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Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Obsession with money leaves Lions selection feeling more like Barbarians
Tradition has it that the first day of the Lions first Test week is when a rare and wonderfully pulsating excitement really starts to build. On the first day of Test week here in Brisbane, however, controversy raged when Andy Farrell, the head coach, gave a number of call-ups to players who may well not get a game and are really here just to make up the numbers. Yet this isn't really an Andy Farrell issue. It is not his poor judgement here. What it does, though, is expose issues right at the heart of the modern Lions tour. The facts are that late call-ups were made on Monday for three players who have been on tour with Scotland in New Zealand. These players are the winger Darcy Graham, Ewan Ashman, the hooker, and Rory Sutherland, the loose-head prop. Their call-up follows that of Tom Clarkson, the Irish tight-head, which came the night before. The press release for the Scottish three made it clear that they are not joining the Lions tour as replacements for injured players or even as stand-by replacements for players who might be struggling to overcome injury. The release said that they have been given the call-up 'to provide cover for the First Nations & Pasifika fixture' which is next Tuesday. They may not play. John Dalziel, the Lions coach, said today that they may go home once the fixture is done. In other words, they are temporarily filling in. The Lions have, as many will recall, been here before. On the 2017 Lions tour of New Zealand, the head coach Warren Gatland gave a similar late call-up to six players who were required for the final midweek game in Wellington against the Hurricanes. The group of players were referred to as 'The Geography Six' because they had been selected not because they were the next best players available but on account of the fact they were all playing for national teams who were touring nearby, thus making it more convenient to draft them in. Gatland got eviscerated for making the decision. The criticism came particularly from previous Lions tourists who said that he had devalued the Lions jersey by handing it out in this way. His decision also bombed with a number of the players on that 2017 tour; their similar feelings, that Lions jerseys were being tossed around too loosely, were so strong that some players refused to leave the pitch against the Hurricanes in order to stop the new boys coming on as substitutes. The condemnation was such that Gatland would later acknowledge that he wished he had operated differently. Actually, what he had done was merely to be pragmatic, and that is all that Farrell has done here. The difference is that Farrell will not face the same criticism because, eight years on, it is now clear that he had no other choice but to bring temporary cover in this way. In other words, the problem is not of his own making, just as it wasn't Gatland's either. The problem is that of a touring schedule that doesn't work. Both Gatland and, now, Farrell have been asked to play fixtures that are completely counter-productive to their mission of winning the Test series. The First Nations game comes on the Tuesday between the first and second Test matches. For that Tuesday game, Farrell cannot afford to risk any of his Test squad being injured. He therefore needs complete cover which means that he requires two players in each of the front row positions who won't play in the second Test. At tight-head, for instance, the Test starting prop will probably be Tadhg Furlong with Will Stuart on the bench. This means that the third tight-head, Finlay Bealham, would start against the First Nations team but because Farrell cannot risk selecting Furlong or Stuart, because of the danger that they could get injured, he therefore needed to recruit from outside — which is how Clarkson got the call-up. In that regard, Farrell's decision kind of makes sense. What doesn't make sense, though, is the fixture. The fixture is redundant. If we are to continue to take the Lions seriously as one of the great creations of sport, and if we are to continue to regard the winning of a Lions jersey one of the greatest achievements, then the Lions cannot turn into some friendly have-a-go opportunity for whoever happens to be available. The more it looks and feels like the Barbarians, the worse it looks for the Lions. With The First Nations Four, we don't actually know if geography had any bearing on their selection. Note that the England team are currently a long way away, in the United States, and there are no Englishmen in this group. When Dalziel was asked if geography had anything to do with choosing The First Nations Four, he first said 'No, not at all' and then: 'Geographically, we're getting people here if they do need to play.' Either way, the problem is with the fixture. The Lions should never have agreed to it. A midweek game in a Test week is a distraction and a headache for the coaches (comparatively minor issues) and a personnel problem (a major one). There used to be a midweek game before the first Test but that has disappeared from the schedule. Why, then, keep the second? The answer is money. One more game. One more event to sell to the broadcasters and sponsors. One more day to sell tickets to punters. The First Nations game