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Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Huw Jones: I was on an emotional rollercoaster ahead of Lions' series triumph
Huw Jones admitted he had been riding an emotional rollercoaster, culminating in the British and Irish Lions clinching a series victory over Australia. Andy Farrell's men have returned to Sydney intent on becoming the first Lions team to complete a Test whitewash since the 1927 visit to Argentina – an aspiration made possible by Saturday's gripping 29-26 triumph in Melbourne. Jones was destined to miss one of the greatest matches in the tourists' storied history after initially being left out of the starting XV, despite having impressed in the Suncorp Stadium opener. But having been dropped for Garry Ringrose, he was reinstated at outside centre when the Ireland star self-reported a return of the concussion symptoms that had forced him to miss the first Test. 'It was a pretty mental week. I had the initial disappointment of not being in the squad on the Tuesday,' Jones said. 'I had a chat with Andy and I was gutted. I got over that and was ready to get behind the boys. 'And then on Thursday we trained and Garry – to be fair to him – said his head just wasn't right. I think he may have got a knock in the session and went to the doctor. 'That's brave. And pulling yourself out as well. It was at the end of training, I had no idea that he was struggling, 'I chatted to Garry afterwards and he was emotional. Its one of those….you think 'I'll be all right' but if it's bad, it's bad. 'But like people have said, it's just a game. Your head's very important, you only get one brain and all that. 'If he felt the need to say that he was struggling, then fair play to him. I just hope that he gets over it very quickly. The moment that clinched the Series… #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 'I was gutted for him because he deserved to play and I know he would have been unbelievable. Sometimes that's rugby and that's sport. 'So I got a nod after that session. I was ready to step in and luckily I'd run some of the plays on Tuesday, so I was ready to go and got the job done.' Jones played a key part in the Lions' comeback from 18 points down after showing his strength to power over just before half-time, but it was Hugo Keenan's dashing finish with 51 seconds left that ignited the celebrations. Remarkably, Keenan's try was the first time the Lions had led in the second Test. 'What a game. Unbelievable. We made it hard for ourselves, ill-discipline and all that, but came back at the end and Hugo….what a finish. It was a good feeling,' Jones said. 'It's a cliche, but we never stopped believing, even at half-time. Even if we'd been further down, we still had the belief that we'd go on and win.' Farrell has given his squad two days off to celebrate Saturday's achievement with the players being joined by their friends and family. They resume training on Tuesday when the Lions will begin plotting the downfall of the Wallabies for a third-successive weekend. Farrell is scheduled to name his starting XV and bench on Thursday.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: Controversial refereeing decision leaves rugby fans scratching their heads
The late try allowed the visiting British and Irish Lions to win the second Test against Australia and thus the series, with a game to go. Referee Andrea Piardi, left, speaks with the players during the Test between the British and Irish Lions and Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. Picture: Izhar Khan/You see, this is why rugby is so confusing. And infuriating. And simply too difficult to understand for the casual observer. It's nothing new of course. The problem is there are just too many laws, too many things that depend on one human's beliefs, thoughts and observations. I'm of course referring to the decisions that get made in rugby matches. As hard as World Rugby tries to get it right, with strict rules in place about what constitutes foul play, it's not black and white and thus is open to interpretation and subjective thought. And depending on who you support, you'll either believe the referee and officials got the decision right or you'll say they got it completely wrong. So, if you're a British and Irish Lions supporter you'll agree that referee Andrea Piardi made the right call in allowing Hugo Keenan's late winning try to stand against the Wallabies in Melbourne on Saturday in the second Test despite an alleged dangerous clean-out at a ruck moments before. In the lead up to the try, the Lions' Jac Morgan flew into a ruck that was being contested by Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano who was attempting to win a turnover, with the contact sending the latter flying out of the ruck. While the incident was reviewed, Piardi and his officiating team deemed it to be a fair clean-out. Another look at the cleanout. Again, perfectly good. # — Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) July 26, 2025 'Different decision on another day' Well, was it, and did they get it spot on? Or did the referee and his team not have the guts to make a hard result-changing, career-changing, potential series-changing decision? If you watched the match and saw the incident you'll know that in many Test matches and throughout the United Rugby Championship, clean-outs like the one mentioned here result in penalties and yellow cards to offending players. While Lions boss Andy Farrell described the win as 'fairytale stuff' and 'what we have dreamed of', Australia coach Joe Schmidt said, 'We can all see clear contact with the back of the neck which might be a different decision on another day and another time. I'm just gutted.' What decision would have been made if the scoreline was different and if the incident took place in the 20th minute and not the 80th? That's rugby for you, so hard to understand sometimes.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Preview: Lions won't be bowled over by history at the MCG
