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Sky News AU
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'I was very fortunate': Mike Tindall praises the Firm and his love for the royals in candid new interview with Aussie golf legend Wayne 'Radar' Riley
Mike Tindall has opened up once again about life inside the royal family- this time while visiting Australia on tour with his popular podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby. The 46-year-old former British rugby star, who is Down Under with wife Zara Tindall, 44, appeared in a relaxed, pre-recorded interview with Aussie golf legend Wayne 'Radar' Riley on his show A Round with Radar. Filmed at the picturesque Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, the episode aired Thursday and saw the pair play nine holes while chatting about everything from family life and marriage to sport and life inside the Firm. Radar didn't waste time getting to the big question: "What's it like going from a professional footballer into the Royal Family?" he asked. "In your home, is it like, 'Righto, luv, go get the marmite out', like just normal?" Mike chuckled: "Yeah, pretty much" before adding that he "hates marmite" while Zara "loves it". But the conversation soon turned more heartfelt. "As a family, they're sport loving," Mike said. "With Princess Anne being the patron of Scottish rugby as well, and now, obviously, the Princess of Wales being the patron of England and Wales respectively, I was very fortunate that they knew a lot about rugby and had that sports side to them that they all love." When Riley joked that Mike had "just cruised in there," the royal in-law replied: "I wouldn't say I cruised in there. It's a journey you never plan for. But they were just so good. And so open to me." Elsewhere in the interview, Mike reflected on Zara's own sporting success and how being married to a fellow elite athlete has shaped their relationship. "It's sort of something that's worked for us," he said. "Especially, me being in a team sport, and her being in an individual sport… it helps us to understand each other. "You can recognise what sort of framework they're in… when you understand people's routines and how to be supportive of each other at the right times." He said their shared sporting background means they know when to help each other unwind. "We're able to help each other relax when things don't go well, and you understand when it's time for a gag and time for a beer." While most senior royals remain tight-lipped about private matters, Mike has occasionally peeled back the curtain, including in his 2024 book The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby: Unleashed. The trio are currently touring Australia with a string of live podcast shows, as well as throwing their support behind the British & Irish Lions tour. "Believe it or not, marrying into the Royal Family was pretty easy for me," Mike wrote in the book. "They were always nice to me, and I was always nice to them. Simple really." He described the family as "a very close family who loved each other dearly"- a stark contrast to fellow commoner-turned-royal Meghan Markle's more strained experience inside the institution. Despite having no official royal roles or titles, Mike and Zara are known for their loyalty to the core family, particularly Princess Anne, King Charles, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
SowetanLIVE
16 hours ago
- Sport
- SowetanLIVE
Rassie unsure if Wallabies will arrive here down under
Rassie Erasmus admits he doesn't know whether the Wallabies will be battle ready, flat or punch drunk as a result of the series against the British & Irish Lions before heading to South Africa for a two-Test series in the Rugby Championships against the Springboks. Series' against the B&I Lions are usually a battle of attrition that also take a significant emotional toll on players. Australia are 2-0 down with a Test to play in Sydney on Saturday, a series defeat that could affect their morale and confidence ahead of the southern hemisphere tournament in which the Boks are defending champions. The Wallabies might also take hope from some decent performances among the defeats. 'They might have three injuries in one position and then they might be in trouble. But that's thinking negatively,' the Bok coach said. 'There will be more energy because Joe [Schmidt, the head coach] is stepping down and Les Kiss is taking over and I think Les is touring. We know it will be a really competitive Wallabies team coming to South Africa.'
