Latest news with #LionsSeries
CNA
5 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Old head O'Connor gets Schmidt backing following unlikely return
JOHANNESBURG :Injuries have given James O'Connor the chance to win a first Australia cap in three years in the Rugby Championship opener against South Africa on Saturday, but coach Joe Schmidt believes the flyhalf is ready to run the game. Injuries to Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson have opened the door for O'Connor, 35, to make his first international appearance since 2022 in the cauldron of Ellis Park. There are few tougher places in world rugby to play. "The good thing with James is he came in right at the start of the Lions series," Schmidt said. "So he's had three weeks with us. "He's had a period to probably just assimilate himself into the systems that we run and to start gaining confidence that he could run the game, and the confidence of the players that he was a guy to listen to. He's done that really well, and that gives us confidence." O'Connor's return to the Wallabies set-up comes after a good season with the Canterbury Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific. "I tracked him throughout Super Rugby while he was playing for the Crusaders, and I've seen him play for a number of years," Schmidt said. "He hasn't played for the Wallabies in three years, so he's pretty excited by that opportunity." There was another option open to the coaching team in 25-year-old Tane Edmed, who has one international cap, but the world champion Springboks on the Highveld are not the opposition to test out young talent on. "Tane's only just joined us," Schmidt said. "We've got a fair bit of confidence in Tane as well, he was on tour with us last year and made his Test debut, but he had a very disrupted Super Rugby season.
The Sun
03-08-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Lions star Bundee Aki reveals he missed arrival of his daughter during Australia tour after wife gave birth in a CAR
BUNDEE AKI has revealed he became a dad again during the Lions' series win in Australia — with his wife giving birth in a car. The Irish centre held his hands up on his shocker in Sydney on Saturday in a 22-12 defeat, which saw the tourists miss the chance of a Wallaby whitewash. 3 3 After the Lions failed to clinch a series clean sweep, Aki then announced he had become a father for the fifth time two weeks ago. The 35-year-old has yet to meet new daughter Aine, who was born in the build-up to the opening Test win in Brisbane. Wife Kayla was in New Zealand with family when she got in touch to say she was ready to give birth before he helped the Lions to a 27-19 triumph. Aki recalled: 'Credit to my wife. She's a powerful woman. I was in the hotel in Brisbane and I knew we were overdue. 'The missus calls me and she's like, 'My waters haven't broken but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions'. 'Five minutes later, her waters broke. I was like, 'Are you almost there?' This is like 40 minutes away from the hospital, so I said, 'You'll be all right, Mum is there'. 'Ten minutes later, she video calls me and I was like, 'S**t, what's going on?' I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car. 'They're both healthy. I knew it was good juju and we were going to have a good day.' BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK All of Aki's kids have first names starting with the letter A — Armani-Jane, Adrianna, Andronicus, Ailbhe and now, Aine. But their old man admitted he put in nothing close to an A-star performance in Sydney as the Lions were mauled in a monsoon. The game was suspended after half-time for 38 minutes due to lightning, with the Aussies 8-0 up through Dylan Pietsch's try and a penalty. Finn Russell was spotted in the dressing room flicking through his phone and Aki had his feet up on a bean bag before play resumed. But the Wallabies struck twice after the delay to get the victory. Aki had his worst game in an international shirt but fronted up. He said: 'I wasn't great. It was a poor game but you have those days and you have to live with it. 'We won the series and that's all we came for. 'Now, I want to enjoy my break. I haven't seen my family for eight weeks. I have a newborn child I haven't met yet.' Australia got it over the line thanks to a turbo-charged display from lock Will Skelton, who was on the wind-up all match, and second-half tries from Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott. Jac Morgan and Will Stuart crossed to give the Lions some consolation — but Skelton had shown the Aussies the way. Wallabies scrum-half Nic White said: 'For once, someone stood up to them.' 3
Telegraph
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Owen Farrell gives boots to young pitch invader after Lions defeat
