Latest news with #Lions'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dan Campbell: Detroit Lions 2025 schedule is 'the right kind of brutal'
The Detroit Lions have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this fall, and that's just fine by coach Dan Campbell. Campbell said before the Lions' third practice of organized team activities that he welcomes the Lions' grueling 2025 schedule as a way to prepare the team for the playoffs. Advertisement The Lions went a franchise-record 15-2 last season and lost their playoff opener to the Washington Commanders. "I love the schedule we have this year because this is the type of schedule that builds you for the postseason," Campbell said. "Like, man, you better be on it. And we're going to get tested early and often and all year long, and it's fricking awesome. It's really how you want it. So we'll be ready to go when the time's right." ANALYSIS: Lions open OTAs as position battles loom Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches practice during rookie mini camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, May 9, 2025. The Lions are tied with the Chicago Bears for the second-toughest strength of schedule, based on last year's win percentage. Advertisement They play 11 games against 2025 playoff teams, including home-and-away series with division rivals the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. The Lions, like all NFC teams, play nine road and eight home games this fall, and all of their road games are against playoff contenders and in national television windows. The Lions visit the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, along with the Packers, Bears and Vikings. ANALYSIS: Lions 2025 schedule predictions: Game-by-game picks, final record "It's awesome, man," Campbell said. "I mean, to me, by the end of the year we ought to be just scarred up. We should be scarred up and ready to go, hardened for battle and ready for the playoffs. And there'll be nothing easy about it. You still, just to get through our own division is going to be brutal, but it's the right kind of brutal." Advertisement Dave Birkett is the author of the book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline." Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@ Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell: Detroit Lions schedule 'the right kind of brutal'
News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
IND-A Vs ENG Lions: Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan Pushes India-A To 86/2 At Lunch On Day 1
Last Updated: Karun Nair and Sarfaraz Khan keep India A in the hunt after both the opening batters fall cheaply before lunch in Day 1 of the unofficial Test against the England Lions. India A's Karun Nair and Sarfaraz Khan put up a decent fight until lunch was called on the opening day of the unofficial Test against the England Lions in Canterbury on Friday. Both Karun and Sarfaraz looked fairly comfortable out in the middle after the Lions' bowlers managed to get the A-skipper, Abhimanyu Easwaran, out fairly cheaply. Yashasvi Jaiswal, on the other hand, started slowly but looked to find his groove but he also managed to get out in a rather disappointing manner. The left-hander was quite at ease against the English bowlers for a large part of his over an hour-long stay, but chose to play an expansive drive off pacer Eddie Jack, only to be caught behind by skipper James Rew. However, Karun, who played some delightful drives through the cover, and Sarfaraz negated the Lions' bowlers effectively during their unbroken 35-run alliance for the third wicket. Since the start of the second session, the two are marching on towards a fifty-run stand. A strong performance from Sarfaraz could certainly get him to push for a spot in the Indian squad if the batters are not able to deliver according to the expected levels. He was snubbed from the senior squad despite being in the side for their previous tour of Australia. The Mumbai batter will have a lot to prove once again and will look to push himself to get a call-up for the side. Meanwhile, Karun Nair will also look to put up an impressive showing in hopes of getting a starting spot in India's Playing XI for the England series as well. After making his return to the senior side in 2017, he has worked his way back to the Indian test team, where he hopes to make a big name for himself. Brief scores: India A: 86/2 in 27 overs (Karun Nair 26 batting, Sarfaraz Khan 17 batting). (with PTI Inputs)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lions match highlights on free-to-air TV this summer
The British and Irish Lions tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on S4C this summer. The British and Irish Lions tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on S4C this summer. Photograph:The British and Irish Lions' tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on TV this summer – but for now only in Welsh. The Guardian has learned that the Lions have agreed a deal for a highlights package with Welsh language channel S4C, which will be available throughout the UK via S4C's iPlayer service and YouTube channel. S4C is understood to have bought highlights rights for all three Test matches and the Lions' six tour games, which will be broadcast in Welsh. S4C will also broadcast full live coverage of the Lions' send-off Test against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June, available in English and Welsh. Advertisement Related: The Breakdown | Trash-talk and rough sleeping: following the 2001 Lions' tour of Australia The bespoke Welsh TV offering may raise eyebrows as there are just two Welshmen in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad – the flanker Jac Morgan and the scrum-half Tomos Williams – but illustrates S4C's commitment to rugby at a level that is not matched by other terrestrial broadcasters. The Welsh contingent of two is their lowest ever, meaning they join Ireland in 1993, and Scotland in 2009 and 2017, as the least represented countries on a Lions tour. Sky Sports has the exclusive live rights for its eighth successive Lions tour and will also offer its own highlights show. The Lions remain hopeful of securing a free-to-air highlights deal in England, but have yet to do so three weeks before their first official tour game in Dublin. Channel 4 bought UK highlights rights for the Lions' last tour, to South Africa four years ago, but has not made an offer on this occasion, while ITV, BBC Sport and 5 have also yet to bid. Advertisement The BBC has also failed to secure live radio rights this year, with the Lions partnering with TalkSport for the fourth successive tour. The BBC's priority this summer is the women's European Championship, as well as saving resources for next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will be an expensive undertaking. ITV also has live rights for the European Championship, Channel 4 is covering the men's Under-21 European Championship and 5 has agreed to sulicense 23 Club World Cup matches from Dazn, so the terrestrial channels are committed elsewhere. The BBC has reduced its rugby coverage in recent years, with ITV securing the rights to all of England's Six Nations matches until 2030 in a joint deal signed earlier this year. As part of the new contract ITV will show 10 matches from each year's Six Nations to the BBC's five, which will feature Wales and Scotland's home fixtures, provided England are not involved. The Lions and S4C declined to comment.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Song Ui-young gets Lions recall after year-long absence due to family matters
