to attend the upcoming British and Irish Lions squad unveiling in person. The announcement of the touring party will take place before a live crowd at Indigo, located within the O2 Arena complex in London. The team captain will be revealed as well, with head coach Andy Farrell aiming to steer the Lions toward a triumphant campaign in Australia this summer. Members of the Lions Rugby Club were granted early access to ticket sales when they initially became available earlier this month. A lottery was used to distribute the remaining tickets, but a significant number are still up for grabs via official ticket seller AXS. Due to the high prices, fans will need to spend generously to reserve a spot. On the AXS website, seated floor admission to the squad announcement carries a hefty price tag of £53.59 – more than double the price of the cheapest seats to watch England face off against Six Nations titleholders France at Twickenham in June. In addition to the base cost, each ticket purchase includes several extra charges: a £2.50 transaction fee, a £2.50 venue fee, and a £6.60 booking surcharge, all applied per ticket instead of per order. This brings the final cost of a single seated floor ticket to £65.19. Buying two tickets raises the total to a staggering £127.88, since the added fees are duplicated for each seat. The event will take place at Indigo within the O2 Arena complex in London (Image: (Image: GETTY) ) Golden Circle floor seating is listed at £59.10, and remaining seats in the balcony section are available starting from £42.40. These figures don't include the aforementioned service charges, which further inflate the overall price. With Indigo capable of hosting more than 2,000 attendees, and plenty of tickets still on sale, it's possible that many seats will remain unclaimed. The squad reveal will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and include guest appearances, along with real-time reactions from players in both the Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship leagues. The travelling British and Irish Lions squad will be unveiled to the public next week (Image: (Image: GETTY) ) In an official statement, Lions CEO Ben Calveley said: "Taking place at Indigo in The O2, this will be our biggest and most special squad announcement yet. "We are absolutely delighted to see record numbers of fans already travelling to Australia this summer as the Sea of Red unites for the first time since 2017. Article continues below "We also know there are millions of fans at home who also want to be brought closer to the action, and this unique event gives them the chance to do that. "Both at home and on tour, our Lions supporters are hugely important to us. And as always, their energy and passion will be vital in helping us attempt to win a Test series against the Wallabies this summer."
The Independent
20-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Lions will face indigenous and Pacific team on Australian tour
The British and Irish Lions will face a team with indigenous and Pacific heritage during their 2025 tour, Rugby Australia has confirmed. The match against the First Nations & Pasifika XV on July 22, three days after the first Test, fills the gap in the tour schedule created when the Melbourne Rebels went into administration. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, who revealed plans for the fixture in November, said the match at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium will be a 'great celebration' of communities which contribute to Australian rugby. The announcement comes 100 days from the opening match of the tour against Western Force in Perth on June 28 and as the final tickets for the tour are released. Lions chief executive Ben Calveley described the match as one which 'everyone at the Lions is hugely excited about'. Waugh played down speculation that Australia would not pick players against the Lions who were heading to play overseas. He told the Sydney Morning Herald: 'We've got to win the Lions series… we've got to be as competitive as we can be in the Lions series. 'We're going to work really hard to retain as many as we can, conscious that we've got some really big events, and the Lions is one of them. 'But we need to put our best possible team onto the field to win Test matches for Australia.' Ian Foster, who coached New Zealand to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, has been named as part of the coaching staff for the Australia and New Zealand side which will face the Lions in Adelaide on July 12, the final warm-up match before the Test series. Lions coach Andy Farrell will name his touring party in front of a live audience at London's O2 Arena on May 8.