is a glorified fund-raiser. So do not blame Farrell for making his decision regarding the late call-ups. Blame the administrators for signing up to a schedule that forced this decision upon him. The Lions here in Australia so far have been a circus act. They haven't been properly challenged. You could pay to watch them perform their circus tricks; what you haven't got for your money so far was a proper sporting contest. That is a real danger for Australian rugby. If, in future, it cannot provide a meaningful series of matches before the three Test matches, then the pre-Test schedule will have to be played elsewhere. It is a danger for the Lions if they play pre-Test schedules packed with non-competitive games. None will hurt them more than a one-night-only fixture for a group of new Lions who may not even be released from their cages.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales win in Japan must signal start of new era
"This has to be the start of something."That was the impassioned message from Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt as his side ended a dismal season by securing a first international win in 21 Welsh rugby men's campaign finished with some success when it had experienced frequent failure during the past 12 31-22 victory against Japan in the heat and humidity of Kobe halted an 18-match losing Test run and ensured the Wales class of 2024 and 2025 did not set an unwanted record for a tier one nation of 19 victory will not wipe away the issues engulfing Welsh rugby. There are many matters to be resolved, such as the appointment of a new head coach and sorting out the domestic game. Wales results in 2024-25 Before you look forward, sometimes you have to reflect. Even if it is played 10 internationals this season with Warren Gatland and Sherratt in charge for five games conceded 362 points and scored 177 in those games which included three autumn international defeats and another Six Nations wooden spoon, completed with a record 68-14 home defeat by England in Cardiff. There were nine successive losses before that final victory in Kobe which at least ensured Wales did not go a full campaign without a win.2024 Autumn Nations seriesSunday, 10 November, Wales 19-24 Fiji, CardiffSunday, 17 November, Wales 20-52 Australia, CardiffSaturday, 23 November, Wales 12-45 South Africa, Cardiff2025 Six NationsFriday, 31 January, France 43-0 Wales, ParisSaturday, 8 February, Italy 22-15 Wales, RomeSaturday, 22 February, Wales 18-27 Ireland, CardiffSaturday, 8 March, Scotland 35-29 Wales, EdinburghSaturday, 15 March, Wales 14-68 England, CardiffSummer tourSaturday, 5 July, Japan 24-19 Wales, KitakyushuSaturday, 12 July, Japan 22-31 Wales, Kobe When will the next coach be appointed? Following a five-month hunt, we are expecting a new permanent coach to be announced left in February after the Six Nations defeat by Italy in Rome signalled a 14th successive Sherratt was appointed as interim head coach for the rest of the tournament, Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney said her phone had not stopped with people interested in the permanent no appointment was made before the summer tour and Sherratt was again asked to lead the squad to WRU director of rugby Dave Reddin was appointed in April and given responsibility for the head coach recruitment. He has taken over the process and has identified the suitable WRU are believed to favour a more long-term appointment who is familiar with the Welsh game, rather than a short-term proven international coach like a Michael Cheika or Jake White-style who can be part of the revamped domestic game and cares about alignment with the professional like Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy, Ireland and Lions man Simon Easterby and former Wales favourite Shaun Edwards have been would have to give that person time to help rebuild a broken system with the 2031 World Cup in USA a more realistic target of improvement rather than the global tournament in Australia in rugby is not renowned for being patient. That might have to change. Baptism of fire It will be a tough start for the new coach with Wales hosting Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa in November in are currently ranked 12th in the world and need to stay in that top 12 when the draw for the 2027 World Cup is made in the Wales coaching system also requires is stability and less interim summer coaching team of Sherratt, Danny Wilson, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones and Rhys Thomas will all return to their clubs, while Leigh Halfpenny will consider one more season of six men are in addition to Gatland, Rob Howley, Alex King, Mike Forshaw, Jonathan Humphreys and Neil Jenkins, who have all officially been involved in coaching the national men's side this season. That's 12 coaches that have been used in one season for one team. Some continuity now would be preferable, and maybe even some of the temporary staff in Japan will return in the permanent set-up. Summer of discontent on the horizon The Welsh season might have finished on the field but that will not be the end of win against Japan will be welcomed but will not hide the problems that still exist in Welsh four Welsh professional sides are already back in pre-season training in preparation for 2025-26, but could it be the final campaign of having four professional sides in Wales? Could fewer teams