Irish Examiner
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Andrew Goodman: 'A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in'
A relentless man motivator who pushes his coaches as much as his players and gets huge buy-in from all who work under him. Even when it's a recreation of hit TV show Squid Game before training, it is no surprise to Andrew Goodman that Andy Farrell has brought the British & Irish Lions to the brink of a series clean sweep over Australia. The Lions are just a win away in Saturday's third and final Test from making the 2025 series against the Wallabies a 3-0 whitewash, which would complete a 100% return from nine tour matches on Australian soil under head coach Farrell's command. Ireland attack coach Goodman is one of four of Farrell's assistants on tour alongside Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Johnny Sexton and the New Zealander can count Scott Robertson, the current All Blacks boss, at the Crusaders and Leinster's Leo Cullen as 'pretty amazing coaches' whose strengths he sees in the Lions boss. Yet one suspects Farrell has left the deepest impression on the Kiwi and that this journey Down Under has only enhanced his appreciation of his boss. That was clear on Tuesday as he outlined what the head coach had brought to the tour. 'Just his motivation and his ability to bring the group together and his ability to make sure everyone has been all in together the whole time,' Goodman said. 'Whether they are involved in Test matches are midweek games, it doesn't feel like there has been any separation in the group whatsoever. 'He's had his finger on the pulse the whole time. A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in, all the time in terms of what we do on the field and off the field, you always add to the group. 'You're always preparing the group as best you can whether you're starting, on the bench, or not involved. He's constantly on that and he's constantly on us as coaches to make sure we're driving that. He's a great man-motivator, he's a great man around connecting the wider staff and management group as well. I'm learning stuff of him every day, he's an amazing coach and it's a privilege to work underneath him.' To give an example of Farrell's methods, Goodman did not have long to recall the impact he has on Lions sessions, citing Tuesday's return to the training field at North Sydney's Shore School and a surprise recreation of the satirical Korean drama set on a dystopian reality television show, where players risk their lives playing children's games. 'Just his relentlessness. It's not just one thing, it's because it's every day. He's always on having fun as a group. Today we got down to training and he'd sent Fogs down early to set up the Squid Game mini-team challenge, the whole field was covered in equipment. 'The staff were dressed up in all that kit, the speakers were all set up, a bit of fun, stuff like that to get a bit of energy back in the group. The mini-team stuff, the little challenges he'll have at the start of meetings, there's always a bit of craic, a bit of a laugh involved. 'It keeps the boys engaged and fresh and it's not just going into a meeting where it's rugby all the time. There are little bits like that that make it enjoyable as well. 'We had a Squid Game challenge, green light, red light, the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye on people. It was a good craic.' Fortunately for the Lions, death was not a consequence of a wrong move, though Goodman did reveal the first victim. 'Tom Clarkson - one of the props - hard to hide. 'Every week we've done things like that. All part of touring, isn't it? Even with Ireland it's a part of his week to make sure there's fun involved.'
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'We knew what we had to get done' - Finn Russell hails clam Lions' reaction
It was the last-minute Hugo Keenan try that will live long in British & Irish Lions lore but Finn Russell's huge touch-finding kick 30 minutes prior to that game-deciding play deserves its place in the telling of this epic second Test with Australia. The sheer drama of that Keenan try naturally gripped the 90,307 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the Lions secured the series by going 2-0 over the Wallabies. After all, it completed a record-breaking comeback for the tourists in Test matches, Andy Farrell's men coming from 23-5 down to snatch it at the death and take the lead for the first time in an enthralling rollercoaster contest. Yet the long-range penalty to touch from Russell that arguably turned the tide and sparked the Lions' rally. They had trailed by 18 points to a rampant Wallabies side, who scored two quick tries with Lions wing Tommy Freeman in the sin bin, and flanker Tom Curry had scored in the 34th to put a dent in the deficit. Russell's monster kick two minutes later after Wallabies captain Harry Wilson had been penalised for joining a ruck from the side was the moment the Lions genuinely seized momentum from their hosts. His 50-22 to the left touchline put the tourists firmly on the front foot with a lineout six metres out from the Australian line, a perfect platform from which the forward pack could deliver, and deliver they did, pummeling the tryline before moving the ball beyond the posts from where centre Huw Jones produced a strong finish through a double tackle. Russell's conversion, having missed his first two kicks off the tee, was reassuringly close to the posts and with two minutes of the first half remaining, the Lions were just six points in arrears as 23-17 and the seeds of doubt had been sown in Wallaby minds. 'I think it was just kick the ball long and we'll go from there,' Russell said afterwards. 