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BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
No doubts for Owen Farrell after late call to Lions tour
Owen Farrell did not hesitate to answer the call to join his fourth British and Irish Lions tour even though he was aware of the potential 'poison' his involvement might generate. Farrell captains the Lions for the first time in Tuesday's match against the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium, 17 days after arriving in Australia as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly. Advertisement The former England captain had just finished a testimonial golf day for former Saracens team-mate Jackson Wray when his father Andy called with the invitation to join the squad. Owen Farrell will captain the Lions on Tuesday (David Davies/PA) Mechanical issues with his car meant he was able to disappear to answer the phone without raising the suspicions of his golf partners. 'When I got asked to come, the first thing that popped into my head was 'yes',' Farrell said. 'It wasn't a discussion. Elliot got a knock and I got a phone call. 'Can you get ready?' and I said 'Yeah.' That was it. I wanted to take the opportunity and I'm glad I'm here.' Advertisement Until his cameo against AUNZ on July 12, his most recent international appearance was at the 2023 World Cup, after which he stepped back from England to prioritise his and his family's mental wellbeing. It was a response to the vitriol that ensued after he was banned for a high tackle against Wales in the build-up to the tournament and the booing he received during England's march to the semi-finals. The 33-year-old struggles to comprehend why he is such a polarising figure but has learned to deal with the darker moments by retaining perspective, while 'making sure I look after myself and giving myself a break'. Ready for our final midweek match of the Tour! 🙌 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 21, 2025 'I understand that times are different now,' he said. 'Sometimes it catches fire and just takes a life of its own and goes wherever it goes and there's momentum behind it. But no, I don't always understand it. Advertisement 'The good and the bad – both are a poison. That's not to say that it's all bad, but the things that should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us. 'If you go and knock on someone's door and ask them their opinion of how you played at the weekend, you wouldn't really listen to their answer. The people that I think we should listen to are the proper rugby people. Your mates. 'Not to say that people will just pat you on the back because you have people who will tell you how it is, but they'll give you a real answer. If you do that and you're in a good place yourself, then you can deal with it. 'Because there are times where people can say this, that and the other and it just go over your head. And there's times where you're not in the best place of all time and you're almost waiting for something to set you off.' Advertisement Farrell roomed with the livewire Henry Pollock in Canberra (David Davies/PA) Sport Owen Farrell to captain Lions for first time in Me... Read More Farrell – the Lions' most experienced player – roomed with the squad's youngest in 20-year-old Henry Pollock when the squad were in Canberra to face the ACT Brumbies. 'He's fascinating. Fascinating. What did I learn about him that I can tell you?! He's brilliant. His energy is nuts. He's always on,' Farrell said of the rising star of English rugby. 'He's always taking the mick out of people. He's got no regard for what anyone's done in the past or anything like that. He looks like he's being himself, which is brilliant.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Jamie George lifts the lid on 'chaos' of Lions call-up and 47-hour trip from England duty to Australia - admitting 'I would have swum!'
