Latest news with #InvitationalXV
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Live Lions v AUNZ XV: Score and latest updates from Adelaide
Debutant and injury replacement Ben White will form an intriguing half-back axis with so far inconsistent Fin Smith. If Smith performs to his high standards, he will put teammates into space with his excellent vision. In the forwards, Ben Earl and Henry Pollock will run all day, every carry having line-busting potential. They are backed up by the dogged work rate of Jac Morgan. The front row who are scrapping for positions in the test team will look to dominate at scrum time and provide the hard yards in attack. Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith will surely provide electricity off the bench, whilst everyone watching will be eager to learn what sort of form Owen Farrell is in. It is difficult to asses how the Invitational XV will perform, but expect plenty of ambition and physicality, especially from their international standard back row.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Owen Farrell among replacements for Lions' final tour match ahead of first Test
The 33-year-old Saracens and England fly-half only arrived in the southern hemisphere last Friday following the arm fracture which ended Elliot Daly's tour prematurely. He has quickly had to get up to pace with his team-mates, who are unbeaten in four outings Down Under with one remaining before the first Test in Brisbane. Head coach Andy Farrell has resisted the temptation to throw his son, who has been drafted in as cover at inside centre, into his starting line-up at the earliest opportunity, but is confident he is ready to make a 19th Lions appearance if and when required. He said: 'He's the same as everyone else who's had to get up to speed pretty quickly. Everyone had to at the start, obviously, and then a few have come in since. 'I think the art at this stage of the tour is mentally being as switched on as you possibly can for all, not just the lads who are new to the group, because of the nature of the preparation, so there's not that much training that you can do.' Farrell Junior, who stepped away from international rugby after the 2023 World Cup to prioritise his and his family's well-being, is on his fourth Lions tour after making his debut in Australia in 2013 and his father, who was an assistant coach on that trip, admits that experience will serve him well 12 years on. He said: 'He was, I suppose, lucky enough to play when he was very young. You need the stars to align, as far as that's concerned. When your first one starts, I suppose it allows you to have a look-in at that type of thing.' British and Irish Lions full-back Blair Kinghorn was undergoing a scan on Thursday (Robbie Stephenson/PA) Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn suffered a knee injury during Wednesday's 36-24 win over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra and while the Lions head coach is hopeful the damage is not significant, he was awaiting the outcome of a scan as he conducted his press conference on Thursday morning. Asked how Kinghorn was, Farrell said: 'Blair is okay, he's not too bad. He's actually gone for a scan as we speak now, so we're waiting as regards to the news on that, but the same as he always is. 'Like I said yesterday, he's in good spirits, so we'll wait and see what the outcome is of that. 'I don't think it's as bad as what could have been. It was something innocuous really, just a rugby accident that was unfortunate, so fingers crossed when we get back to the hotel that we get some good news.' Tadhg Beirne will captain the British and Irish Lions against an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV (Robbie Stephenson/PA) Tadhg Beirne, who will line up alongside Ireland team-mate James Ryan in the second row, captains the side for the second time with Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart ahead of them and Henry Pollock, Jac Morgan and Ben Earl making up the back row. Ben White and Fin Smith will link up at half-back with Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones in midfield and Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and Duhan van der Merwe combining in the back three. Beirne, who has three sisters living in Australia, said: 'It's a huge honour. There's an incredible amount of leaders within this squad. People aren't afraid to speak up and say what needs to be said at times, so there's not as much of a burden on you, that's for sure. 'But as I said, it's a huge honour for me to lead out this team and I'm looking forward to it again.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Five Scotland stars get final Lions Test audition chance as Owen Farrell decision made
