Latest news with #DarcyGraham
The 42
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Ringrose shows class on Lions return in front of his family
THERE'S A BIT of a Ringrose reunion going on in Melbourne. Lions centre Garry's wife and young son have flown in to follow his efforts in Australia, as have his parents and two brothers. Throw in the fact that his aunt and cousins live in Melbourne and Ringrose is not shy of support. They would all have been delighted to see the 30-year-old make such an impressive return from head injury in the Lions' hard-fought win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium tonight. 'The effort that they make to come to the other side of the world, you want to do them proud,' said Ringrose. Ringrose missed last weekend's first Test against the Wallabies because of that concussion but he is firmly back in the mix for the second Test on Saturday, having played more than 60 minutes off the bench against the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Speaking post-match, Ringrose was a happy man. But, as is his way, he firstly stressed how gutted he was for Scotland wing Darcy Graham having to limp off injured so soon after scoring a try on his Lions debut. Jamie Osborne shifted to the wing and Ringrose came on earlier than expected. He did his Test chances no harm with a razor-sharp performance alongside the equally impressive captain Owen Farrell. 'It was actually pretty cool to get a chance to play with Owen, someone I would have admired for my whole career,' said Ringrose. Advertisement Ringrose consoles the injured Darcy Graham. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO The Irishman said it was hard to pick out just one thing that impressed him about Farrell. 'From the off, his leadership in the week. It was a challenging turnaround from the first Test, then you're travelling, then your captain's run. He didn't miss a beat in terms of that leadership and bringing players with him. Even the guys coming in, the challenge of new guys into the environment, and getting guys up to speed, he was leading that. 'When he talks, everyone listens. What he's saying is the right pitch and hits the spot every time, and I could feel it out there as well. That's not even talking about the rugby side of things. His ability at the line because he's that kind of 10/12, physicality at the line when it's needed. What else? His work rate for Duhan's try. 'The work rate to take the ball to the far edge, then off the ball his work rate to then be the link player for Duhan to score on the other edge. In big moments, he's someone who consistently delivers and he delivered today.' Ringrose delivered too. He was seen as being in the driving seat for the Test number 13 shirt before his concussion. Scotland's Huw Jones was good in that jersey last Saturday, but Andy Farrell must be heavily tempted to go with Ringrose this weekend. He said the second Test selection hasn't caused him any sleepless nights, although he obviously hopes he has done enough. 'Ah yeah, but it's the team first,' said Ringrose. 'Wherever I fit in to help the team win, I'll be all in on that. Yeah, happy out with the win today and then it's kind of a cool challenge in that it's a Test game in a few days and it's all hands on deck from tomorrow morning really.' Ringrose with Jamie Osborne. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO The Lions have a day off tomorrow and while Ringrose said he will get some family time in, he will also be on the laptop reviewing his game and thinking ahead to the next challenge against the Wallabies. With Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Ringrose, Jones, Farrell, and now Osborne all capable of playing in the midfield, the Lions aren't short of options. Ringrose was delighted to see Osborne scoring two tries on his Lions debut tonight. 'It doesn't surprise me,' said Ringrose. 'Lucky enough to train with him, especially before he even made his Leinster debut. 'You're training with him for a year or two, and you could just see he's got something. So absolutely delighted for him and his family as well. Called in late from Irish camp and then to fit in, it just doesn't surprise me.' And it wouldn't be any great surprise if Ringrose has a part to play this Saturday.
Scotsman
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Darcy Graham braced for scan results as injury ends Lions debut after 16 minutes
'So upsetting' says head coach Andy Farrell's after winger's try-scoring performance Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Darcy Graham is to have a scan on Wednesday morning after his debut for the British and Irish Lions was ended by injury in Melbourne. The Scotland winger limped off after just 16 minutes of the 24-19 win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV with what appeared to be an ankle issue. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Graham, 28, was in some distress and was later seen wearing a protective boot. He was consoled by Scotland team-mate Finn Russell as he watched the remainder of the game from the bench. Darcy Graham walks off the pitch after being injured during the of the British & Irish Lions' win over the First Nations & Pasifika side in Melbourne. | Getty Images Graham has suffered a string of serious injuries in recent seasons and his club, Edinburgh, will be braced for news of the scan. A late call-up to the Lions squad as cover for the injured Mack Hansen, Graham looked lively in the short time he was on the field and scored his side's second try. The fear now is that Graham's tour is over, the injury potentially ending any hope he had of playing in the two remaining Test matches. The Lions take on Australia this Saturday at the MCG knowing a win will clinch the three-match series. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So upsetting for Darcy Graham,' said Lions head coach Andy Farrell. 'It showed how much it meant to him. He has a Lions cap and scored a try and he'll remember that forever.' Darcy Graham scores the British & Irish Lions' second try during the 24-19 win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. | Getty Images Farrell also said that he will confirm which recent call-ups to his squad will head home on Wednesday. He said Graham was in a different position to the other late call-ups because he was drafted in due to concerns over Hansen.
Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Darcy Graham injury overshadows Lions' scrappy win as Blair Kinghorn stakes claim despite brain fart
Tourists maintain winning run but poorest performance yet Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Darcy Graham scored a try but his injury curse struck again and his debut for the British and Irish Lions lasted only 16 minutes in Melbourne. The Scotland winger was unlucky not to be part of Andy Farrell's original tour squad but was called up last Monday and made his Lions debut in the scrappy win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The sight of Graham hobbling off so early was gut-wrenching, particularly given how lively he had looked, scoring the tourists' second try in the 24-19 victory at Marvel Stadium. Pain is etched on the face of Darcy Graham as he receives treatment for an injury during the British and Irish Lions' win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne. | AFP via Getty Images 'It's so upsetting because he was so upset,' said head coach Andy Farrell. 'It shows how much it means to him. He hobbled off, but he's got a Lions cap, he played for the British and Irish Lions, he's scored a try and he'll remember that forever.' Winger wearing a protective boot Graham looked devastated as he came off and his damaged left ankle was in a protective boot by the end of the match. It's the latest setback for the Edinburgh winger who missed the Six Nations in 2023 and 2024 through injury. At least he has his try to look back on. The tourists were already 7-0 up through Jamie Osborne's converted score when Fin Smith found Graham in acres of space on the right wing and the Hawick man was never going to waste such an opportunity. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He had already been involved in one of the game's more contentious moments, being on the receiving end of a high tackle from Triston Reilly which earned the Aussie sevens international a deserved yellow card. But it was a tackle in the 13th minute which did for Graham as he found himself trapped under a ruck of bodies. The injury was taped up and he tried to continue but eventually bowed to the inevitable and was replaced by Garry Ringrose. British and Irish Lions' Darcy Graham scores a try against the First Nations & Pasifika XV as Blair Kinghorn celebrates in the background. | AFP via Getty Images Graham was one of six Scots in the Lions starting side in Melbourne, with another three on the bench for a game against an invitational side representing indigenous First Nations peoples and Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Maori and Cook Island cultures. The Lions looked like they were going to blow the opposition away in the early stages, racing into a 14-0 lead after 11 minutes, but the departure of Graham seemed to signal a change in momentum and the hosts fought back to go in level at the turn thanks to tries from Reilly and Seru Uru. 'We lost the run of ourselves' Two more Lions tries in the second half through Osborne - his second - and Duhan van der Merwe made it 24-14 but the First Nations and Pasifika XV finished the stronger side. Rob Leota's try brought them to within a score but the Lions hung on for victory. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 100 per cent win rate in Australia has been maintained but this was their poorest performance of the tour and few players put their hands up for selection for Saturday's second Test against the Wallabies. 'We lost the run of ourselves after going 14-0 up, playing some fancy rugby that was never on,' lamented Andy Farrell. Blair Kinghorn is one who will give the head coach pause for thought. Returning to the team after suffering a knee strain against the ACT Brumbies, the full-back was one of the Lions' liveliest attackers, linking up well with his Scotland team-mates Graham and van der Merwe in the early stages. Kinghorn was finding pockets of space, particularly on the right, and using his long, galloping stride to pin back the hosts. He was good under the high ball, too, most notably in the second half when the First Nations and Pasifika XV were putting the Lions under pressure. Darcy Graham was wearing a protective medical boot after being injured in the British & Irish Lions' 24-19 win. | Getty Images It wasn't perfect from Kinghorn. He had one brain fart moment which gifted the hosts their first try, as his looped pass intended for Owen Farrell was intercepted by Reilly. There was another interception just half-time but van der Merwe got him out of jail on that occasion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kinghorn offers more in attack than the Irishman The good outweighed the bad, though, and he pushed his case to be part of the Test 23 at the MCG this weekend. Whether he can dislodge Hugo Keenan from the No 15 jersey remains to be seen but Kinghorn certainly offers more in attack than the Irishman. Ben White was another