Latest news with #Lion
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Making of Henry Pollock
By James Toney You'd be forgiven for thinking Henry Pollock was born in Bundaberg rather than Banbury, because in many ways he is a prodigious, swashbuckling talent straight from Aussie central casting. Swaggering confidence and an unstinting self-belief beyond his years combine with a natural flair for getting under the skin of his opponents. Advertisement He even has the makings of a very strong mullet and is every bit the viral baller – the sort you love to play for you but hate to play against. Think David Campese, but with muscles. Pollock's journey from schoolboy rugby to becoming the youngest forward to play for the British & Irish Lions since 1968 may seem meteoric – he's played barely 40 games at senior level – but it comes as no surprise to him or anyone who knows him. 'It's been mad, the last year's just come so fast,' he said. 'It's been crazy and I'm just trying to enjoy every moment of it, take it all in, and just enjoy rugby and enjoy the moment. 'I've got a great family unit around me and I always look to them and friends whenever I'm on my own or in a dark space. Advertisement 'I'm just working hard and giving everything to my rugby now, no distractions. I'm trying to put more muscle on, working on attack and defence, and across my whole game. I'm definitely not the finished article, so there's definitely more to come. 'I'm here to play Test rugby, that's what I'm pushing for, but I'm also trying to enjoy the journey and just take in all the moments that come with being a Lion.' Those who played a part in Pollock's journey universally speak of his single-mindedness to improve, pushing himself in every training session, beyond the limits of most team-mates. Andrew Porter, Pierre Schoeman and Henry Pollock (©INPHO/Ben Brady) His strength and conditioning coach at Northampton, Jason Sivil, has witnessed the 20-year-old's hard work with awe. Advertisement He has bulked up to over 100kg, can squat 230kg for three reps and bench press 140kg. His aerobic capacity means he can cover the lung-burning 'broncho' – a 1200-metre shuttle run dreaded at clubs up and down the country – in just four minutes and 25 seconds. 'He always wants more, always wants another challenge. All Henry wants to do is push himself further and harder,' said Sivil. Pollock's memories of the last Lions tour to Australia in 2013 are sketchy – though in fairness, he'd only just started playing for the minis at Buckingham Swans, where his first coach, Nick Glister, was quick to identify his raw promise. 'I just remember how strong he was, and super-fit too,' he recalls. 'He was confident, a bit cheeky and very local, but a great team-mate. You could see he was a natural leader.' Advertisement Former Northampton player Grant Seely helped take Pollock's game to the next level at rugby institution Stowe School, while he joined the academy at Saints in his early teens, crediting coach Will Parkin as his biggest influence. However, it wasn't until his sixth form that those guiding his career realised his potential to become a generational player for club, country and – though perhaps a little quicker than even they thought – the Lions. Pollock, like the Wallabies' brilliant rugby league convert Joseph Sua'ali'i, will arrive in Australia as one of the most talked-about players in the game, such has been his rapid ascent. Some might label him a 'bolter' – but in truth, when his name was revealed to fans by Andy Farrell at London's O2, there were universal nods of approval and not a single arched eyebrow of surprise. Advertisement His last 12 months have seen him win the Under-20 World Cup and score two tries on his England debut against Wales, quickly glossing over the fact that, with two Scottish parents, he grew up preferring a thistle to a rose. Henry Pollock is the youngeset player in the Lions squad. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland) He has forced his way into Farrell's selection thoughts not just on the strength of his personality, but the power of his play. Players may be tracked to the inch by their GPS data, but Pollock's game is about more than just those cold, hard metrics – which is perhaps why Maro Itoje, when asked to describe him in one word, couldn't decide between 'annoying' and 'pest', while being quick to add it was meant as a compliment. Advertisement 'I'm going to be the nuisance, I'm going to get up in your face because I'm at my best when I'm confrontational, that's just key to my game,' adds Pollock. 'I'm aggressive – it's been that way since my brother and I were in the back garden and we both liked to win. I'm not looking for trouble, but I'm not shying away from it either. I'm still grafting and still really learning my game.' This is more than just fighting talk, as anyone among the 6,000 at the Stoop for his England A debut last November will testify. Towering Aussie flanker Tom Hooper had given the then-teenager a couple of cheeky digs in an attempt to assert some authority, and Pollock wasn't having it. Advertisement Despite the height, weight, age and experience difference, he stood up to the Exeter-bound blindside flanker, hurling his scrum cap across the pitch as a scuffle ensued. Following a stern word from the referee, Pollock jogged back to his team-mates with a broad grin – mission accomplished. And then there are the celebrations: the basketball lob, or now-trademark 'pulse' – two fingers held to the neck as if to check for signs of life. Australian rugby has a proud history of showmen, including current star Nick Frost, arguably the Wallabies' most athletically gifted lock forward since the great John Eales. Pollock might be from half a world away, but he is cut from similar cloth. Advertisement Hard work has got Pollock to this point, but genetics have helped too – he credits his mum, Hester, with instilling his love of sport, with swimming and triathlon taking equal focus alongside rugby in his early teens. 