Farrell picks heavy Scottish contingent in final warm-up match 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... Five Scots have been named in the British and Irish Lions team for their final pre-Test warm-up match against an Invitational XV on Saturday in Adelaide. Centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones pair up again, while Duhan van der Merwe has been picked at wing and scrum-half Ben White will make his first start. In the forwards, Pierre Schoeman starts at prop and fellow Scotland internationalist Scott Cummings has been named on the bench as a replacement second row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Saturday's match will be the final chance for Tuipulotu, Jones, Van der Merwe, White, Schoeman and Cummings to force themselves into the reckoning for next weekend's Test opener against Australia in Brisbane. Scotland stand-off Finn Russell - widely expected to be the Lions' 10 against the Wallabies - has been rested, as has full-back Blair Kinghorn, who suffered a knee injury in Wednesday's win over the ACT Brumbies. Scotland centre pairing Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu line up once again for the Lions. | Getty Images Scottish hopes had been high pre-tour that national team captain Tuipulotu and his Glasgow Warriors sidekick Jones would be the Lions' Test combination at centre, but it appears that the Irish duo of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose are ahead of them in the pecking order. A strong display against the Invitational XV could give head coach Andy Farrell food for thought, though. With concerns over Kinghorn's fitness, Hugo Keenan is the only other natural 15 in the squad. He starts in Adelaide, with Ireland teammate Mack Hansen also picked on the wing. England's Fin Smith combines with White in the half-backs at stand-off. In the pack, Schoeman is joined by England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and prop Will Stuart in the front row. Ireland's James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne are the locks, with the latter captaining the team. The back row comprises of Henry Pollock (England), Jac Morgan (Wales) and No 8 Ben Earl (England). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Owen Farrell on the bench for Lions Owen Farrell - the son of head coach Andy and a controversial call-up to replace the injured Elliot Daly - is one of eight replacements alongside Cummings, Ronan Kelleher (Ireland), Andrew Porter (Ireland), Finlay Bealham (Ireland), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England) and Marcus Smith (England). 'We are in a great position just over a week out from the first Test,' said Farrell. 'The players now have another chance to put in a strong team performance and put a hand up for selection for the Test matches against the Wallabies. Les Kiss has assembled a strong squad with lots of international experience and we know that he will have them well organised and they will bring a lot of physicality to the contest.' The game on Saturday. kicks off at 11.00am BST and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Tadhg Beirne named captain for Lions' final pre-Test runout
Tadhg Beirne will captain a much-changed British and Irish Lions team to face an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV in Adelaide on Saturday (11am Irish time), with three other Irish players starting and Owen Farrell among the replacements. The Munster man, who led the team to an unconvincing 21-10 over a dogged New South Wales Waratahs side last week, will partner James Ryan in an all-Irish second row, with Tour captain Maro Itoje afforded a rest in the final outing before taking on the Wallabies in the opening Test Saturday week. Hugo Keenan will get a chance to put his hand up for Test selection after being given the number 15 jersey for the game at the Adelaide Oval. The Leinster man was another who struggled to make an impression against the Waratahs, but with Blair Kinghorn limping off against the Brumbies, it affords the 29-year-old an opportunity to put pressure on Andy Farrell and the management team. Mack Hansen is the other Irish starter, with Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe completing the back three. Ben White and Fin Smith will link up at half-back with Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones in midfield. Up front, Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart will pack down against what promises to be the most difficult assignment of the tour to date. The backrow sees English pair Henry Pollock and Ben Earl sandwiched between the sole Welsh started in Jac Morgan. There is a strong Irish feel to the replacements, with Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Finlay Bealham offering back-up in the front row, with flanker Josh van der Flier also included. Scott Cummings, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell will cover the backline positions. The 33-year-old Saracens out-half, who was drafted into the squad by his father and head coach Andy after Elliot Daly's arm injury against Queensland Reds, will also be hoping to force his way into Test plans. Lions: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Will Stuart; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Henry Pollock, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'It is a bit of a pinch-me moment' - Mack Hansen delight at Lions selection to face hometown club Brumbies