mean sides leaving the United Rugby Championship (URC) and joining an Anglo-Welsh league?Some of these questions will be decided in the coming weeks in what promises to be a tumultuous Wales' record loss against England in Cardiff in March, former Wales captain Gwyn Jones urged the WRU not to waste a crisis and enact revolutionary change. What is certain in Welsh rugby is another crisis is just around the corner. One month after Jones' comments came the Cardiff conundrum which has been the catalyst for the latest went into administration in April with the WRU taking them accelerated the latest wrangling between the WRU and regions, especially Scarlets and Ospreys, who did not sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) about their concerns of the WRU plans for Cardiff. It resulted in the governing body announcing in May they would no longer fund the four sides bombshell raised the prospect of reducing the number of sides in Wales to three or even that press release was the last we heard from the WRU, with rumours filling the void and creating more uncertainty in the Welsh game. One thing that is certain is the opposing sides in this argument remain far apart in their WRU need to outline their case soon because players and coaches need clarity over their futures. Fans need to know what will happen to the teams they is a general realisation among all parties that something has to happen to arrest the decline. With financial constraints to factor in, how they get to that final solution is not so clear. Looking to build the player base You have to feel sorry for the current crop of Wales players. There is no lack of effort but they are young men learning on the job at the highest why the win in Kobe was so welcome. It reflected the reward for their efforts and its meaning was captured by the emotional reaction of captain Dewi squad are following a golden generation of Wales players who enjoyed Grand Slam and Six Nations success and reached two World Cup likes of Shane Williams, Alun Wyn Jones, Jamie Roberts, Ken Owens, Dan Biggar, Mike Phillips, Jonathan Davies and Alex Cuthbert can now be seen on your screens as pundits. Former props Jones and Jenkins are coaching, while Halfpenny, Justin Tipuric, George North, Dan Lydiate and Gareth Davies have retired from international rugby. Number eight Taulupe Faletau and wing Josh Adams are the last of that crop and among a handful on those who toured Japan who currently fit into the category of proven Test performers. There will be many in the present squad who could attain that status but it will take events are sometimes cyclical but Wales are paying the price for the pathway system resting on its laurels during the past was little preparation for what would happen when the top stars finished with the development of the next generation stalling and drying up. Reddin to make his mark Reddin will have a key role in ensuring that situation never happens sense he will be a key figure in Welsh rugby's future when he officially starts his job permanently in legacy of Tierney and WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood will also be determined on what happens next as they aim to halt the end of season victory against Japan can send people into the summer with that little bit of hope. As Sherratt says, this has to represent the while the end of the season has finally arrived, it also signifies the beginning of a few months that will determine the future of the struggling Welsh game.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
BBC Sport pundits on Wales' long-awaited win
The wait is finally over… Wales secured a much needed victory after a dismal run stretching back 644 days. Wales' 31-22 win over Japan in Kobe levelled the series 1-1 but more importantly ended an 18-Test losing streak. Advertisement Matt Sherratt's side withheld a spirited second-half Japan comeback and the tourists had reason to celebrate for the first time in 21 months. Wales' previous win was against Georgia in the 2023 World Cup, and it was a welcome victory in the fifth and final game in charge for interim head coach Sherratt. The Welsh Rugby Union's appointment of a permanent successor to Warren Gatland, who stepped down during the Six Nations, is expected in the next few weeks. The new appointment will now not be burdened by the losing streak but will face a tough task transforming the fortunes of Welsh rugby, beginning with a tough Autumn series which features New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Argentina as opponents. Advertisement BBC Sport pundits had their say on the long-awaited win in Japan and what next for Welsh rugby. 'Relief. Pure relief' Ex-Wales international James Hook told the Scrum V podcast: "Relief, that's the word isn't it, relief. I saw Dewi Lake's interview at the end it's just pure relief. "You could see it on the players and Matt Sherratt's face at the end, and they nearly threw it away in the second-half, but they found a way to win didn't they. "When Japan scored those two tries I said 'here we go again' but they found a way to win and that's all that matters in the end. Advertisement "Come September we need a couple of key building blocks in place, we need a head coach. "The regions, whether we're going to lose a region, go down to two, go down to three, whatever it is, that needs to be sorted. "You don't expect it to happen overnight but something needs to be done in the next couple of months. "The autumn's going to be a tough campaign, New Zealand and South Africa aren't going to be quaking in their boots after that performance." 