who shone on a night when few in red did. Unfortunately for the Scotland nine, the scrum-half roles looked to be locked in, with Jamison Gibson-Park certain to start on Saturday and Alex Mitchell likely to be on the bench. Van der Merwe started all three Tests in South Africa in 2021 but finds himself on the periphery this time, even though he is the Lions top try-scorer of the tour. He took his tally to five with a neat finish in the second half after good work by Fin Smith and Owen Farrell. Blair Kinghorn was a potent attacking threat for the British and Irish Lions in the win over the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium. | Getty Images His great friend and Scotland team-mate Pierre Schoeman had a quiet game but his own standards, with few of his trademarks surges. The Lions scrum also struggled at times, with penalties conceded amid the flurry of errors in the first half in particular. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cummings makes his mark Scott Cummings had a more satisfactory evening in the second row, stealing one First Nations lineout, claiming kick-offs with authority and proving himself a menace as he charged down opposition kicks. With a question mark around Joe McCarthy's fitness Cummings has an outside chance of making the bench on Saturday. There were Lions debuts for Gregor Brown and Ewan Ashman, who both came on in the second half along with Rory Sutherland who was a Test player in 2021. All three linked up with the squad this week after being part of the Scotland party in New Zealand. It is likely to be their only tour action in red but a proud moment nonetheless. Teams and scorers Scorers: First Nations & Pasifika XV: Tries: Reilly, Uru, Leota. Cons: Beale 2. Lions: Tries: Osborne 2, Graham, van der Merwe. Cons: F Smith 2. Yellow cards: T Reilly, (First Nations, 4min), J Ryan (Lions, 22min) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad First Nations & Pasifika XV: A Muirhead; F Daugunu, L Foketi, D Feliuai, T Reilly; K Beale, K Thomas; L Ieli, B Paenga-Amosa, T Tupou, D Swain, L Salakaia-Loto, S Uru, C Gamble, TT Tualima. Replacements: R Asiata, M Pearce, M Doge, M Vocevoce, R Leota, H Goddard, J Debreczeni, J McLeod. Lions: B Kinghorn; D Graham (G Ringrose 16), J Osborne, O Farrell (capt), D van der Merwe; F Smith (M Smith 66-72), B White; P Schoeman (R Sutherland 74), J George (E Ashman 74), F Bealham (T Clarkson 54), J Ryan (G Brown 54), S Cummings, J Morgan (B Earl 50), J van der Flier, H Pollock. Replacement: A Mitchell.
Irish Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Lions player ratings as Owen Farrell shines v First Nations and Pasifika XV
The British and Irish Lions have maintained their unbeaten streak on their Australian tour, securing a 24-19 victory over the First Nations and Pasifika XV. Jamie Osborne's pair of tries, along with one each from Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, and four points from Fin Smith's boot, ensured the Lions' triumph. Triston Reilly, Seru Uru and Rob Leota scored for the FNP XV, with Wallabies legend Kurtley Beale contributing four points. Despite some players underperforming, a few may have increased the pressure on Andy Farrell ahead of this weekend's second Test against Australia, Wales Online. Here are the player ratings:. 15. Blair Kinghorn 6 The Scottish full-back shone in attack, making a couple of line breaks early in the first half, and his superb long pass set up Jamie Osborne's try just after the break. Kinghorn also managed to catch a few high balls under pressure but made some regrettable errors, including two intercepted passes. Subscribe to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for exclusive news stories and insights from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. He'll be disappointed that his careless pass was intercepted by Triston Reilly, resulting in a try for the Lions, squandering what could have been a golden opportunity. 14. Darcy Graham 6 The Scottish winger was forced off the field with a lower limb injury after just 16 minutes, but he made a positive impression during his brief time on the pitch. Graham posed a threat with the ball, managing to get past the FNP XV on several occasions and scoring a try. 13. Jamie Osborne 8 The 23-year-old put in an outstanding performance after being a late addition to the tour party. Osborne will be pleased with his two tries and was consistently a threat with the ball, while also successfully catching a couple of high balls under intense pressure. Jamie Osborne scores a try during against First Nations & Pasifika (Image:) 12. Owen Farrell (star man) 8 The Lions captain delivered a confident performance, his handling and distribution skills frequently outmanoeuvring the FNP XV. It was Farrell's chip over the defence that led to Jamie Osborne's first try, and he also assisted van der Merwe in scoring at the corner. His excellent all-round performance could potentially earn him a spot on the bench for the second Test. 11. Duhan van der Merwe 6 The Scottish winger is always a threat with the ball but was well-contained by the FNP XV defence. Van der Merwe scored the Lions' fourth try but struggled a few times in the air. It remains uncertain whether he has done enough to be considered for the Test matches. 