Mack Hansen described his selection to face hometown club the Brumbies on Wednesday as a 'pinch-me moment', yet British & Irish Lions boss Andy Farrell believes he and the rest of the squad could still be involved to face Australia 10 days later and insisted Test places were still up for grabs. Head coach Farrell named his strongest team yet to face ACT Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday, confirming the expectation he would field a side close to the Test team which will face the Wallabies in Brisbane in the first Test on July 19. There are just two tour games remaining for the Lions before Farrell names his 23 for the opening rubber of a three-game Test series and his selection for the Brumbies was the clearest indication yet of his thinking on the matter. With the Lions set to field a back three of full-back Blair Kinghorn, James Lowe and Hansen's rival for the right-wing berth Tommy Freeman, Hansen will have to settle for the number 23 jersey as an outside back replacement. That gives the Connacht hero the chance to play against the Super Rugby side he represented for three seasons before moving to Galway in 2021, making his Test debut the following year having qualified for Ireland through his Cork-born mother. He still has many friends in the Brumbies camp and as 15-year-old stood on the terraces to watch his side defeat the 2013 Brumbies. Now the wing gets to pull on the famous red jersey against his hometown heroes. 'It is incredible, it is a bit of a pinch-me moment, not in my wildest dreams could I imagine I would be back here playing for the Lions, it is very special,' Hansen said following Monday's team announcement. Yet sitting beside him at the team hotel in downtown Canberra, Farrell insisted non-selection for Wednesday's starting line-up did not mean the closing of the book on the make up of his team to face Australia. 'I understand the speculation but the truth of the matter is we have got a good side that is going to take the field on Wednesday. I will tell you what I said to the team, there is always going to be speculation but it is up to people to put their best foot forward for a Test spot from now on in with regards to the chance they have got on Wednesday and on Saturday. 'Players can play themselves in and players can play themselves out but we are looking for a cohesive team performance and that is what we are trying to achieve. 'The nature of the format of these two games allows for us to be open minded and again we play on Saturday (against an Australia/New Zealand Invitational XV) after this and have four weeks' worth of training and that everyone is used to anyway so you have to stay open minded. A closed book is not good for anyone.' Of the other notable combinations being sent out by the Lions on Wednesday, Maro Itoje captain at lock in a second-row partnership alongside Ireland's Joe McCarthy, while England loosehead prop Ellis Genge forms a front row with Irish duo Dan Sheehan at hooker and Tadhg Furlong at tighthead and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park partners fly-half Finn Russell at half-back. Farrell will not back himself into a corner by calling this his first Test team and an all-Irish centre partnership of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose appears to be the latest midfield combination up for audition, while the back row sees Tom Curry start at openside flanker for the first time on this tour with hybrid lock/flanker Ollie Chessum on the blindside with Jack Conan at No.8. The rest of the squad will be assured Test places remain up for grabs across the next two games and Wednesday night's bench, with Hansen on a replacements bench alongside half-backs Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith. Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Will Stuart is the back-up front-rower while Josh van der Flier and a fit-again Henry Pollock will provide the heft. The Brumbies, coached by Stephen Larkham, will be missing eight of their Wallabies for their big night at GIO Stadium but back row Tom Hooper has been released by Joe Schmidt to face the Lions and could play alongside 21-year-old younger brother Lachie Hooper for the first time as professionals if the latter is sprung from the bench. BRUMBIES: A Muirhead; B O'Donnell, O Sapsford, D Feliuai, C Toole; D Meredith, R Lonergan – captain; L Ieli, L Lonergan, R van Nek; L Shaw, C Neville; T Hooper, R Scott, T Taii Tualima. Replacements: L Bowron, C Orr, F Fotuaika, L Hooper, L Reimer, H Goddard, J Debreczini, H Creighton. BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: B Kinghorn; T Freeman, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; F Russell, J Gibson-Park; E Genge, D Sheehan, T Furlong; M Itoje – captain, J McCarthy; O Chessum, T Curry, J Conan. Replacements: R Kelleher, A Porter, W Stuart, J van der Flier, H Pollock, A Mitchell, M Smith, M Hansen.