'New slate for the incoming coach... whoever that may be' Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones on the Scrum V podcast: "It's massive. They came off last week and you just wanted to give them a hug. Advertisement "You felt so sorry for them, they'd come so close – 'when is this ever going to end?'. "That's the most important thing, the narrative has to change, the headlines have to change now. "The series of losses has gone, it's a new slate for the incoming coach, whoever that may be. "We're getting closer to World Cup time, that shouldn't cloud our decision making too much. "But the team needs a proper head coach and a coaching team around that can work together with the regions. "It will be constantly spoken about until the decision is made, and then that's always going to drive the narrative. Advertisement "For the players themselves, if they don't know their future how can they commit to what they're doing. "There's no tight timescale for it, but you do expect it to happen over the next two months, you'd expect something to be announced." 'You've got to give credit to those boys' Former Wales wing Alex Cuthbert told BBC Radio Wales' Rob and Molly show: "Wales going through this run of not being able to win, it's a habit that sticks with you and the pressure builds and builds. "You could see it last week. This week they just seemed to manage it a lot better. Advertisement "You've got to give credit to those boys, they've had such a tough year. "Someone like Aaron Wainwright has not won a game of rugby this year - it is good to see and just to get that monkey off their back. "Whoever comes in now doesn't have that hanging around their neck like Matt Sherratt said. "To get the win, for me now it's a complete clean slate, it's a new era at Welsh Rugby." 'Enjoy the moment... but a lot of work to do' Former Wales captain Ken Owens on S4C's Y Clwb Rygbi Rhyngwladol: "Credit to the players, they've found a way to win, and that's what was important at this point. Advertisement "To be fair, right in the middle of the second half Wales were under a lot of pressure, Japan raised their game. "But in the last five minutes Wales found something and they found a way to win and scored a great try at the end. "You need to celebrate this, it's been a very hard couple of years for the players, especially with what's happening at the regions. "There were a lot of good aspects to the game and also a lot of things to learn from. "The young players will gain valuable experience. "We won't now be talking about the run of losing games and we have to enjoy this moment, but realise there's a lot of work to do within the game."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
BBC Sport pundits on Wales' long-awaited win
The wait is finally over… Wales secured a much needed victory after a dismal run stretching back 644 31-22 win over Japan in Kobe levelled the series 1-1 but more importantly ended an 18-Test losing Sherratt's side withheld a spirited second-half Japan comeback and the tourists had reason to celebrate for the first time in 21 previous win was against Georgia in the 2023 World Cup, and it was a welcome victory in the fifth and final game in charge for interim head coach Welsh Rugby Union's appointment of a permanent successor to Warren Gatland, who stepped down during the Six Nations, is expected in the next few new appointment will now not be burdened by the losing streak but will face a tough task transforming the fortunes of Welsh rugby, beginning with a tough Autumn series which features New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Argentina as Sport pundits had their say on the long-awaited win in Japan and what next for Welsh rugby. 'Relief. Pure relief' Ex-Wales international James Hook told the Scrum V podcast:"Relief, that's the word isn't it, relief. I saw Dewi Lake's interview at the end it's just pure relief."You could see it on the players and Matt Sherratt's face at the end, and they nearly threw it away in the second-half, but they found a way to win didn't they."When Japan scored those two tries I said 'here we go again' but they found a way to win and that's all that matters in the end."Come September we need a couple of key building blocks in place, we need a head coach."The regions, whether we're going to lose a region, go down to two, go down to three, whatever it is, that needs to be sorted."You don't expect it to happen overnight but something needs to be done in the next couple of months."The autumn's going to be a tough campaign, New Zealand and South Africa aren't going to be quaking in their boots after that performance." 'New slate for the incoming coach... whoever that may be' Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones on the Scrum V podcast:"It's massive. They came off last week and you just wanted to give them a hug."You felt so sorry for them, they'd come so close – 'when is this ever going to end?'