Latest news with #BritishIrishLions
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Lions performance gives Andy Farrell plenty to think about
The British & Irish Lions secured a victory against a First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne, maintaining their unbeaten tour record. Despite the win, the Lions delivered a clunky performance, with many players failing to impress in what was seen as a final audition for the second Test. The scratch First Nations & Pasifika XV put up a spirited fight, making the match highly physical and competitive. Key moments included Owen Farrell 's early influence, tries from Jamie Osborne, Darcy Graham, and Duhan van der Merwe, and errors from Lions players like Blair Kinghorn and Fin Smith. The fixture's timing and the need for reinforcements raised questions about the feasibility of such midweek games on future Lions tours.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Bring on the Wallabies: First Nations & Pasifika XV challenge Australia after narrow Lions defeat
The First Nations & Pasifika XV have challenged the Wallabies to a showdown after pushing the British & Irish Lions close to their first Australian tour defeat in an impressive, spirited display in Melbourne on Tuesday night. Although the players – with a mix of Indigenous Australian, Cook Islander, Fijian, Māori, Samoan and Tongan backgrounds – came together in camp last week for the first time and were largely written off before the match, they dominated their opposition for long periods and had chances in the dying stages to level scores before falling 24-19. Backrower Rob Leota, who scored a 70th-minute try for the First Nations & Pasifika side to set up a grandstand finish in front of 30,000 fans at Marvel Stadium, said not only must the new outfit live on, they must be given a chance against Australia's national team. 'A lot of these boys are fringe Wallabies players and aspiring to try to get back in the squad,' he said. 'You see tonight man, when you're playing for your culture it brings something out of you,' Leota said. The Wallabies only played a single warm-up match against Fiji and were dominated in the physical opening stages of the first Test against the Lions on Saturday. First Nations & Pasifika flanker Charlie Gamble, the player of the match on Tuesday, echoed Leota's sentiment and said he and his team-mates would have something to prove against the first-choice Australian XV. 'The Wallabies only had the Fiji game [before the Lions series], why can't we be the warm-up to play the Lions?', he said. 'More games is only going to help them, right?' Gamble – who has Tongan background on his mother's side and grew up in New Zealand – was unlucky to miss out on the Wallabies squad for the Lions series. 'Us fringe players, who are trying to put our hand up as well [would be motivated], trying to show our potential,' he said. The performance was impressive given staff – including coach Toutai Kefu and assistants Tana Umaga, Sekope Kepu and Glen Ella – had barely a week's preparation with the players, and the Lions barred Pete Samu from playing because he hadn't played Super Rugby this year. 'The good thing about our cultures – and this is the Indigenous and the Pasifika – we value family, [it's] where tribe comes first,' Kefu said. 'So we find connecting's very easy for us, so we just build on that and reinforce that.' The players worked with a cultural adviser during the week and took part an ava ceremony, a Samoan tradition to mark important milestones, for the presentation of jerseys. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion In 2004, a combined Pacific Islands side played an Australian team featuring current Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh and were defeated 29-14 in Adelaide. That team beat the Waratahs 68-21 the week before and went on to narrowly lose to New Zealand and South Africa. This year's First Nations & Pasifika concept was only created due to the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, and the need for Rugby Australia to provide another opponent for the Lions under the agreement governing the tour. Darug man and the side's captain, Kurtley Beale, said the next fixture could be a warm-up match for the Wallabies, or a game against the Māori All Blacks who are already regular opponents against international opposition. 'Whatever it is, I think bigger picture and I think it's definitely needed in our game,' he said. But Leota – who has Samoan background and is moving to France to play for Bayonne next season – was more explicit, saying the Wallabies would be 'the perfect match'. 'If it's a Test match or a warm-up match [to a Test series], it's just so important for this team to keep going, because tonight we showed what we can do.'
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
In pictures: Moments of the match
, Darcy Graham of the British & Irish Lions after being injured and forced off minutes after scoring the Lions second try.
