Latest news with #Parling
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Australia coach Geoff Parling: I missed my child's birth to play for Lions, that's how much it means
In January, Geoff Parling stood alongside John Eales to discuss the significance of the Lions series in front of Australia's squad ahead of this summer's tour. Former second row Eales, who captained the Wallabies to the 2001 series victory, gave the green and gold perspective; Parling, now Australia's assistant coach and soon-to-be Leicester Tigers head coach, provided the view from the other side of the ledger as the first man to play for and coach against the Lions. Parling, a former Newcastle, Leicester and Exeter second row, started in two of the Lions' Test series against Australia in 2013, although his memories are somewhat blurry. What he does recall is his exquisite tap tackle on Jesse Mogg in the third test – 'My long arms came in useful for once' – and something entirely unconnected to rugby. @lionsofficial THAT TAP TACKLE 😰 #Rugby #LionsRugby ♬ SIGMA X MEN - AMAAN__HERE 'The biggest thing for me was my daughter was born back in the UK and she was healthy,' Parling said. 'So the biggest thing that stands out for me wasn't even on the rugby field. That might sound crazy because it's a big tour, but going back and meeting your daughter when she's two and a half weeks old, it's pretty special. Changing her nappy when all the blokes are on the p--- back in Sydney celebrating, in a way was pretty special.' While Parling was happy to share his experience, he is keen to emphasise that his perspectives are of limited and diminishing value as we approach the first Test at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. 'The fact you have a once-in-12-year opportunity probably makes it even bigger,' Parling said. 'They're aware it's pretty special. They definitely know it. I don't think I have to big it up as anything else. I've just got to make sure what I give to them is valuable. So what I am probably giving in terms of that is probably less than you think. As we're getting closer to the Tests, it's probably getting less and less.' The point is that Parling wants to avoid putting the Lions on any sort of pedestal. Australia are underdogs going into the series but that was much the same when they went to Twickenham last autumn only for the Wallabies to beat England 42-37. They kept the receipts of every prediction of the hammering they were supposed to receive against Steve Borthwick's side and it is clear the Wallabies will be similarly fired up going into a series in which the Lions are openly targeting a 3-0 whitewash. 'Our mentality is: let's throw ourselves at them,' Parling said. 'We're not here to sit back and pay homage to the Lions. Let's throw ourselves at them, why wouldn't we? We don't want to die wanting – whilst we do the basics really, really well.' While he has a reputation for being cerebral, particularly when it comes to line-out plays, Parling's coaching philosophy is all about simplicity, which is a lesson he learned from Andy Farrell, then the Lions defence coach, on the 2013 tour. 'He really appealed to my biases, one of my favourite coaches when I was a player,' Parling said. 'He was very simple, great orator, and just a good bloke. But I thought, yeah, just very simple in his delivery, and just went after a few things, and went hard at those. 'He's very aligned to how I believe the best form of defending is. And I don't think coaching… I think sometimes we make it too complicated. And he didn't make it too complicated. He made it simple with a few key points and just chased them. 'If we spoke about anything [to the players] – and again it's going to sound really boring, I'm not going to give you an exciting answer here – it's about doing the basics really, really well. I think the bigger the game you get, the more it's about doing the basics really, really well. By basics I mean: how you tackle, how you carry, how you clean, how sharp your passing is, how accurate your kicking game is. Doesn't sound sexy does it?' Nor – with the greatest respect – does swapping a lifestyle in Melbourne, where the Parlings live 1km from the beach, for Leicester. 'I wouldn't leave here for many opportunities. Leicester was one of those I would do,' Parling said. May Rose, the daughter who was born while he was on the 2013 Lions tour, is now 12 and will return to the UK with an 'Aussie twang', although the 41-year-old now admits he feels somewhat guilty for missing her birth. 'Do you know what? I admitted this to my wife and she said 'I'm glad you finally said it [being selfish]',' Parling said. 'In some ways with my family I was quite a selfish player sometimes and I was lucky, she was very, very, very supportive and still is very supportive. But rugby really, really meant a lot to me and my family means a lot to me. It really, really does. It was a difficult decision but I was probably straight away: I want to go. Thankfully everything was good back there. Players sometimes are a little bit selfish for that respect and I guess looking back I was.'