."That's the most important thing, the narrative has to change, the headlines have to change now."The series of losses has gone, it's a new slate for the incoming coach, whoever that may be."We're getting closer to World Cup time, that shouldn't cloud our decision making too much."But the team needs a proper head coach and a coaching team around that can work together with the regions."It will be constantly spoken about until the decision is made, and then that's always going to drive the narrative."For the players themselves, if they don't know their future how can they commit to what they're doing."There's no tight timescale for it, but you do expect it to happen over the next two months, you'd expect something to be announced." 'You've got to give credit to those boys' Former Wales wing Alex Cuthbert told BBC Radio Wales' Rob and Molly show:"Wales going through this run of not being able to win, it's a habit that sticks with you and the pressure builds and builds."You could see it last week. This week they just seemed to manage it a lot better."You've got to give credit to those boys, they've had such a tough year."Someone like Aaron Wainwright has not won a game of rugby this year - it is good to see and just to get that monkey off their back."Whoever comes in now doesn't have that hanging around their neck like Matt Sherratt said."To get the win, for me now it's a complete clean slate, it's a new era at Welsh Rugby." 'Enjoy the moment... but a lot of work to do' Former Wales captain Ken Owens on S4C's Y Clwb Rygbi Rhyngwladol:"Credit to the players, they've found a way to win, and that's what was important at this point."To be fair, right in the middle of the second half Wales were under a lot of pressure, Japan raised their game."But in the last five minutes Wales found something and they found a way to win and scored a great try at the end."You need to celebrate this, it's been a very hard couple of years for the players, especially with what's happening at the regions."There were a lot of good aspects to the game and also a lot of things to learn from. "The young players will gain valuable experience."We won't now be talking about the run of losing games and we have to enjoy this moment, but realise there's a lot of work to do within the game."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wales look to future after ending 18-game losing run with Japan win
Interim head coach Matt Sherratt said Wales's 31-22 win over Japan on Saturday "has got to be the start of something" after ending their record 18-game losing streak. The Welsh survived another second-half comeback from Eddie Jones's side in Kobe to pick up their first victory since the 2023 World Cup and consign their wretched run to history. Advertisement It was the longest losing streak for a Tier One country in the professional era. Sherratt oversaw four of those defeats after replacing Warren Gatland on a temporary basis and he backed whoever gets the job permanently to build on the long-awaited win. "Today is the end of a long season but for Welsh rugby it's got to be the start of something," said Sherratt. "The next guy coming in, a big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck." Emotional scenes greeted the final whistle under the stadium's closed roof, after the Welsh came close to blowing another half-time lead in the same manner as last week's 24-19 defeat in the first Test. Advertisement A Josh Adams try and a Kieran Hardy double put Wales in control until Japan scored on the stroke of half-time and then added two more tries after the break. That cut the lead to two points until fly-half Dan Edwards, making his first start for Wales, scored a 75th-minute try to kill off Japan's comeback. "Around 65 (minutes), you almost felt the sense that things were going quite similarly to last week," said Wales captain Dewi Lake. "So to score that try in the dying moments, it sinks in that you've got the job done, you've won the game and that ultimately was our goal coming out here." Advertisement - 'Long time coming' - Heat was again a factor with the temperature at 32 Celsius at kick-off, but Wales started strongly and scored in the ninth minute when Blair Murray fed Adams to canter over the line. Hardy slithered over for a second try, before Adams sliced through the Japan defence and teed up Hardy for a third. Japan hit back at just the right time, with substitute Shuhei Takeuchi rumbling over for a try on the half-time hooter to give the hosts hope for the second half. Scores from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley then shifted the momentum squarely in Japan's favour, before Edwards secured Wales their first win since beating Georgia in October 2023. Advertisement "It's been a long time coming," said Lake. "I look back at the tough results we had over the past 18 months, a couple of one-pointers, a couple of two-pointers, probably in the driving seat last week and let it slip. "So to dig in and get the job done today is an amazing feeling." Lake said the trust the coaches had shown in the players had been "a massive help". "The confidence that this will hopefully breed within this group will be huge for us going forward," he said. The Welsh win denied Japan their first back-to-back victories over a Tier One nation. Advertisement Their win last week in Kitakyushu was their first over a Six Nations side since the 2019 World Cup on home soil, where they beat Ireland and Scotland. "It's not the performance we wanted," said centre Riley. "We showed some good stuff, some bad stuff but ultimately we couldn't finish this week. "We'll have a bit of a break, reset, come back and back to work," he added. amk/dh
