Latest news with #British and Irish Lions
BreakingNews.ie
17 hours ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt's safety claim over Lions' match-winning try
World Rugby rejects Joe Schmidt's claim that the decision not to punish Jac Morgan's clearout in Australia's defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday contravenes the game's player safety principles. Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan's contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi. Advertisement Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that 'it doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they [World Rugby] are talking about'. British and Irish Lions' Jac Morgan (centre) in action during the Qatar Airways Lions Tour 2025 match in Adelaide. Photo: David Davies/PA Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed. World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday's final Test between the rivals in Sydney. Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt. Advertisement 'It's disappointing when the reaction is one of 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously' because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. 'You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about 'how do we have this great physical contest, but make it as safe as possible?'. That part is challenging, in terms of the player welfare statements.' Advertisement Gilpin insists Piardi and his assistants Ben O'Keeffe and Nika Amashukeli are being supported amid the backlash against the officials in some quarters. And the World Rugby boss invoked Rassie Erasmus' public criticism of Nic Berry during the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2021 and the experiences of retired referee Wayne Barnes, who has spoken of the abuse his family received, to highlight the importance of protecting officials. 'It's just making them realise they're supported and that we are checking in on them. They're a great unit. They've been together on this tour as a team,' Gilpin said. 'You'll recall that in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first Test was very heavily criticised…the mental health challenges… Advertisement Sport Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt disagree over ref cal... Read More 'Wayne Barnes has talked about it. We've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, see their families targeted outside the school gates. 'That's not good, that's not fair and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys.' Australia 2027 has released details of its ticketing plan for the next World Cup, with fans able to register to access the presale from Tuesday.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt's safety claim over Lions' match-winning try
World Rugby rejects Joe Schmidt's claim that the decision not to punish Jac Morgan's clearout in Australia's defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday contravenes the game's player safety principles. Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan's contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi. Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that 'it doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they (World Rugby) are talking about'. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed. World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday's final Test between the rivals in Sydney. Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt. 'It's disappointing when the reaction is one of 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously' because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. 'You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about 'how do we have this great physical contest, but make it as safe as possible?'. That part is challenging, in terms of the player welfare statements.' Gilpin insists Piardi and his assistants Ben O'Keeffe and Nika Amashukeli are being supported amid the backlash against the officials in some quarters. And the World Rugby boss invoked Rassie Erasmus' public criticism of Nic Berry during the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2021 and the experiences of retired referee Wayne Barnes, who has spoken of the abuse his family received, to highlight the importance of protecting officials. 'It's just making them realise they're supported and that we are checking in on them. They're a great unit. They've been together on this tour as a team,' Gilpin said. 'You'll recall that in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first Test was very heavily criticised…the mental health challenges… 'Wayne Barnes has talked about it. We've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, see their families targeted outside the school gates. 'That's not good, that's not fair and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys.' Australia 2027 has released details of its ticketing plan for the next World Cup, with fans able to register to access the presale from Tuesday.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt's safety claim over Lions' match-winning try
World Rugby rejects Joe Schmidt's claim that the decision not to punish Jac Morgan's clearout in Australia's defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday contravenes the game's player safety principles. Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan's contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi. Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that 'it doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they (World Rugby) are talking about'. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed. World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday's final Test between the rivals in Sydney. Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt. 'It's disappointing when the reaction is one of 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously' because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. 'You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about 'how do we have this great physical contest, but make it as safe as possible?'. That part is challenging, in terms of the player welfare statements.' Gilpin insists Piardi and his assistants Ben O'Keeffe and Nika Amashukeli are being supported amid the backlash against the officials in some quarters. And the World Rugby boss invoked Rassie Erasmus' public criticism of Nic Berry during the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2021 and the experiences of retired referee Wayne Barnes, who has spoken of the abuse his family received, to highlight the importance of protecting officials. 'It's just making them realise they're supported and that we are checking in on them. They're a great unit. They've been together on this tour as a team,' Gilpin said. 'You'll recall that in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first Test was very heavily criticised…the mental health challenges… 'Wayne Barnes has talked about it. We've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, see their families targeted outside the school gates. 'That's not good, that's not fair and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys.' Australia 2027 has released details of its ticketing plan for the next World Cup, with fans able to register to access the presale from Tuesday.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt unhappy at match officials over Jac Morgan clearout
Australia coach Joe Schmidt said match officials had failed to uphold player safety and hit out at a late clearout decision that ensured the British and Irish Lions clinched a series-sealing victory on Saturday. Fullback Hugo Keenan's last-minute try put the Lions 29-26 up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but the Wallabies players cried foul after Jac Morgan cleared out Carlo Tizzano in the build-up. After a lengthy pause as the TV match official assessed multiple angles of the incident, the try was allowed to stand, giving the Lions victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Citing rugby's Law 9.20, which says head contact and clearouts around the neck should be penalised, an incensed Schmidt said the officials had got the decision wrong. READ MORE 'Because they're human, match officials make errors,' he said at the post-match press conference. 'We felt it was a decision that doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they're [World Rugby] talking about. 'You cannot hit someone above ... the shoulders. But that's what we've seen and we've watched a number of replays from different angles so it is what it is and we just have to accept it.' Wallabies captain Harry Wilson was also convinced his team were hard done by. 'Obviously I saw shoulder to the neck. Carlo was pretty sore about it,' he said. Lions coach Andy Farrell had a different view. 'I thought it was a brilliant clearout,' he said. 'Honestly, it depends which side of the fence you come from, I would have thought. 'I can understand people's opinions, but I thought Jac was brilliant when he came on – and so were the rest of the bench.' Schmidt said he was proud of his players but gutted by the final result after the Wallabies had taken a 23-5 lead near the half-hour mark. While the Wallabies were bitterly disappointed that the clearout decision had gone against them, they did not need to use it as motivation for the dead rubber in Sydney next Saturday. 'You can't get more motivated than what the players showed tonight,' he added. 'You've got to keep resolve and keep going forward. We're not going to wallow in self-pity.'
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Discipline was right on the edge' - Man of Match Beirne
Man of the match Tadhg Beirne, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was a proper Test match, the last quarter was a battle. Australia will take confidence from that going into next week."Discipline was right on the edge. That will be a big focus for us."We managed the game well but need to focus on discipline more."I loved it, some of the games leading up weren't my best. But I hopefully did the shirt justice." British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell was full of praise for flankers Tom Curry and Tadgh selections were questioned before the game because of their form on tour."Tom Curry and Tadgh Beirne were absolutely immense. Curry put in some shots defensively and Tadgh got the turnover very early doors. It didn't stop there," Farrell said."Conan's carrying was very much on the front foot. Those three guys I'm sure they'll be delighted with how they responded to being selected."Curry and Beirne are a man of their word and that's what they delivered."