Only 21 games of rugby union have ever been played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The British and Irish Lions didn't even exist when the Carlton football club hosted Waratah from New South Wales in June 1878 for that first game of rugby at the MCG. They played two games that weekend, one as a game of rugby, and the other under Victorian rules – the game we now know to be Australian Rules Football. An estimated 6,000 people were in attendance for that game, the result of which was disputed by both teams. The MCG will look a lot different this week, as the Wallabies and British and Irish Lions look to threaten the biggest ever crowd for a rugby game at Australia's most famous sporting venue, that being the 90,119 that watched Australia host New Zealand in 1997. The Lions have been here twice before, defeating Victoria on their 1899 and in 1930 tours, but they've never played a Test at 'The G'. In fact, this will be just the fifth international Test ever to be played at the ground, all four being Bledisloe Cup games between the Wallabies and the All Blacks. Rugby union is practically a minority sport in Melbourne, with pretty much everything playing far behind Aussie Rules during the winter in this town. However, it hasn't been an easy place for the Lions to visit. In 2001 and 2013 they brought a 1-0 lead to Docklands Stadium (now Marvel Stadium), where the Wallabies tied up the series, but it would take something special for Joe Schmidt's side to set up a deciding Test in Sydney next week. It was jarring to see how easily the Lions bullied the Wallabies a week ago in that first half as they cruised towards a 17-5 half-time lead, before extending it minutes after the break to effectively kill off the game. 'We were probably all a danger to ourselves, this wouldn't have happened.' #RTERugby podcast pundits @jonnyholland10 and @MurphyJohne hail Garry Ringrose for self-reporting a head injury after being included in the Lions starting XV for second Test — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 24, 2025 They played in a way we simply don't associate with a Joe Schmidt side, with Tom Lynagh floundering behind a pack that was going backwards phase on phase, and their attacking shape appearing disorganised and improvised – not in a good way. There was plenty of heart on display, but heart can only get you so far in a game of collisions, and their late rally to score two tries and put some respectability on the scoreboard was as much down to the tourists taking their foot off the gas rather than the Wallabies finding an extra gear. Farrell was clearly frustrated last Saturday evening at how his side took their foot off the throat in the final half an hour at Suncorp Stadium, and when he referred back to it on Thursday after naming his side for this week's second Test, he described it as a "dip in focus" from his players. "We thoroughly believe that we're way better than what we showed, and we've got another chance to prove that," he said, after naming his side for the second Test yesterday. Joe McCarthy (above) misses out due to the plantar fasciitis which forced him off early in the second half last week, and Farrell has resisted the temptation to move Tadhg Beirne into his usual position at lock, slotting Ollie Chessum in alongside captain Maro Itoje and retaining last week's exceptional back row trio of Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan. Andrew Porter also starts, perhaps to create a change in the picture they present at the scrum after some decisions went the Wallabies way last week, but equally to unleash Ellis Genge's explosive qualities on a tiring Australian pack in the second half. In the centre, Bundee Aki (below) comes in for Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu, where Farrell had plans to pair him with his Ireland team-mate Garry Ringrose, but after the Leinster centre had to drop out due to concussion, Huw Jones came back into this week's line-up. Despite having played his Irish and Scottish centres together for the majority of this tour, Farrell is backing the Aki-Jones combination to gel. "At this stage of the tour, and well before this stage of the tour, actually, the combinations have been absolutely fine together. So Bundee and Huw will hit it off exactly like any other type of partnership. "These things happen in the warm-up of any game, the pressure is off and people tend to play freely because of that type of situation. Huw won't miss a beat in that regard," Farrell added. Given the head coach's frustrations at how little impact he got from his bench last week, his decision to shuffle the replacements is worth noting. Genge is arguably a victim of his own high-octane style of play, held back to keep the energy levels him when he comes on in the second half. With Chessum starting, James Ryan got the nod to step up to the bench, and while it's been suggested that Scot Cummings is the more in-form of the two, Ryan's abrasiveness at the breakdown is something Farrell has always valued. Farrell did go for the form option of Jac Morgan as his back row replacement ahead of Ben Earl's versatility, while the decision to play Owen Farrell over Marcus Smith as the replacement out-half shows the stock Andy is putting in leadership. For their worth, Australia have clearly addressed the power imbalance of last week in their selection. Leinster-nemesis Will Skelton - all 6ft 8in and 135kg of him – comes in at second row, while reigning Australian player of the year Rob Valetini has also recovered from injury to start. Flanker Langi Gleeson has also been declared fit, and is named on the bench, with Andrew Kellaway dropping out to allow for the 6:2 split, something the haven't done since a World Cup warm-up against France in 2023. While Skelton has been a consistent thorn in the side of the many Leinster players in this group, Valetini's return is more important for the Wallabies for his ball-carrying ability. 'A member of the Concrete XV', as described by the Sydney Morning Herald's Iain Payten (above) on this week's RTÉ Rugby Podcast, the Wallabies tried to share the burden of his ball-carrying in Brisbane last week, Nick Frost and Fraser McReight their two leading carriers in the pack with just 42 metres made from a combined 26 carries. If Valetini can get on the ball and make the Lions defence go backwards, the field could open up, with more time in the hands of Lynagh and more space in midfield for their wildcard, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. It should be a better Wallabies team than we saw in Brisbane, but the feeling is that it's still not good enough, and the performances of Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakai-Loto and Darcy Swain for the First Nations and Pasifika XV last week suggest that while there is top level talent in Australia at the moment, it's not all being picked by the Wallabies. Verdict: Lions Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, David Porecki, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson. Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson. British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Lions tame gutsy Brumbies for fourth straight win on Australia tour