10. Fin Smith 7 Smith performed well with the ball, his distribution skills creating opportunities for others, including a superb pass that led to Graham's try. His subtle offload at the point of contact also contributed to van der Merwe's try, and he made an impressive 15 tackles, the joint highest from a Lion. However, he missed a few conversions, which kept the FNP XV in the game, and there were a few errors. 9. Ben White 7 The Scottish scrum-half has been outstanding on tour, delivering another first-rate performance. White's box kicking was superb, as were his exits, providing relief from pressure multiple times. A remarkable 50/22 kick set the Lions up for their third try. 8. Henry Pollock 6 He found it challenging against a formidable FNP XV pack but managed to ruffle their feathers several times. Pollock put in a lot of effort but occasionally struggled to assert himself physically. However, the 20-year-old secured a vital turnover in the game's final moments, helping to clinch the victory. 7. Josh van der Flier 7 The 32-year-old made a significant contribution in defence with 15 tackles and was highly effective in the contact area. Van der Flier did a lot of unnoticed work and partnered well with Jac Morgan. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free. His passing, mauling and carrying skills are top-notch, but his presence on the field for the full 80 minutes doesn't bode well for his chances of playing in the second Test. 6. Jac Morgan 7 Morgan delivered another industrious performance, making eight tackles and seven carries during his 51 minutes on the pitch. His early withdrawal might hint at Farrell's plans for the weekend. The Welshman also earned two penalties thanks to his jackling at the breakdown. Morgan delivered a quietly effective performance, but it's still uncertain if he has done enough to secure a spot in the 23 for this Saturday's second Test. 5. Scott Cummings 7 Cummings put in a lot of work and was spot on when dealing with kick-off receipts. The towering Scottish lock excelled at charging down and his counter rucking caused issues for the FNP XV throughout the match. He also managed the lineout well and with Joe McCarthy battling injury, he is a strong contender for a bench spot this Saturday. 4. James Ryan 4 The tour has been disappointing for the Irish lock who struggled to make an impact in Melbourne. Ryan only made two tackles and three carries, and also received a yellow card in the first half. His chances of making the Test squad are slim. 3. Finlay Bealham 6 Bealham was solid in the scrum, providing a platform for the Lions to build from. However, the Connacht tighthead didn't make much of an impact elsewhere, with the PNF XV pack proving more destructive in their carrying game. He hasn't challenged the Test team. 2. Jamie George 7 The England hooker put in a strong performance. The lineout ran smoothly under George's guidance, and he made 12 tackles and five carries. George may have done enough to edge out Ronan Kelleher for a place on the bench this weekend. 1. Pierre Schoeman 6 He was generally solid in the scrum, although he was pushed back significantly once by Wallabies tighthead Taniela Tupou. However, he performed well around the field with nine carries and eight tackles. Replacements. 16. Ewan Ashman 5 He didn't have much time to make an impact but didn't do anything wrong. 17. Rory Sutherland 5 He didn't have much time to make a significant contribution but managed to secure the scrum. 18. Tom Clarkson 6 The Irish player performed well in the scrum and made an impression with a few powerful carries. 19. Gregor Brown 5 He put in a lot of effort but didn't make a huge impact. 20. Ben Earl 6 The Saracens back-rower made a couple of dynamic carries and brought some energy to the game. 21. Alex Mitchell N/A. He didn't come off the bench. 22. Marcus Smith 5 He had a few nice touches. 23. Garry Ringrose 6 He tackled well and carried hard, but a knock-on cost the Lions a try.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Devastated' Graham's debut lasts 17 minutes
Darcy Graham's Lions debut was short but 28-year-old wing was called up to the British and Irish Lions last showed his worth by scoring the second Lions try against the First Nations and Pasifika 17 minutes into his debut, Graham, in tears, was forced to leave the field with what looked to be an ankle was later seen walking around the pitch in a medical boot and is set to have a scan."He's devastated," said British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell. "But to become a Lion and score a try, he should be proud of himself."
