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Irish Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Australian rugby could be off life-support thanks to Wallabies' Test win over Lions
Australia has never been particularly comfortable with plucky sporting losers. Eric the Eel or Eddie the Eagle would sadly not have got much work opening supermarkets here. The closest thing Australia has to those two men is the speed skater Steven Bradbury, who famously won Olympic gold in 2002 his event from far behind after the four other finalists crashed. The Australian psyche simply cannot process any heroism in defeat. The Wallabies' 2-1 series defeat against the British and Irish Lions could be as close to acknowledging a brave defeat as this country comes. To understand that statement you need to remember that Australia coach Joe Schmidt inherited a shattered organisation when he walked through the doors of Rugby Australia in March last year. READ MORE The idea of Schmidt building a squad capable of even competing against the Lions was impossible. The game was heavily in debt and the players were utterly demoralised after missing out on the knockout stages of the 2023 World Cup for the first time in their history under Eddie Jones . Schmidt could have and probably should have been enjoying his retirement on beautiful Lake Taupo in New Zealand , catching rainbow trout. When Schmidt arrived in Australia , there was a change from the man many had known in Ireland. He understood that he needed to change his intense approach that had worked in the centralised system in Ireland. In Australia, Schmidt asked permission from the players to be direct; that permission was readily granted. After so little structure under Jones, players relished his ability to plan for every event and talked openly about his care and interest in their lives. The coach known as 'Genial' Joe Schmidt was born. Last year, Schmidt gave 19 players their Wallabies debut. Some played major roles in the Lions series, namely the talented winger Max Jorgensen who at the age of 20 is already attracting major interest from the National Rugby League (NRL). Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii also began international life under Schmidt, transforming the former NRL star with the Sydney Roosters into an international outside centre. The Wallabies' depth was still stretched extremely thin against the Lions. The loss of Rob Valetini in the first Test highlighted the team's weakness in breaking the gainline without the affable Brumbies flanker. Schmidt had also heavily invested in the talents of outhalf Noah Lolesio throughout his tenure, leaving him to blood another one of his debutants, Tom Lynagh, for his first start for Australia in the first Test against the Lions. Australia missed the influence of Rob Valetini in the first Test. Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Getty History will record a flattering scoreline for the Wallabies in the first Test of 19-27, but the team was noticeably rusty after scraping a win against the dangerous Fijians in their one warm-up game. In the second Test Australian fans had their first proper opportunity to see why Ronan O'Gara described Will Skelton as his best signing at La Rochelle. The former Ireland great was not wrong. Skelton's visits to play for the Wallabies are normally brief, but the Lions tour gave the giant lock the most time he has spent in Australia since he left the Waratahs for Saracens in 2017. The Wallabies didn't lose in Melbourne because of the lack of a penalty call on Carlo Tizzano for an illegal clean out in the final minutes – they lost because they couldn't hold on to an 18-point lead. Irish fullback Hugo Keenan's brilliant try was a worthy end to a classic Test match in front of 90,000 at the MCG. Hugo Keenan celebrates scoring the Lions' fifth try against the Wallabies in the second Test at Melbourne. Photograph: Tom Maher/INPHO The week leading up to the final Test in Sydney carried an odd feeling. The Lions had been out celebrating on Sunday and Monday in an uncharacteristically rainy and miserable harbour city, while the Australians moped around their hotel room not saying a great deal. There were genuine fears that the Lions were not just going to whitewash the Wallabies, they would ruthlessly humiliate them. One of the Wallabies' best players, tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa, missed the final Test due to a severe shoulder injury suffered in Melbourne, which will keep him out of the Rugby Championship. It turned out Alaalatoa had played almost a full half with one good arm and turned up in the team's hotel to deliver an impromptu speech about what it means to wear the Wallabies jersey. It marked a turning point for the team, who suddenly found their motivation when they desperately needed it. Each game the Wallabies play lurches between unrealistic hope and utter devastation and that is just the media. There is a select group of rugby league journalists who are lying in wait, dying for the game to stumble and a whitewash would have been a pratfall. In torrential rain at Sydney's leaky Olympic Stadium, the Wallabies won the third Test against a fatigued Lions and there have been murmurs that rugby is off the life support machine once again. Two upcoming Tests against South Africa away could just as quickly turn the sudden and rare goodwill away. Australia's Allan Alaalatoa played while injured during the Test in Melbourne. Photograph: Billy Stickland/INPHO Regardless of the final emphatic victory from the Wallabies, the Lions still won the series and that achievement needs to be acknowledged. The Lions played entertaining rugby and were well led by Ireland's Andy Farrell , who will return to Dublin an even better coach. The players also were rightfully celebrated by the 40,000 fans who came from Ireland and the United Kingdom to pack out stadiums across the country. The Lions arrive in a country as guests and should be accorded great respect not only for their history and significant financial contributions, but also for the players who wear their famous red jersey. Equally, the Lions as an organisation need to understand that their revered brand will only continue to be successful if they engage with their hosts with humility and actually live their history and traditions, not just market them. Rugby is competing in a far too fierce a global sporting market to be protectionist. A school kid asking a question in Adelaide is not going to rumble your lineout codes. The next tour will be in New Zealand, where the Lions will face infinitely bigger challenges on the field and off it, with a far stronger and sterner host who will not be quite so amenable to their demands. There are four years to learn and evolve.