Jamie George described his Lions call-up as 'chaos', after taking four flights in a mad dash from the Andes to Australia – a gruelling, convoluted journey which lasted the best part of two days. The 34-year-old Saracens hooker woke up in San Juan, Argentina, on the morning of Saturday, July 12, expecting to serve again as co-captain of England, in their quest to seal a 2-0 series victory over the dangerous Pumas. Instead, he was hurriedly withdrawn from that match, to prepare for an inter-continental trek to join up with Andy Farrell's British and Irish squad in Brisbane, ahead of the first Test last weekend – as cover for injured compatriot Luke Cowan-Dickie. Now, having been selected to start the final tour game of the 2025 campaign against a First Nations-Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium, George explained the logistical challenge answering his emergency summons. 'It was chaos,' he said. 'I didn't really understand how it was all going to work. I woke up on Saturday morning, obviously preparing for our second Test against Argentina, to messages saying, 'Luke has picked up a head knock'. 'Steve (Borthwick – England head coach) spoke to me and he was the one who told me I was going to Australia and then spoke to Andy. We had a conversation about whether I could play in the game and then come, because there were no flights outside of San Juan that night, so I had to stay for the game anyway. Obviously, I was always going to want to play in that game because of the scale of it. 'Door to door, it was about 47 hours' travel from San Juan to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires to Rio, Rio to Dubai and Dubai to Brisbane. So, I gave the world a good lap! But honestly, if it was up to me, I would have swum here. 'Getting that call, I reflected on the disappointment of not being selected in the initial squad. Some of the best memories I've ever had on a rugby field were in 2017 (Lions tour of New Zealand). So, to be able to represent the Lions again is the stuff that dreams are made of.' George certainly racked up the air miles and he also had plenty of time for some varied viewing. 'I watched a full series of Mobland,' he said. 'I watched some pretty horrific movies on the plane if I'm honest. I watched Tin Cup – the golf one; a couple of old-school films. 'They (Lions) sent me a good sleep protocol which was quite hard to follow; when to sleep and when to try and stay awake. I had to try and stay awake for the first seven hours of the first flight, which was a challenge. So, to Rio and then the first five on the way to Dubai. But it was great. I genuinely felt like, by the time I got here, I'd sort of got over it because of the length of time on the plane.' Inclusion in the starting side for the last midweek fixture Down Under presents a glimmer of hope that George could force his way into Test contention – however far-fetched that might be with a four-day turn-around before the next encounter with the Wallabies. That is on his ultimate wish list, but just being here means so much to the veteran of two previous tours. His sheer enthusiasm for the Lions is infectiously apparent. 'I am blown away, I find it very surreal and I am taken aback,' he said. 'This will be one of the biggest games of my career. I never thought I would have this opportunity again, so I am not going to let it slip. I am motivated as I have ever been, but there are ridiculously good players ahead of me. All I can do is enjoy every opportunity that I get and put my best foot forward. 'It's emotional to be back out there because I never thought this opportunity was going to come. When the squad was announced, I was heartbroken and now I've got the opportunity to pull the jersey on again and it might be the last time, it might not be. I'll play like it's the last time. I want to make people proud, I want to do the jersey proud and do everything I can to win in a Lions jersey.' The hectic and last-minute nature of his selection has limited the possibility of his family coming out, but George's father, Ian, has arrived in Melbourne, after hastily changing travel plans to head for Australia rather than South America. 'My old man is on the way,' he said. 'He phoned me in a panic. It was literally two hours before kick-off and I got a phone call. He was supposed to be flying that night and the flight has been cancelled. 'The bloke is 74 and technology doesn't work too well (for him), so he was flapping and stressing. But he's on another flight, on his way here. He's buzzing. Being able to do stuff like this for people like my old man, giving him the opportunity to travel around Australia, to watch his son play for the Lions – that's the special bit about what I do.' George is a highly experienced figure with Lions pedigree. He knows how difficult these tours can be, after a series draw in 2017 and defeat in 2021. He is certain that Farrell's team can play a lot better after being 'clunky at times' in the Brisbane opener, which they won 27-19. He has no doubt about the overall balance of power but is expecting a fierce contest on Saturday. 'In my eyes, I don't see a world where Australia looked like winning the game,' he said. 'In the first half of that Test, the physicality that I saw from the Lions team was something else. Tom Curry was on jet fuel. It was crazy. There were some seriously good performances. 'We're 1-0 up in the series and the potential of the team is huge, but I'm expecting a much better Australia team. I think they would have been disappointed with the way they played. There's talk of them bringing in some pretty big hitters. That means they're going to be a much better team. Is Test two going to go nuclear? I imagine so, from both sides.' For a passionate cricket fan, the fact that the next Test is taking place at the iconic MCG adds to the sense of occasion. George hopes to return to the 100,000-capacity stadium one day, as a spectator. 'Bucket-list stuff for me is watching the Boxing Day Test there,' he said. 'I'll be getting stuck in once I've retired. In the Barmy Army, 100 per cent. I'd be in the mix – shirt off. I'd have anywhere between 15 and 20 pints, a tattoo of Joe Root on one arm, Ben Stokes on the other!' When it was suggested that George and his team-mates should recreate the famous England cricket team 'sprinkler' celebration from 2010 on the MCG out-field, if the Lions seal a series win, he said: 'What a great shout! It's lunacy that (Henry) Pollock would have been five at the time – but he is a lunatic. I see myself as a sort of Graeme Swann figure. Similar characters – both talented blokes. It could happen, yeah.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