Song Ui-young is looking forward to linking up with the Lions again. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO SINGAPORE – It has been nearly a year since Song Ui-young last played for the Lions in the 7-0 home defeat by South Korea, his country of birth, on June 6, 2024. But the 31-year-old, who had been unavailable during the intervening international windows due to family matters, is now back in the Lions' fold. On May 29, the Lion City Sailors midfielder was named in a 23-man Singapore squad for a June 5 friendly against Maldives at Bishan Stadium and an Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka five days later. Fit-again Ikhsan Fandi and Taufik Suparno are among other key players recalled to the squad, while Shawal Anuar misses out because of a medical procedure scheduled during the international window. In a Football Association of Singapore statement, Song said he is looking forward to linking up with the Lions again, adding: 'I've had urgent family matters to attend to and I'm relieved that I've managed to get across that challenge – and grateful that I've been afforded space to be present for my family.' Dispelling rumours that his prolonged absence from the Lions squad was due to animosity between him and national coach Tsutomu Ogura, Song shared with The Straits Times that he had gone through a gamut of emotions in the past year. His mother had suffered a stroke at the end of 2023 and went through brain surgery in Incheon without him knowing. 'My family hid this from me as they didn't want me to worry too much and be distracted while I'm playing football abroad,' said Song, whose father died when he was a baby and has a sister who has three children. 'When I found out my mother wasn't healthy, I started to think about many things. I've been in Singapore for 12 years and I didn't really look after my family, especially my mother, and she was staying alone when she suffered the stroke. 'I felt bad that I didn't take care of her. So, I decided it's time to take care of my mum and spend more time with my family.' In 2021, Song Ui-young became the first South Korea-born player to be naturalised for the Lions. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Fortunately, she is out of danger now, although she needs to be on medication for the rest of her life to keep her condition under control. His family also flew to Singapore to watch the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two (ACL2) final on May 18, when Emirati club Sharjah FC defeated the Sailors 2-1. He said: 'They witnessed the moments and they met many people here who have a connection with me and they heard all my stories and achievements, which is different from when she hears it from me. They are happy and proud of me, and this makes me happy. 'My mother has a strong character, and although she has always been supportive of me, it must not have been easy to send her only son overseas when I was just 18.' The highlight of playing in a continental final seemed like a full circle as Song left his family in Incheon for Singapore at a tender age to pursue a professional football career. He first joined the youth team of Home United, the predecessor of the privatised Sailors, scored 12 goals in 16 Prime League games, before he broke through to the senior side. With Home, he chalked up 184 games, 47 goals and 23 assists, before clocking 103 appearances, 44 goals and 11 assists for the Sailors across two spells. In between, he also had stints with Nongbua Pitchaya in Thailand and Persebaya Surabaya in Indonesia. In 2021, he became the first South Korea-born player to be naturalised for the Lions. Despite a regret of not being able to join Daegu FC in the K-League when there was an offer in 2022 while he was contracted to the Sailors, Song is happy with the career he has had. 'I never imagined this. When I came to Singapore at 18, it was all about survival and I was desperate to impress,' said Song, who has racked up 12 goals and five assists in 46 appearances for the Sailors this season. 'So, I really appreciate the career I have and want to continue to achieve more with my club and country.' Before he reports for Lions' training on June 3, there is a chance to notch a domestic double as the Sailors, who clinched the Singapore Premier League title on May 10, wrap up a year-long domestic season in the Singapore Cup final against BG Tampines Rovers at the Jalan Besar Stadium on May 31. Song said: 'After losing the ACL2 final, everyone at the club felt a big frustration. But now, because we already lost a final, we have a huge motivation to lift another trophy.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Veteran England prop Cole to retire
England and British and Irish Lions prop Dan Cole said on Tuesday he will retire at the end of the season aged 38. Cole came through Leicester's academy before becoming his country's second-most capped player on 118 appearances, behind team-mate Ben Youngs. The tight-head won three Six Nations titles and featured at four Rugby World Cups. He also played three Tests on two Lions' series. He made his last England appearance in November. "It has not been an easy decision at all," Cole said in a Leicester statement. "I have been to-ing and fro-ing; however, I think this is the best time for me to finish playing. "I don't want to be the old guy, just sat around and hanging on to something for too long," he added. England coach Steve Borthwick labelled Cole "brilliant". "It was a privilege to play alongside Dan at the start of his Test career, and later to coach him," Borthwick said. "He's not only a brilliant team player, but also a rare talent. His loyalty and service to both England and Leicester Tigers have been truly outstanding. "While his retirement marks the end of a remarkable playing career, I've no doubt he'll continue to make a meaningful impact in whatever comes next. We all wish him the very best for the future." Cole will now focus on the end of the season, with Leicester sitting second in the Premiership table with one game of the regular season to play. bur-iwd/lp/pb