'My brother, sister and I just all lived for sports – there was no pressure on us, we just played without fear or commitment,' he added. Of course, being the youngest tourist brings additional responsibilities. Pollock will have sole guardianship of the stuffed toy Lion, aptly named 'BIL', and there are serious consequences should it go missing – not easy when more experienced hands have been known to steal and hide him at every available opportunity. Pollock will be in charge of mascot BIL. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland) 'I'm thinking of sewing an AirTag in him,' joked Pollock – a very Gen Z solution to a tradition that started in 1950, with now-captain Itoje taking the role eight years ago in New Zealand, a challenge he jokingly described as more stressful than battling the All Blacks. Advertisement Pollock isn't sure he's going to get much support from Northampton team-mates Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith in his quest to keep 'BIL' safe, but there is no doubt about the tight bond between the four Saints. 'It's so nice to have the boys with me – they're some of my best mates,' he added. 'It's so special to do this with them. They're amazing players and they deserve this. I'm just so happy for them and so happy to be there with their journey, and just looking forward to seeing them rip in.' Rip in? He just might be an Aussie after all. Tap into the Lions Clubhouse App. All you need to do is tap the Smart Tag on your new Lions jersey to access content and join a community of passionate fans for the 2025 Tour of Australia.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Morgan Stanley Sticks to Their Hold Rating for Lion (LIOPF)
Morgan Stanley analyst Wakako Sato maintained a Hold rating on Lion (LIOPF – Research Report) yesterday and set a price target of Yen1,700.00. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter According to TipRanks, Sato is ranked #6674 out of 9552 analysts. Lion has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $14.23. Based on Lion's latest earnings release for the quarter ending March 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $94.24 billion and a net profit of $4.03 billion. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $92.97 billion and had a net profit of $3.55 billion
The Age
2 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Investors take property group to court in search of missing millions
Named the Zenith, it was an immaculate renovation of a historic home in one of Brisbane's best suburbs, Hamilton, and had sold for $10 million – but Lion had not distributed the majority of the money to the investors in that syndicate, the court has heard. Then it acknowledged it had made payments to some, but not all, investors in the project on a 'progressive' basis, it is alleged. Around this point, panic set in for many of Lion's customers. From his office on Melbourne's St Kilda Road, forensic accountant and financial planner Michael Landy is leading the charge to find out what happened, after being recruited by the investors involved in the legal case. Landy's forensic review of Lion's business, tendered as evidence in court in an affidavit from the investors' lawyers, has found a litany of problems. The lawyer's affidavit alleges that many of the syndicates did not own the development site directly, as investors were allegedly promised, and instead, a Lion entity owned the property. It was also alleged in the affidavit that Lion had taken the money out of most of the syndicates as 'loans' to its businesses without the investors' knowledge and without security. Worse still, land titles for the properties included as exhibits to the affidavit allegedly showed Lion had taken out millions of dollars of additional mortgages, in some cases up to three, over the development sites. Some of these new undisclosed mortgages allegedly had interest rates of up to 30 per cent a year. On top of this, Lion had then failed to repay some of the mortgages and the lender had taken possession of the property, it is alleged in the affidavit. Last week, one of those sites in Brighton was sold to new owners. Lion confirmed in response to this masthead's inquiries that another two properties had also been sold as mortgagee in possession. For some syndicates that meant that not only was the hope of any profit gone, but also there was now no longer a property to develop. In court in April, counsel for the investors, Justin Graham, KC, described Lion's projects as a Ponzi scheme. 'On examination of the defendant's business model and the materials they've so far denied to show us, the defendant's projects are being operated as a giant Ponzi scheme,' Graham said. 'It is riddled with conflicts, and money and assets are being used hither and thither for wherever it is needed in the group in order to stave off the most pressing creditors.' Shaun Newberry is also seeking answers about the fate of his wife's investment in one of Lion's syndicates. 'I just want accountability,' he says, adding that he is worried the scheme will go 'belly up' – a live prospect given Lion's own court admission of concerns around its solvency. Sader and Pesochinsky – both in their mid-40s – might not be big names in the property sector or in the financial planning industry, but the pair have fascinating backgrounds. Sader is a fan of American 1990s self-help guru Tony Robbins and a graduate of Australian life coach school the Coaching Institute. On his LinkedIn he describes himself as being a human behaviour specialist and certified practitioner of 'Deep State Repatterning' and of 'Neuro Linguistics Programming' – types of self-help psychotherapy to build self-esteem and influence. Sader brought the skills and drive to enliven a team of sales staff – including a bell he rang in the office for each new investor. Pesochinsky, a more reserved figure, had a long background in property investment and development via Full Circle Financial Services. Responding to this masthead's inquiries, Lion said it disputed that the investment and ownership structure of specific investments was not properly explained to investors. It also denied investors did not have security over the property. Instead, it claimed that investors were 'for the most part' purchasing shares in entities that owned the real estate – a claim that allegedly stands in contrast with the investor agreements and land titles included as evidence in the case. Lion said additional loans it took out for the developments were standard industry practice. 