RNZ News
02-08-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Iwi disappointed council deferring Taupō water management agreement
The draft Joint Management Agreement aims to protect the water of Lake Taupō (Taupō Moana) (pictured) and the Upper Waikato River. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod The Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board says it is disappointed the Taupō District Council has chosen to draw out the process for its joint water management agreement with the iwi by deferring it to the next council. Councilors voted on Thursday to defer discussion of the draft Joint Management Agreement (JMA) until after the next local government elections in October after concerns over a lack of public consultation on the agreement were raised. The purpose of the draft JMA is to protect the water of Lake Taupō (Taupō Moana) and the Upper Waikato River. It would see the council and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board collaborate on work such as monitoring and enforcement, district plan reviews, resource consent application assessments, and enabling customary activities. The council has legal obligations to form agreements with Waikato River iwi trusts under the Waikato River Act 2010. Speaking after the meeting on Thursday, Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said he was all for the JMA but felt the community had not been taken along with the process. There had been a lot of misinformation and public debate around the agreement, he said. "For that reason today councilors decided to defer consideration of the JMA till until the new council has been elected in October and that will give them a chance to fully understand the agreement and what's involved." But Trust Board chair John Bishara said the JMA has been co-developed through a process that fully aligned with the legislation and was ready for adoption following endorsement by the Joint Committee. The discussion at Thursday's meeting reflected a clear double-standard, he said. Councillors spent significant time debating whether public consultation should occur, despite receiving clear advice that consultation was not required under the Local Government Act or council policy, he said. "The fact that consultation became the focus, even though it wasn't required, makes it hard to ignore the sense of different standards being applied here. "This decision is out of step with the values many in our community expect and undermines the good work that has been done to this point." In light of the decision, the Trust Board would now take time to consider all available options under the Waikato River Act 2010, he said. The Trust thanked the more than 100 Tūwharetoa whānau who put in a submission of support, and those who showed up at the council vote to tautoko. No matter what, Ngāti Tūwharetoa are kaitiaki of Taupō Moana, and we will continue to protect our taonga, āke ake ake, they said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Wild weather puts Taupo residents on edge
Wild weather swept across the nation and had one small settlement next to Lake Taupo on edge this morning. Homes next to the Taupo-Tauranga River were preparing to evacuate as the waters rose after heavy overnight rain. The weather caused chaos elsewhere too, leading to power outages, road closures and snow. Jimmy Ellingham reports. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- RNZ News
Cold case mystery of missing Russian stuntman finally resolved, thanks to his gold teeth
Police had issued an appeal to anyone who had pictures of Artour Melikov Photo: Supplied / NZ Police The remains of a Russian stuntman who went missing in New Zealand more than 20 years ago have been formally identified thanks to photos of his gold teeth. Artour Melikov was 36 when he was reported missing on 10 September 2002. Police found his vehicle at Jellicoe Reserve near Bulli Point at Lake Taupō, and the car key, his throwing knives, clothing, passport and other documentation were inside. An extensive search for Melikov was unsuccessful. In January, several bones were found near a walking track at Motutere and police were called. They believed the bones were Melikov's but could not identify him or contact his next of kin , so they asked the public for any photos of him to help with identification. Melikov was a stuntman, appearing in Xena: Warrior Princess during his time in New Zealand, and police hoped someone who worked with him may have had good photos - especially of his gold teeth. Two people contacted police with photos which helped police formally identify him, Senior Constable Barry Shepherd said. "The two photos sent in have shown clear evidence of his gold teeth and clothing he was wearing when he was found. I want to thank these people for coming forward to allow us to formally identify Artour and provide some closure." The case has been referred to the coroner. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Around the motu: Jesse Archer in Taupo
Lake levels are dangerously low along the eastern side of Lake Taupo, Turangi airfield becomes the new base for rescue helicopter operations, there is an ongoing war on signs in Turangi, and Tokaanu Thermal Pools are set to reopen soon. Jesse Archer is a community broadcaster at Lake FM 89.6 Taupo. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
