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BBC News
an hour ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Listen to latest episode of BBC Scotland Rugby Pod
The latest episode of the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast is now O'Neill is joined by former Scotland 7s international Colin Gregor and BBC Scotland's chief sports writer, Tom talk British and Irish Lions selection, with Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones all picked to start Saturday's first Test against Australia, Scotland's defeat by Fiji and their upcoming Test against and listen to the episode in full.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
View from Down Under: The Lions are very welcome guests, but they could do their hosts more harm than good
Since the arrival of the British and Irish Lions in Australia three weeks ago, the sword of Damocles has been hovering over the heads of the Wallabies and never more so than in the Test week. The Lions are a unique guest to host. On the positive side of the ledger, their visit comes once every 12 years and they come laden with financial benefits, attention for rugby and some of the finest players in the world. However, this guest is also keenly aware of their own value and the desire from others to host them at any time. French Rugby Federation vice-president Abdel Benazzi is reportedly travelling to Melbourne next week to engage with Lions officials about the suitability of hosting the world's most famous touring team. It's hard to blame the former flanker, given that his federation is facing a minimum loss of €19.2 million, potentially rising to €28.9 million after hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The romanticism of the Lions and its rich tradition has faded, replaced by cold, clear financial returns for both host and guest. According to the Australian Financial Review, the last Lions tour made €19.5 million profit for Rugby Australia and this tour could make more than €55 million. It is not yet clear what the Lions' profit will be, but comfortably, it will be far higher than previous tours of New Zealand and South Africa. READ MORE Slow Lions build-up finally culminates in Test week Listen | 37:54 If Australia has appeased the Lions with its financial clout, the Wallabies also need to fulfil the far more challenging role of being a competitive opponent in the Test series. A brutal whitewash will leave Rugby Australia far weaker at the negotiating table. At this stage, the Lions are not contractually locked into visiting the country again in 12 years' time. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt always knew he was facing the biggest challenge of his coaching career when he left his fishing rod and golf clubs in his garage at home in New Zealand to help save Australian rugby. Injuries to two of the most crucial parts of his Test jigsaw have made the job even more difficult. In Australia, traditionally, the Wallabies outhalf has been a role with a limited shelf life. Schmidt changed this by investing in Noah Lolesio, who blossomed under the former Ireland coach. After the narrow win against Fiji, Lolesio sadly underwent a spinal fusion procedure in a Brisbane hospital. Schmidt has now handed the playmaking keys to Tom Lynagh, son of the great Michael. Tom Lynagh has only played three Tests for the Wallabies and is now trusted as the man to pilot his country to victory in the city where his father remains a legend. Rob Valetini is Australia's best ball carrier but will be absent for the Lions tests through injury. Photograph: Andrew Fosker/Inpho The Wallabies have also lost their best ball-carrier, Rob Valetini, to injury. The giant flanker has been voted Australia's best player for the past two years. The Brumbies backrower complements the slick jackaling ability of Queensland's open side Fraser McReight perfectly. Valetini shovels opponents off the ball at the breakdown, allowing McReight to swiftly win penalties on the floor. [ Gordon D'Arcy: Time for Lions and Wallabies to leave the 'meh' behind and make some real magic Opens in new window ] Valetini is suffering from a calf strain and is joined on the treatment table by the mutual heft of La Rochelle lock Will Skelton and the Waratahs' best player this season, number eight Langi Gleeson. Schmidt has been forced to give a debut to the uniquely named Nick Champion de Crespigny. De Crespigny is an elite economics graduate and the grandson of Rafe Champion de Crespigny, a noted expert in ancient Chinese history. His aristocratic name and bearing belie an intensely physical player who McReight affectionately referred to as 'a psycho' when asked for a description for the gathered press. Australia's injury problems have led coach Joe Schmidt to call on Nick Champion de Crespigny. Photograph:The Wallabies traditionally have a strong record at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, but they will start this game as huge underdogs. The Lions have named a strong side, and off the field, there have been changes. All written press are now banned from the 10 minutes they used to get to watch the Lions training, although the Wallabies have not changed their policy. [ Farrell and Schmidt announce their opening hands as atmosphere builds in Brisbane Opens in new window ] At the Lions team announcement last Thursday in Adelaide ahead of the ill-fated game against the Australian and New Zealand selection, a child tried to ask a question, before being shut down by team management. Business before pleasure. To their credit, the Lions have started to open up slightly, hosting signing sessions in Brisbane for their thousands of fans and also despatching the amiable trio of Henry Pollock, Duhan van der Merwe and Josh van der Flier for the tough gig of being hosted by the Great Barrier Reef foundation on the famous coral. The preamble has almost been completed and the first Test is set. Australia are desperate to be perfect hosts, but they need to prove it where it matters most; not on spreadsheets, but on the pitch. In a country where rugby is frequently said to be hanging by a thread, a win against the odds in the first Test would be the true kiss of life.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Gerry Thornley: If anything there could have been more Irish in Lions side for first Test