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘We're not here to pay homage': Lion turned Australia coach Geoff Parling on how hosts can stun tourists
Geoff Parling is a perfect example of just how far sport can propel you in life. Growing up in Stockton-on-Tees he was a goalkeeper who did not start throwing a rugby ball around until the age of 12. Back then the chances of him coaching Australia in a British & Irish Lions series were about the same as seeing a snoozing koala up a gum tree in Hartlepool. Yet here he is now in a Wallaby tracksuit, preparing to complete the unique double of playing a Test for the Lions and then also coaching against them at the same exalted level. It is a parallel universe to 2013 when Parling was part of the triumphant Lions side in the final Test in Sydney. That night it was his crucial tackle on Jesse Mogg – 'My long arms came in useful for once' – which snuffed out any chance of a home fightback. This weekend the aim is to do the precise opposite and restore a golden glow to Australian rugby. And just as the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge was constructed by a British firm from Cleveland in the North-East, so Parling's current job is to engineer something just as striking. The Wallabies line-out has improved steadily under his tutelage and, in harness with head coach Joe Schmidt, the chances are that Australia will be tactically savvy and highly motivated. 'Our mentality is: let's throw ourselves at them,' warns the ex-England lock forward. 'We're not here to sit back and pay homage to the Lions. Let's throw ourselves at them, why wouldn't we? We don't want to die wanting.' Steady on, ma-ate. Then again, the 41-year-old is far from rugby's first Anglo-Aussie chameleon: Eddie Jones, in particular used to love his Bodyline cricket analogies when he was touring his native Australia as England's coach. Parling, for his part, now has an Australian passport, lives in a Melbourne bayside suburb and his imminent return to England to coach Leicester Tigers has not obviously diluted his desire to take the 2025 Lions down. So what will he be advising his Wallaby charges ahead of the first Test, based on his personal memories of sitting in the opposite dressing room? To make the most of the opportunity, for starters. Towards the end of the 2013 tour he even missed the birth of his daughter May to pursue his Lions dream. 'The biggest thing that stands out for me wasn't even on the rugby field. That might sound crazy because it's a big tour, but going back and meeting your daughter when she's two and a half weeks old is pretty special. Changing her nappy when all the blokes are on the piss back in Sydney celebrating was, in a way, also pretty special. But, yeah, that changing room after the final Test, that would also stand out for me.' It was only later that he belatedly apologised to his wife Elle for being 'selfish' and staying out on tour – 'She was like: 'Oh God, yeah I know you are, you've finally admitted it'' – so it is ironic the whole family have subsequently lived in Australia since 2018, with the 29-times capped forward having made his final competitive appearance for Exeter in the 2017 Premiership final. Life in Australia has been so enjoyable that returning home to take the Leicester role vacated by Michael Cheika was not an easy decision. 'We left when my youngest was three months and she's eight now. So all my kids' childhood has been here. I wouldn't leave here for many opportunities. Leicester was one of those I would do.' For now, though, his focus is on the present. Slowing down Lions' ball, disrupting their set piece, excelling in the nuts and bolts that win Test matches. 'We have some wonderful players who are highly skilled and great athletes – can we get those guys in a position to really excel? The bigger the game, the more it's about doing the basics really well.' Does he believe the Wallabies are fully primed? 'I've never coached a game where I wouldn't like to be more ready. That's been the case in every game I've coached or probably played in.' But not unlike England's Steve Borthwick, Parling has always been a relentless rugby student. Australia's dramatic win at Twickenham last November was also further proof of the Wallabies' ability to confound expectations. In London the management deliberately seized on the more dismissive pre-game predictions as fuel and may well do the same again now. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Parling also has a fair idea of how Andy Farrell will be prepping his Lions, having sat and listened to his now famous 'take them boys to the hurt arena' speech in 2013. 'He was one of my favourite coaches when I was a player: a great orator, just a good bloke. He was very simple in his delivery ... he just [prioritised] a few things and went hard at those. I think sometimes we make coaching too complicated. He didn't.' Which is something Parling will also be aware of this weekend, conscious that words alone cannot fully prepare his players. 'In these big games something always takes you a little bit by surprise. I can't give them everything by just speaking. Every player will have their own motivations. They're aware it's pretty special. I don't think I have to big it up as anything else.'