'The fact that external debt would be required to complete construction projects is detailed in feasibility studies that were provided to investors as part of the information memorandum for each project. A funding combination of equity and debt is required in the delivery of almost every property development.' Asked why Lion's bank accounts, provided to investors as a result of the court action, showed Lion had borrowed the money raised from investors to fund other projects and payments, Lion said: 'While there are inter-company loans, these have been made on commercial terms and in accordance with the processes, structure and procedures that the group adopts to complete projects.' A spokesman for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said it was aware a report on the financial position of the Lion group was to be prepared by independent accountants. 'In line with our usual process, ASIC will continue to monitor the situation, and we will assess any new information that comes to our attention on this matter,' the spokesman said. A source close to the regulator, not permitted to speak on the record, confirmed it had investigated Lion in 2020 and the group agreed to change some of its investor material. ASIC also considered opening a new formal investigation earlier this year, but by that time it decided not to as the Supreme Court matter had begun, the source said. Meanwhile, investors nervously wait for the outcome of the accountants' report to the court and hope for the completion of its stalled projects. A Melbourne-based investor, who asked not to be named, says he first invested in the Eminence project in Camberwell in March 2020. He was told the project of four high-end townhouses would take 18 months to complete and Lion would pay late fees if the project ran over. More than five years later, he is still waiting for final completion of the project to get any return on his investment. Lion recently promised it would be finished by the end of September. 'I've often visited the project site after some favourable updates, and it was obvious from early on that there were issues,' the investor said. 'My main priority is to see all the investors who invested with Lion retrieve as close to their capital back as possible.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Investors take property group to court in search of missing millions
Named the Zenith, it was an immaculate renovation of a historic home in one of Brisbane's best suburbs, Hamilton, and had sold for $10 million – but Lion had not distributed the majority of the money to the investors in that syndicate, the court has heard. Then it acknowledged it had made payments to some, but not all, investors in the project on a 'progressive' basis, it is alleged. Around this point, panic set in for many of Lion's customers. From his office on Melbourne's St Kilda Road, forensic accountant and financial planner Michael Landy is leading the charge to find out what happened, after being recruited by the investors involved in the legal case. Landy's forensic review of Lion's business, tendered as evidence in court in an affidavit from the investors' lawyers, has found a litany of problems. The lawyer's affidavit alleges that many of the syndicates did not own the development site directly, as investors were allegedly promised, and instead, a Lion entity owned the property. It was also alleged in the affidavit that Lion had taken the money out of most of the syndicates as 'loans' to its businesses without the investors' knowledge and without security. Worse still, land titles for the properties included as exhibits to the affidavit allegedly showed Lion had taken out millions of dollars of additional mortgages, in some cases up to three, over the development sites. Some of these new undisclosed mortgages allegedly had interest rates of up to 30 per cent a year. On top of this, Lion had then failed to repay some of the mortgages and the lender had taken possession of the property, it is alleged in the affidavit. Last week, one of those sites in Brighton was sold to new owners. Lion confirmed in response to this masthead's inquiries that another two properties had also been sold as mortgagee in possession. For some syndicates that meant that not only was the hope of any profit gone, but also there was now no longer a property to develop. In court in April, counsel for the investors, Justin Graham, KC, described Lion's projects as a Ponzi scheme. 'On examination of the defendant's business model and the materials they've so far denied to show us, the defendant's projects are being operated as a giant Ponzi scheme,' Graham said. 'It is riddled with conflicts, and money and assets are being used hither and thither for wherever it is needed in the group in order to stave off the most pressing creditors.' Shaun Newberry is also seeking answers about the fate of his wife's investment in one of Lion's syndicates. 