It's perhaps faintly ridiculous to say it, and this is looking at things through green-tinged glasses. Even so, on foot of a record eight Irish players being named in the British and Irish Lions starting XV to face Australia on Saturday, it also seems entirely reasonable to suggest this figure could, and even should, have been more. Had Mack Hansen not suffered a foot injury against the AUNZ Invitational XV his all-round footballing ability may well have seen him preferred to the more prolific finishing of Tommy Freeman. And had Garry Ringrose not shown signs of a delayed concussion the day after scoring his third try in three games in the Lions' win over the Brumbies, he'd almost certainly have been chosen to start in the First Test at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. And had that been the case, then for all his previous protestations to the contrary about picking familiar combinations, Andy Farrell might well have started Bundee Aki alongside Ringrose rather than plump for the Sione Tuipulotu-Huw Jones partnership outside Scottish team-mate Finn Russell. Yet Farrell and co have not extended that thinking to the front-row, where Ellis Genge has been chosen to start alongside Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong ahead of Andrew Porter, or indeed the backrow. READ MORE Genge was perhaps always the frontrunner at loosehead since that explosive carry against Argentina in the Aviva Stadium, and perhaps is more vocal and seen as a leader. 'I think he has been an emotional driver of the team,' said Farrell. But he can be ill-disciplined and at the very least it must have been a close call with Porter who, curiously, has started only one match on this tour. Josh van der Flier has been afforded only one start to date and has had the least minutes of the three contenders at openside. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho And then, perhaps most debatable of all, there's Josh van der Flier, and Jac Morgan, losing out to Tom Curry. Likewise, van der Flier has been afforded only one start to date and has had the least minutes of the three contenders at openside. Based on the statistics so far on tour, one could make a strong case for Van der Flier, the 2022 world Player of the Year. Of the trio, Van der Flier has beaten the most defenders, eight, compared to Curry's five and Morgan's four. Van der Flier has the best tackling statistics, with 47 completed and only one missed, compared to Morgan's 49 out of 53 and Curry's 30, with seven missed. Morgan has also won the most turnovers, six, compared to two by Curry and one by van der Flier, while Curry has coughed up the most turnovers, five, as against four by Morgan and two by Van der Flier. Clearly experience counted, as Curry is one of four forwards in the pack who started all three Tests four years ago, along with Jack Conan, Tadhg Furlong and Maro Itoje. Farrell conceded that the backrow was 'the hotly contested one ... and rightly so because of the quality we've got there.' He referenced Beirne's set-piece, work in the jackal and as 'a ball playing six' to complement Jack Conan and 'the engine' of Curry. As well as Henry Pollock and Duhan van der Merwe, Van der Flier was one of three players on Lions duty in the Great Barrier Reef on Thursday and rarely can three people have enjoyed such scant consolation from seeing one of the wonders of the world. Being confined to the team hotel in readiness for starting Saturday's first Test would have been eminently preferable. Farrell and his assistants have, admittedly, made Irish internationals Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Sheehan, Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne at blindside and Jack Conan very happy, as well as three more on the bench, namely Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Aki. But the flip side is that he's disappointed players who have been among his go-to men over the last four years, such as Van der Flier, whom he has picked in 50 of his 56 Tests as Irish head coach, and James Ryan (49 times). But Farrell maintained these were not difficult decisions or difficult conversations. 'No, no. You picked the players originally because you know their character and you have done your homework on who you are not as familiar with. The characters who I have seen throughout the whole group I wouldn't envisage there would be any problems along the way anyway in everyone putting the team first.' Indeed, what was most special about this week, Farrell said, was the manner in which the non-23 in the yellow bibs played the role of the Wallabies in training. Going into last season Joe McCarthy had only one cap, against Australia in November 2022. His selection this week may have looked inevitable, but at 24 that only makes his rise even more impressive. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Flipping back to the other side of the coin again, going into last season McCarthy had only one cap, against Australia in November 2022. His selection this week may have looked inevitable, but at 24 that only makes his rise even more impressive. 'He's worked out the type of player that he wants to be,' said Farrell. 'He always wanted to master the dark arts of a tighthead second row and we've had some learnings along the way. He's been mature enough to sort those out and that's why we're seeing him play his best rugby.' In fearlessly 'walking forward' into this challenge, McCarthy could even be interpreted as a signature selection by Farrell. 'He definitely will. He's that type of player. I've never really seen him take a backward step anyway, even when he came on to the scene as a youngster. 'He's certainly grown a lot since then as far as maturity's concerned but I've also seen his character and his attitude grow in the same vein and then we end up with him starting in a Lions series. It's fantastic to see.' 'Look at the pack that we have picked, it is not just Joe,' added Farrell. 'You can see that throughout. You can also see that the quality of the bench of who's not there. You would take that at any given time in a Test match.' AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Ala'alatoa; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway. BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Hugo Keenan (Ire); Tommy Freeman (Eng), Huw Jones (Sco), Sione Tuipulotu (Sco), James Lowe (Ire); Finn Russell (Sco), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ire); Ellis Genge (Eng), Dan Sheehan (Ire), Tadhg Furlong (Ire); Maro Itoje (Eng, captain), Joe McCarthy (Ire); Tadhg Beirne (Ire), Tom Curry (Eng), Jack Conan (Ire). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Ire), Andrew Porter (Ire), Will Stuart (Eng), Ollie Chessum (Eng), Ben Earl (Eng), Alex Mitchell (Eng), Marcus Smith (Eng), Bundee Aki (Ire).
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Freeman's costly Lions Test selection
Tommy Freeman's selection for the British and Irish Lions' first Test with Australia has proved to be fairly costly for the Northampton Saints wing. The 24-year-old returns to Brisbane three years after he made his Test debut for England against the Wallabies. It was on that tour Down Under when Freeman promised to fly his parents Sara and Cliff back to the city in business class should he make a Test appearance for the Lions. "My parents came to Australia in 2022. It was very last minute because I didn't think I was going to play out here, so I told them not to come," Freeman said. "I eventually got selected and then they flew out. It was last minute so I told them that if I get picked for the Lions I would pay for their business class seats, which has backfired." Freeman's mum and dad were already in the country following their son, but his pledge to fly them to Brisbane in upgraded seats worth over £12,000 will come as a welcome gift following an accident. "I gave them a ring and they are having troubles of their own. Mum has just broken her foot so she has had surgery in Adelaide," he said. "They were travelling from Canberra to Adelaide and thought they would drive so they pulled over and got some photos. "It has not gone well on that front so it's a bit of good news for them. Mum's main concern was being fit enough to fly to get here in time. "They were obviously delighted and all the travelling miles they have put in for me has paid off. "It's amazing to be able to give back because I am not that pleasant to be around on game day with the nerves. I can be a bit grumpy, so for it all to pay off with moments like this is extra special." Listen: Sport's Strangest Crimes - Bloodgate Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Freeman's costly Lions Test selection
Tommy Freeman's selection for the British and Irish Lions' first Test with Australia has proved to be fairly costly for the Northampton Saints 24-year-old returns to Brisbane three years after he made his Test debut for England against the was on that tour Down Under when Freeman promised to fly his parents Sara and Cliff back to the city in business class should he make a Test appearance for the Lions."My parents came to Australia in 2022. It was very last minute because I didn't think I was going to play out here, so I told them not to come," Freeman said."I eventually got selected and then they flew out. It was last minute so I told them that if I get picked for the Lions I would pay for their business class seats, which has backfired."Freeman's mum and dad were already in the country following their son, but his pledge to fly them to Brisbane in upgraded seats worth over £12,000 will come as a welcome gift following an accident."I gave them a ring and they are having troubles of their own. Mum has just broken her foot so she has had surgery in Adelaide," he said."They were travelling from Canberra to Adelaide and thought they would drive so they pulled over and got some photos."It has not gone well on that front so it's a bit of good news for them. Mum's main concern was being fit enough to fly to get here in time."They were obviously delighted and all the travelling miles they have put in for me has paid off."It's amazing to be able to give back because I am not that pleasant to be around on game day with the nerves. I can be a bit grumpy, so for it all to pay off with moments like this is extra special."