No doubts for Owen Farrell after late call to Lions tour
Owen Farrell did not hesitate to answer the call to join his fourth British and Irish Lions tour even though he was aware of the potential 'poison' his involvement might generate. Farrell captains the Lions for the first time in Tuesday's match against the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium, 17 days after arriving in Australia as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly. The former England captain had just finished a testimonial golf day for former Saracens team-mate Jackson Wray when his father Andy called with the invitation to join the squad. Mechanical issues with his car meant he was able to disappear to answer the phone without raising the suspicions of his golf partners. 'When I got asked to come, the first thing that popped into my head was 'yes',' Farrell said. 'It wasn't a discussion. Elliot got a knock and I got a phone call. 'Can you get ready?' and I said 'Yeah.' That was it. I wanted to take the opportunity and I'm glad I'm here.' Until his cameo against AUNZ on July 12, his most recent international appearance was at the 2023 World Cup, after which he stepped back from England to prioritise his and his family's mental wellbeing. It was a response to the vitriol that ensued after he was banned for a high tackle against Wales in the build-up to the tournament and the booing he received during England's march to the semi-finals. The 33-year-old struggles to comprehend why he is such a polarising figure but has learned to deal with the darker moments by retaining perspective, while 'making sure I look after myself and giving myself a break'. 'I understand that times are different now,' he said. 'Sometimes it catches fire and just takes a life of its own and goes wherever it goes and there's momentum behind it. But no, I don't always understand it. 'The good and the bad – both are a poison. That's not to say that it's all bad, but the things that should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us. 'If you go and knock on someone's door and ask them their opinion of how you played at the weekend, you wouldn't really listen to their answer. The people that I think we should listen to are the proper rugby people. Your mates. 'Not to say that people will just pat you on the back because you have people who will tell you how it is, but they'll give you a real answer. If you do that and you're in a good place yourself, then you can deal with it. 'Because there are times where people can say this, that and the other and it just go over your head. And there's times where you're not in the best place of all time and you're almost waiting for something to set you off.' Farrell – the Lions' most experienced player – roomed with the squad's youngest in 20-year-old Henry Pollock when the squad were in Canberra to face the ACT Brumbies. 'He's fascinating. Fascinating. What did I learn about him that I can tell you?! He's brilliant. His energy is nuts. He's always on,' Farrell said of the rising star of English rugby. 'He's always taking the mick out of people. He's got no regard for what anyone's done in the past or anything like that. He looks like he's being himself, which is brilliant.'
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scotland tour was a mixed bag but fringe man made notable breakthrough
Warriors man seized his chance at scrum-half but also showed versatility Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland have an entire backline ensconced in the Lions camp currently so the national side's Pacific tour offered those on the fringes a chance to stake a claim. Jamie Dobie certainly seized the opportunity with a stand-out performance in the 41-12 win over Samoa at Eden Park as the Scots bounced back from a sore defeat in Fiji. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Glasgow Warriors scrum-half was particularly impressive during the first-half in Auckland, helping dictate the tempo as Scotland built a 22-0 lead. Dobie linked well with Fergus Burke and the Saracens stand-off was another who burnished his credentials on tour. Jamie Dobie on the attack during Scotland's win over Samoa at Eden Park. | Getty Images 'I've really enjoyed spending time training and playing with Fergus,' said Dobie. 'He's a great talent, we've seen that at Saracens and when he was in during the Six Nations. He obviously had to wait for his first cap but I absolutely love playing with him. Dobie and Burke face formidable obstacles 'He's a brave man - you saw that last week with the amount of defence he had to put in against Fiji. That's inspiring for the players around him and I'm absolutely delighted to have built that [partnership] with him over this campaign.' Long term, Burke and Dobie face formidable obstacles in the shape of Finn Russell and Ben White as they seek more game-time with Scotland but both have shown their worth on the Test stage. Dobie has had to be patient. He was first capped in 2021 when he came off the bench in the autumn win over Tonga but it was only in last week's match against Fiji that he was given the chance to start an international in his preferred number nine role. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's Fergus Burke makes a break against Samoa, with team-mate Jamie Dobie, right, ready to support. | AFP via Getty Images Ten of his 14 caps have been won as a replacement and his first two starts for Scotland came on the wing during last summer's tour against Canada and Chile, games in which he also scored his first international tries. Dobie is becoming as adept out wide as he is at scrum-half and such versatility makes him a coach's dream. The Inverness-born 24-year-old is too modest to talk up his own credentials but he was gratified to be picked at scrum-half in back-to-back games. 'Eden Park is such a cool place to play, so I was delighted to be able to start, especially after last week,' he said. 'I'll not say too much about my own performance, but I thought as a team we were excellent. I obviously had a couple of moments where I was happy with the decisions I made. Tour was a mixed bag 'That was the main thing for me - to take the opportunity that I had been given. I think everyone was keen that way, especially with it being the last game of the tour and with some important games to look forward to in the autumn. Everyone was keen to put their best foot forward. That was my focus, to get the team playing as well as possible, and I'm happy with the role I played.' He was moved to the wing for the second half against Samoa as Kyle Steyn sustained a hand injury that forced him off and Dobie adapted with customary calm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was sprung on me a little bit, right at the end of half-time,' he said. 'We've spoken many times about me being able to cover that [position] as well, and I guess that's the beauty of being able to do that - the coaches can make decisions like that. It was nice to get a bit more freedom out there.' Kyle Steyn, pictured right with Rory Hutchinson, injured his hand against Samoa. | Getty Images The tour as a whole was a mixed bag for Scotland who impressed in winning their opener against the Māori All Blacks but were distinctly second best in the 29-14 defeat by Fiji in Suva, the game Gregor Townsend had earmarked as the key match. They at least ended on a winning note and Dobie hopes now hopes to used the tour to further enhance his international chances in the autumn when USA, New Zealand, Argentina and Tonga come to Murrayfield. 'It's been massively beneficial,' he said. 'The Fiji result and performance obviously wasn't what anyone was after, and there's obviously been talk about what that means. But being able to build with the squad we've got out here has been great, and it was a great way to finish it beating Samoa. 'We've got some big games in November to look forward to back at Murrayfield, and that's what our focus will turn to. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Owen Farrell handed major role ahead of British and Irish Lions midweek clash against First Nations & Pasifika XV
Owen Farrell has been named as captain of the Lions for their midweek game against the First Nations & Pasifika XV. It will be the first time the Englishman has skippered an international team since the 2023 World Cup. He will start in the No 12 jersey for the game in Melbourne, where full-back Blair Kinghorn will also return from injury in a bid to feature in the second Test. In total, there are 20 changes to the matchday squad that beat the Wallabies in the first Test, with Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith featuring on the bench. Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock will form a competitive back-row, with an opportunity to force themselves into Test contention following the injury to Joe McCarthy. 'This fixture gives players another opportunity to put their hand up for selection for the final two Tests,' said head coach Andy Farrell. Lions team to face First Nations & Pasifika XV 15. Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland) #882 14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) 13. Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) 12. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England) #780 (c) 11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #841 10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England) #862 9. Ben White (Toulon/Scotland) #883 1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #868 2. Jamie George (Saracens/England) #819 3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #856 4. James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #880 5. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #869 6. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) #861 7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #874 8. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England) #865 Replacements: 16. Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) 17. Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #840 18. Tom Clarkson (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) 19. Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) 20. Ben Earl (Saracens/England) #857 21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) #860 22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855 23. Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #872 'The coaches' minds are open when it comes to selection, they have to be with so many players performing and pushing for places and we want that to continue for the remaining two Tests. 'This group know the level of performance that we will require against a First Nations Pasifika team that is packed with talent and power.' In the pack, England's Jamie George will make his first appearance since joining up with the squad, with late call-ups Darcy Graham, Jamie Osborne and Ben White also named in the starting XV. Fin Smith has been named at No 10, with giant Scottish winger Duhan van der Merwe completing the backline.