'I just want accountability,' he says, adding that he is worried the scheme will go 'belly up' – a live prospect given Lion's own court admission of concerns around its solvency. Sader and Pesochinsky – both in their mid-40s – might not be big names in the property sector or in the financial planning industry, but the pair have fascinating backgrounds. Sader is a fan of American 1990s self-help guru Tony Robbins and a graduate of Australian life coach school the Coaching Institute. On his LinkedIn he describes himself as being a human behaviour specialist and certified practitioner of 'Deep State Repatterning' and of 'Neuro Linguistics Programming' – types of self-help psychotherapy to build self-esteem and influence. Sader brought the skills and drive to enliven a team of sales staff – including a bell he rang in the office for each new investor. Pesochinsky, a more reserved figure, had a long background in property investment and development via Full Circle Financial Services. Responding to this masthead's inquiries, Lion said it disputed that the investment and ownership structure of specific investments was not properly explained to investors. It also denied investors did not have security over the property. Instead, it claimed that investors were 'for the most part' purchasing shares in entities that owned the real estate – a claim that allegedly stands in contrast with the investor agreements and land titles included as evidence in the case. Lion said additional loans it took out for the developments were standard industry practice. 'The fact that external debt would be required to complete construction projects is detailed in feasibility studies that were provided to investors as part of the information memorandum for each project. A funding combination of equity and debt is required in the delivery of almost every property development.' Asked why Lion's bank accounts, provided to investors as a result of the court action, showed Lion had borrowed the money raised from investors to fund other projects and payments, Lion said: 'While there are inter-company loans, these have been made on commercial terms and in accordance with the processes, structure and procedures that the group adopts to complete projects.' A spokesman for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said it was aware a report on the financial position of the Lion group was to be prepared by independent accountants. 'In line with our usual process, ASIC will continue to monitor the situation, and we will assess any new information that comes to our attention on this matter,' the spokesman said. A source close to the regulator, not permitted to speak on the record, confirmed it had investigated Lion in 2020 and the group agreed to change some of its investor material. ASIC also considered opening a new formal investigation earlier this year, but by that time it decided not to as the Supreme Court matter had begun, the source said. Meanwhile, investors nervously wait for the outcome of the accountants' report to the court and hope for the completion of its stalled projects. A Melbourne-based investor, who asked not to be named, says he first invested in the Eminence project in Camberwell in March 2020. He was told the project of four high-end townhouses would take 18 months to complete and Lion would pay late fees if the project ran over. More than five years later, he is still waiting for final completion of the project to get any return on his investment. Lion recently promised it would be finished by the end of September. 'I've often visited the project site after some favourable updates, and it was obvious from early on that there were issues,' the investor said. 'My main priority is to see all the investors who invested with Lion retrieve as close to their capital back as possible.'
The South African
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Little Rangers Program ignites passion for Wildlife
The Lion & Safari Park is turning young visitors into wildlife champions with its exciting Little Rangers Adventure Club. This hands-on programme, designed for children aged 5 to 12, offers a thrilling mix of adventure, education, and conservation. It's quickly becoming a hit among South African families eager to swap screen time for real safari experiences. Just 13 kilometres from Lanseria Airport, the Lion & Safari Park invites children to step into the shoes of real rangers, according to IOL. Kids get to track animals, feed giraffes, attend lion talks, and take part in conservation activities—all in a safe and engaging setting. It's a chance to learn about South Africa's incredible wildlife up close. 'At Lion & Safari Park, we believe that a love for wildlife starts young,' says Shandor Larenty, Group Wildlife and Conservation Manager. 'We've seen how the Little Rangers programme sparks curiosity and passion in children. It's our way of nurturing the next generation of conservationists through unforgettable, hands-on experiences.' The programme runs every weekend throughout the year, making it easy for families to enjoy the great outdoors together. Each session lasts 90 minutes, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, and costs R130. To join, parents pay a one-time sign-up fee of R300, which includes a safari vest, a field guide, and the first Cub Scout badge. Children earn badges by completing fun, conservation-themed activities. These include art in the park, paw and spoor tracking, and age-appropriate bush survival skills. Each badge brings them closer to becoming a Little Game Ranger, the highest tier in the programme. Along the way, kids move through levels from Cub Scout to Safari Star, Wildlife Warrior, and finally Little Game Ranger. Each level unlocks exclusive discounts and benefits. The ultimate prize? A free birthday party at the park, complete with venue and setup, for those who reach the Little Game Ranger level. This unique reward motivates kids to learn and engage with nature actively. 'The badges and tiers give children a sense of achievement,' Larenty explains. 'They build knowledge, confidence, and excitement about wildlife and conservation. It's inspiring to see young faces light up when they earn a new badge.' The Little Rangers Adventure Club offers South African families a wonderful way to connect with nature and instil a lifelong respect for wildlife. It's a perfect blend of fun and learning, encouraging children to become true ambassadors for the environment. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