Owen Farrell picked up his Lions series-winning medal in his socks – after giving his boots to a child who had run onto the pitch in Sydney. The former England captain came on just before half-time as a replacement for Tommy Freeman, playing the remainder of the game as Australia beat the Lions 22-12 to end the tourists' hopes of a series whitewash. The game was interrupted by a 30-minute break due to a lightning storm in the area, with a number of fans invading the pitch in the interval before being tackled by security. And that continued after the match, with a number of supporters running on to greet the players. One of those was a child who was led away by security, only for Farrell to run after them to give the youngster his boots. The 33-year-old then joined the celebrations in his socks, joining the squad in lifting the trophy and then celebrating with supporters. The incident brought to mind Sonny Bill Williams giving his World Cup-winning medal away to English schoolboy Charlie Line at Twickenham in 2015. In that case, a Twickenham steward had chased and tackled Line before Williams intervened, giving the youngster the medal he had just received for his part in the victory over Australia. Williams later said: 'Why not try and make a young fella's night? Hopefully, he'll remember it for a while. I know he will appreciate it, and when he gets older he will be telling kids. That is more special than it just hanging on a wall.' Farrell seemed not to follow suit when it came to his medal, which remained firmly around his neck for the duration. But his boots will likely remain a treasured possession of the youngster after his selfless gesture at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.
RTÉ News
31-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Taniela Tupou starts as Wallabies change four for final Test
Taniela Tupou will play his first game for the Wallabies in 2025, among four changes to Australia's side for Saturday's final Test against the British and Irish Lions in Sydney. The tighthead prop, who had been deemed surplus to requirements by Joe Schmidt for the opening three Wallabies games of the year, has been put straight into the starting side for this final Lions Test. Tupou, who is set to join Racing 92 in Paris later this year, replaces Allan Ala'alatoa at tighthead, after the Brumbies prop suffered a shoulder injury last Saturday. Interestingly, there is no place for Carlo Tizzano in the matchday squad. The flanker, who came on as a replacement in each of the last two games, was at the centre of last Saturday's controversial ending, when Australia wanted a penalty for Jac Morgan's clearout on him in the build-up to Hugo Keenan's winning try. Rob Valetini misses out at flanker, having departed at half time on his return from a calf injury a week ago, and his place at blindside is taken by Tom Hooper. Nic Whits comes in for Jake Gordon at scrum-half, and will make his 73rd and final appearance for the Wallabies, having confirmed he would retire from Test rugby earlier today. Dylan Pietsch replaces the injured Harry Potter on the left wing with the Wiradjuri man set to play for the first time in the special edition Wallabies jersey he designed for this year's Lions Series. Schmidt has also reverted back to a 5:3 split on his bench, as Andrew Kellaway joins Tate McDermott and Ben Donaldson as the backline subs. Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tom Lynagh, Nic White; James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt).
France 24
28-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Wallabies call up former All Black prop Ross for third Lions Test
Ross, who was born in Australia before moving to New Zealand as a child, will join the squad as the Wallabies try to avoid a 3-0 series whitewash in Sydney on Saturday. The Lions won the first Test in Brisbane 27-19 and the second at Melbourne 29-26. "Aidan Ross will join the squad in Sydney to help the team prepare for the final Test of the British and Irish Lions series," the Wallabies said on social media. "Harry Potter will remain in Melbourne after sustaining a hamstring injury." Ross played his sole Test for the All Blacks in July 2022 against Ireland and has now completed World Rugby's mandatory three-year gap before switching allegiances. The 29-year-old was at Waikato Chiefs since 2017, playing his 100th game in their Super Rugby final triumph in June, but he will switch to Queensland Reds next season. Potter started the second Test against last weekend, but hobbled off 20 minutes into the game with replacement scrum-half Tate McDermott playing as wing. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has several options to replace Potter, including Dylan Pietsch, Filipo Daugunu and Corey Toole. © 2025 AFP