'I think that's what the message was. There was no stress, everyone was calm. We knew what we had to get done. 'Like I said, they scored two quick tries. They scored a try off the restart and scored again. We were a man down on the right wing. They opened us up there and got the try, which was a good play from them. 'But in terms of us as a group of players, we were never stressed. We knew we've got a lot of time to get back into this game. That was 30 minutes when they scored that try. There were still 50 minutes on the clock and we had a lot of time to get back into it. 'The way we came out in the second half was brilliant.' The Wallabies would only add three more points, a Tom Lynagh penalty on 53 minutes, with Tadhg Beirne's try on the hour mark converted from wide out by Russell piling the pressure on Joe Schmidt's side, now clinging onto a six-point lead at 26-24. The Lions dominated from there but were still trailing heading into the final minute and Russell insisted there was no panic in the ranks as they steadily built the match-winning attack. 'It was pretty chill, pretty calm. We had a lot of momentum, we were on top of them at the end of it. We had them on the ropes when Blair (Kinghorn) broke through and then we were playing on top of them. 'There was no stress, it was staying calm and making sure we got the job done at the end was the main thing. That's what we ended up doing. 'Hugo scored the try but I think the whole team was amazing. I think Jac Morgan's clean out, that obviously created the try. It was just sticking to what we're doing, just playing rugby, that was the main thing.' Being taken to the wire by a rejuvenated Australian side made the victory all the more satisfying, Russell agreed after had added a Lions series win to his Challenge Cup-English Premiership double earlier this season with Bath. 'The fact that it went down to the last play and we were pretty much behind the whole way, all the game until then, it makes it more satisfying and that's what these tours are about. Australia were brilliant tonight. They put us under a lot of pressure, especially when we got the yellow card. I think before half time we probably felt the tide turning a little bit. 'We got two quick drives there and that probably got us right back into the game, which was massive.' The celebrations Russell had been pulled away from to talk to the media were set to continue long into Saturday night in Melbourne but the fly-half insisted the pre-tour objective of a 3-0 clean sweep over Australia was still very much a priority when the Lions reached Sydney on Sunday evening ahead of next Saturday's final Test. "I think everyone wants to play in that game. We're going back up to Sydney but it's not really on our minds just now. I think we need to enjoy this and celebrate tonight. "When we come back Monday, we'll be ready to go again. I think if we can make it a 3-0 series, that's amazing. Everyone's going to be gunning for that. There might be changes next week to the team, I don't know what Faz is going to do. But I think it'll be brilliant next week. A brilliant occasion for everyone playing. "I think everyone here has been gunning for it for their whole career. To get to the Lions is one thing, and then to get a series win is another. This is my third tour, not won one, so it's so special to get this, bringing four nations together to be a family for five, six weeks. To get the series win is amazing but the job's still not done yet. We need to go and try and finish it off next week. Even though we've got the series, we need to go and finish it off and finish on a high."
The South African
5 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Schoolboy First XV fixtures: Bumper weekend ahead
There are several mouth-watering schoolboy rugby fixtures scheduled around South Africa this weekend. Here's the full list ... Image: Home » Schoolboy First XV fixtures: Bumper weekend ahead There are several mouth-watering schoolboy rugby fixtures scheduled around South Africa this weekend. Here's the full list ... Image: It's not just the potential Australia vs British & Irish Lions series decider this weekend, there are also several mouth-watering schoolboy rugby fixtures scheduled around South Africa. As we count down to the biggest schoolboy derby in the world – Paarl Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys' High on Saturday, 2 August – before we get there, there are a number of fixtures you shouldn't miss. Below, selected fixtures from around the country this weekend: Eastern CapePort Rex vs Daniel PienaarHudson Park vs SelborneStirling vs DaleGrey High vs FramesbyNico Malan vs DF MalherbePearson vs GraemeMarlow vs Queen's Brandwag vs Muir Central regionVoortrekker (Bethlehem) vs DiamantveldGoudveld vs SentraalWitteberg vs Jim Fouche Trio vs Fichardtpark KwaZulu-Natal Northwood vs Glenwood NoordvaalAffies vs Maritzburg CollegePretoria Boys' vs KESJeppe vs DHSNorthcliff vs ParktownGarsfontein vs MonumentRustenburg vs EG JansenNoordheuwel vs WaterkloofTransvalia vs HelpmekaarMarais Viljoen vs WesvaliaLigbron vs KlerksdorpMiddelburg vs ZwartkopHTS Middelburg vs Kempton ParkLichtenburg vs Ben VorsterPietersburg vs HeidelbergSecunda vs MontanaHugenote (Springs) vs Die AnkerEldoraigne vs DinamikaPotch Volkskool vs JeuglandBergsig Akademie vs Ermelo Randburg vs Merensky Western CapeHugenote vs Charlie HofmeyrOuteniqua vs StellenbergOakdale vs DrostdyPaarl Boys' vs SACSBoland Landbou vs BishopsPaul Roos vs RondeboschPaarl Gim vs WynbergDurbanville vs BrackenfellStrand vs SwartlandTygerberg vs Milnerton Parel Vallei vs Worcester Gim NOTE: More fixtures will be added as matches are confirmed. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