The 42
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Wallabies get Valetini fitness boost ahead of Lions Test
FLANKER ROB VALETINI has resumed training in a big boost for Australia ahead of the first Test against the British and Irish Lions, with assistant coach Geoff Parling Wednesday 'very hopeful' the dynamic forward will be fit. The ACT Brumbies stalwart — arguably Australia's best player — has been battling a hamstring issue and missed their warm-up clash against Fiji this month. But Englishman Parling — who played for the Lions on their last tour of Australia in 2013 — said the backrower was making progress and could feature if he passes a fitness final test. 'Rob trained (on Tuesday). He's a quality player like everyone knows and we're very hopeful he'll be available for selection,' said Parling, who will depart the Wallabies to become Leicester Tigers head coach once the Lions tour is over. There have been suggestions that the Wallabies might not risk Valetini for the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday, with two more Tests to come. Advertisement But Parling said they would select their strongest team. 'In terms of saving people for a series, I don't think you'd ever really do that. It's more just if someone's fit and ready to perform, can they improve a team?' he said. 'If yeah, we'll get them out there.' France-based lock Will Skelton has also been dealing with a niggle, but he too is back training, leaving Parling and Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt with a selection dilemma. Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams hold second row incumbency, but the giant Skelton could prove invaluable given the physical threat posed by the Lions. 'It certainly does (complicate things),' admitted Parling, 'It's different when Will's in there. He brings different attributes that other guys don't have, certainly around the static excursion points like scrum, the maul, other bits, the collision. It makes my job a bit harder.' Australia name their matchday 23 on Thursday. With first choice fly-half Noah Lolesio out of the series after neck surgery, the number 10 jersey is up for grabs. Ben Donaldson was initially seen as favourite to take the role, but Tom Lynagh appears to have jumped in front of him with Australian media saying he would get the nod to start. Should Lynagh play, he will match the feat of his father Michael Lynagh, a long-time Wallabies fly-half and trusty kicker, who also played against the Lions in 1989. – © AFP 2025
Perth Now
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Shared some things': Wallabies' inside oil
As a former British and Irish Lions lock, Wallabies assistant coach Geoff Parling has been happy to provide 'valuable' knowledge to the Australians about what to expect from the tourists ahead of Saturday night's series-opening battle at Suncorp Stadium. However, Parling hasn't overloaded the Wallabies with information, saying any 'big game' was the 'same game'. 'The circus around it is bigger, the moments in every match are a little bit more, but that's the case the higher any level you go,' said the Englishman, who was part of a Lions squad that beat the Wallabies 2-1 in the 2013 series between the teams. 'I shared some things … but I'm very wary it's not about me. 'If I can give something valuable to our players, I'll certainly do that. I've just got to make sure what I give is valuable. 'What I'm probably giving in terms of that is probably less than you think, and as we get closer to the Test, it's less and less.' Parling said the Wallabies were expecting a 'well-drilled' Lions forward pack that had become 'more cohesive' as the tour went on. The Lions were beaten 28-24 by Argentina last month in Ireland but are undefeated since arriving in Australia, chalking up wins over Western Force (54-7), Queensland Reds (52-12), NSW Waratahs (21-10), ACT Brumbies (36-24) and the AUNZ Invitational outfit (48-0). 'You find on any Lions tour, it can take a bit of time to click,' Parling said. 'Their scrum has generally been strong. Their lineout was shaky at the very start, and in general that's improved. 'I don't think that they've shown many chinks, and I'm expecting them with a full training week, with no midweek game, to be very well prepped.' Parling said star back-rower Rob Valetini was a chance to return to the Wallabies pack after missing Australia's last-start 21-18 win over Fiji with a calf injury. 'We're very hopeful that he'll be available for selection,' he said of the two-time John Eales Medal winner. 'In terms of saving people for a series, I don't think you'd ever really do that. It's more just if someone's fit and ready to perform, can they improve a team? If yeah, we'll get them out there then.' Towering lock Will Skelton's availability after overcoming his own calf problem could cause the Wallabies a selection headache. 'It certainly does (complicate things) … but it's different when Will's in there,' Parling said. 'He brings different attributes that other guys don't have, certainly around the static excursion points like scrum, the maul, and other parts of the collision.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tigers bid to create new classroom under stand
A new classroom and press conference space could be created underneath a stand at Leicester Tigers' stadium. A bid has been submitted to Leicester City Council planners to convert a warehouse unit under the Breedon Stand at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium. If approved, the open plan space would be used for education for "learners with and without special educational needs and disabilities" as well as press and post-match interviews on match days. Dedicated parking for the area would also be created off Aylestone Walk, if approved. Comments can be made on the application until 18 June, with Leicester City Council then expected to rule on the bid by the end of the month. Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. England & Tigers prop Cole to retire at end of season Leicester Tigers name Parling as new head coach Leicester City Council Leicester Tigers