Lions pip Brumbies British and Irish Lions' Bundee Aki is tackled by ACT Brumbies' Rory Scott during their rugby match in Canberra on Wednesday. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP Image: Saeed Khan/AFP Marcus Smith and Ollie Chessum got on the scoresheet as a defiant British and Irish Lions fought past a gutsy ACT Brumbies 36-24 on Wednesday, piercing their defence for five tries. On a frigid Canberra night, the visitors started slowly but found their groove as they count down to the first Test, building on a 19-10 half-time lead to bank a fourth consecutive win since landing in Australia. In the Lions' previous two games against the Brumbies, Australia's top Super Rugby side, only two points had separated them each time – the tourists won 30-28 in 2001 and lost 14-12 in 2013. This time the Lions were convincing winners as players jostle for position in Andy Farrell's team for the opening Wallabies Test in Brisbane on July 19. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ "The Brumbies were very good today. They challenged us throughout the whole game," Lions captain Maro Itoje said. "It was a hotly contested game, but another step in the right direction. "We're building a team. We're a group of individuals coming together. "The more we play, the better we will become, we just have to accelerate that." After two statement wins over Western Force and Queensland Reds, the tourists were scrappy against the NSW Waratahs, struggling to convert territory and possession into points. In response, Farrell named his strongest side of the tour so far and they were more cohesive, marshalled by Englishman Itoje. They cut down on the handling errors and showed more attacking intent under the guidance of Scottish playmaker Finn Russell, although the defence was leaky with the hosts' crossing four times. "Proud. I think the way we defended was quality and it shows how much pride the boys have in this jersey," Brumbies captain Ryan Lonergan said. While the Brumbies were without their top players, who are on Australia duty, they still boasted plenty of firepower and had a brilliant start. Kinghorn injury concern Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan gave away a penalty and the Brumbies launched into a rolling maul that saw Tuaina Taii Tualima burrow over after just four minutes. The tourists woke from their slumber and levelled 10 minutes later when Bundee Aki broke the defence, with Russell luring two defenders before offloading for lock Chessum to dot down. They should have had another try soon after but Ireland winger James Lowe failed to ground the ball. Having lost Elliot Daly to a broken arm last week, there was a further fullback blow for the Lions when Blair Kinghorn went off in the first half and had his left knee put in an ice pack, with Smith replacing him. "I was just speaking to him (Kinghorn) then," Farrell told Sky Sports. "Someone had landed on his knee, he felt a little bit of something so he's walking around. So hopefully it's not too serious." TLowe had another chance on the half-hour mark, which this time he took after sharp hands from Sheehan and Jack Conan. Russell added the extras for a 12-5 lead, but the Brumbies struck back with another well-deserved try, courtesy of winger Corey Toole. A goal-line dropout by the Brumbies as the hooter sounded proved costly. The Lions gathered and attacked the line, with Smith finishing for a 19-10 lead at the break. An early second-half try to Garry Ringrose, who got on the end of a Smith grubber kick, stretched their advantage to 26-10. But the hosts again hit back when substitute Hudson Creighton scythed through. The Lions did not panic and a Russell penalty increased their buffer before a converted try by Josh van der Flier put the game beyond reach. AFP
Sydney Morning Herald
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Wallaby war hero's name to live on after Lions make trophy change
The Tom Richards Cup, which has been contested between the Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions since 2001, has been retired and will be replaced next month by a perpetual trophy created by the Lions on their 2021 tour of South Africa. But Richards, the Gallipoli hero and Olympic gold medallist who is the only Australian-born person to play for both the Wallabies and the Lions, will still be commemorated in next month's three-Test series, with a new Tom Richards Medal to be awarded to the player of the series. The change has the potential to be controversial given the Richards' extraordinary life, and the fact the Wallabies and Lions have already played for the Tom Richards Cup twice, in 2001 and 2013. But the family of Richards have given their blessing, and three generations of Richards' descendants last week posed with Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh at the SCG with Richards' war medal, Test caps and Olympic medal as a gesture of support. 'It's really nice and we're really thrilled that they're able to keep his name alive by doing it this way,' Paul Menck, who is Richards' great-grandson, said. Tom 'Rusty' Richards was born as a son of poor gold miners in Charters Towers, in rural Queensland, and debuted for the Wallabies on a 1908 tour of the UK. That trip also saw Australia win an Olympic gold medal, with Richards scoring a try in the victory over a Cornwall side. The Times wrote that if a world team had to be selected to play against Mars, Richards 'would be the first player chosen'. Richards subsequently went to work in South Africa, and when the British Lions toured there in 1910 and suffered multiple injuries, the flanker was drafted in to become a Lion - being eligible via a previous stint of playing for Bristol.