BreakingNews.ie
6 hours ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Lions have to battle for win over First Nations and Pasifika team in Melbourne
The British and Irish Lions emerged from the toughest test of their Australia tour with an edgy 24-19 victory over First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne. For the first time in seven matches Down Under there was a sense of jeopardy as scratch opponents comprising players with First Nations or Pacific Island heritage threatened to cause an upset at Marvel Stadium. Advertisement A 64th minute try by Duhan van der Merwe propelled the Lions 10 points clear in what appeared to be the decisive moment, but big-hitting FNP refused to concede and struck again through Rob Leota to set up a tense finish. ...and breathe 😮💨 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 22, 2025 The closing exchanges belonged to FNP, who replaced Melbourne Rebels after the Super Rugby franchise went into administration, and when they pinched a late line-out the Lions had to weather one last storm. Owen Farrell was captain for the first time in his four Lions tours and while he was solid enough, few players put their hands up for selection for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies. Jac Morgan and James Ryan were replaced early in the second half, suggesting they might be involved in the Melbourne Cricket Ground showdown in some capacity, but in performance terms all the stars wore white – and none more than their brilliant openside Charlie Gamble. Advertisement If the Lions were lulled into a false sense of security by running in early tries through Jamie Osborne and Darcy Graham, they soon woke up. Graham, one of nine late call-ups in the matchday 23, experienced 16 eventful minutes after being presented with two-half chances, finishing an easier third and being on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle from Triston Reilly. Reilly was sin-binned and soon after Graham limped off with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Darcy Graham received treatment before leaving the field with an apparent ankle injury. Photo: PA. The Lions were too frantic and the tide turned quickly when Reilly – whose yellow card was not upgraded on review – picked off a poor pass by Blair Kinghorn to touch down. Advertisement Van der Merwe's work in defence has been exposed all tour and his hesitation in dealing with a kick was the prelude to FNP drawing level when a series of forward drives ended with Seru Uru powering over. All the small wins were coming from the underdogs as they won a scrum penalty, defended their line manfully and then pickpocketed a Lions line-out. Seeking a reaction, Farrell barked 'let's go, let's go' at his players, but instead Kinghorn threw another loose pass and this time van der Merwe came to the rescue as FNP threatened to score. The Lions' conviction returned early in the second half and was evident as Farrell, Fin Smith and Kinghorn threw passes that provided Osborne with a simple run in. Advertisement Jamie Osborne crossed for the tourists' third try at Marvel Stadium. Photo: David Davies/PA. They continued to be met with thunderous defending but eventually struck for the fourth time with Farrell sending van der Merwe over. FNP were not done, however, as they advanced downfield to win a line-out through their determined harrying before Rob Leota found a way through. And the Lions were waiting for the final whistle to blow as they faced down a series of late attacks.
CNA
6 hours ago
- Sport
- CNA
Lions hold firm after scare from First Nations-Pasifika XV
MELBOURNE :The British & Irish Lions were rocked by the underdog spirit of the First Nations & Pasifika XV (FNP) but held on grimly to claim an unconvincing 24-19 win on Tuesday. Centre Jamie Osborne scored a try in each half, and Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe also crossed for the Lions who remain unbeaten on their Australian tour despite producing a largely ragged display at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium. It was full credit to the FNP team, who gave Joe Schmidt's Wallabies a lesson in ferocity at the breakdown and scored tries from Tristan Reilly, Seru Uru and Rob Leota, the last allowing them to creep within five points with less than 10 minutes left. Although the Lions notched their seventh win in succession in Australia, coach Andy Farrell may have more headaches than just selection for Saturday's second test against the Wallabies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they will bid to seal the series. The claims of his son Owen Farrell for a test jersey were unharmed, though, the former England captain leading from the front as skipper on Tuesday. "Probably wasn't our best performance, but massive, massive credit's got to go to the First Nations and Pasifika boys, thought they came after us tonight," said Owen Farrell. "They got off the line really well, they caused us some trouble ... I'm thankful we got the job done in the end." Farrell was right in the thick of it, charging in to shove Reilly after the hosts' winger hammered into Graham with a try-saving tackle that earned him a yellow card in the fifth minute. Moments later, Farrell set up the Lions' first try with a neat chip over the First Nations' line that Osborne collected and planted down. GRAHAM TRY Farrell had a hand in the second for Scottish winger Graham who streamed through a paddock of space. FNP were 14-0 down after 11 minutes but Reilly returned to the field to intercept a poor Fin Smith pass near the Lions' 22 and jog over for the easiest of tries. Improbably, FNP wiped out the lead with a converted try to Uru, who burrowed over in the 23rd minute. Lions lock James Ryan was yellow-carded in the same play for slowing the ball down at the ruck. Undermanned, the tourists shut out FNPZ for the rest of the half but were lucky to avoid conceding a third try after another interception. Home fans hoping for an upset were buoyant in the crowd of 30,420 but Osborne silenced them soon after the restart, with flyhalf Smith making up for errant passing with a long ball that set up the centre's second try. Still the errors flowed, with forward passes and knock-ons denying the Lions two certain tries before Van der Merwe latched onto a Farrell pass to cross in the corner. Still FNP responded, rumbling the ball to the tryline before Melbourne boy and former Wallaby Leota barged through a crack to trim the deficit to five points in the 71st minute. The drums were beating among the Pacific Islanders in the terraces but the Lions did well to lock down and ensure they head into the second Wallabies test with winning form. "Not many people gave us a chance," said FNP's man-of-the-match Charlie Gamble.
