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Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Gordon D'Arcy: Finn Russell epitomises difference between the Lions and Australia
There's a strange sense of wanting it all from this Lions tour, a dominant win, thrilling rugby, every selection vindicated, every moment memorable. That's an unforgiving list and perhaps it explains why, despite the Lions victory in the first Test, it's all been a little bit underwhelming when shining a light specifically on the rugby. Watching as a former player brings its own contradictions. As a player, the win is all that matters; no one asks how it was done when the medals are handed out. But as a supporter, particularly from afar, you find yourself hoping for something more, something captivating, entertaining, expressive in rugby terms. Maybe a little flatness is a byproduct of watching from home, away from the energy of the travelling support, where the emotion is more tied to result than performance. Still, Saturday's win was warmly welcomed in Brisbane among the travelling pride. Winning a Test on Australian soil is no small thing, regardless of the performance aesthetic. The aura of these games remains strong. I found myself frantically tying shoelaces and juggling breakfast duty just to make the kickoff. I missed the build-up, which I love, as it often provides clues in terms of body language and energy. READ MORE The buzz in the days leading into the match was palpable. There's a special feeling to a Lions Test that never really fades, no matter how many tours you've followed. These matches tap into something deeper, pride, tradition, identity. Even now, years removed from the jersey, I still noticed a little surge of excitement before kick-off. Winning a series is a rare thing, with just three successful tours in the last 50 years. That's the context, the weight Andy Farrell and his group carry and that's why, even if the rugby hasn't been vintage so far, it won't matter beyond the immediate postgame review. History remembers the result, not the shape of the attack or the quality of the offload. Think back to 1997 in South Africa, John Bentley's brilliant try is celebrated by the purists, but the enduring image from that Lions series win is Jeremy Guscott's drop goal. That's what is carved in stone. Jamison Gibson-Park showed his class for the Lions in the first Test against Australia. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Saturday saw a number of battles play out beneath the surface. Farrell and Joe Schmidt represent two very different philosophies. Once coaching partners, they now lead from opposite corners. Schmidt brings clarity through detail, meticulous preparation that borders on obsession. Farrell leans into the emotional core, a people-first approach that trusts players to find their own gears. I always felt Schmidt's intensity was better suited to club rugby, where relationships and systems have time to bed in. That environment benefited me at Leinster, where I found extra gears and longevity. In the national camp, the same approach brought success, but it was a bloody tough place in which to exist. Last week I wrote that Schmidt would have a plan. He always does. Having played under him, you learn to trust that process. His clarity can simplify the complex. The difference now is that he's trying to implement that with a group still finding its identity, in a team that lacks the depth or cohesion of the sides he coached during Ireland's golden run. You can have the plan, but if the players can't execute it under pressure, that blueprint can look very ordinary, very quickly. Australia now face the difficult task of finding momentum from a performance that didn't offer much. The Lions didn't pull away in the second half, but the Wallabies never looked likely to chase them down. Max Jorgensen's try was a lovely solo effort but largely against the grain of the match. Beyond that, their attack lacked any real threat, their entries into the Lions' 22 were sparse and, when they did arrive, looked directionless. Andy Farrell's selections paid off for the Lions in the first Test against Australia. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho There's a question to ask here: do Australia have the players to truly test the Lions? Their halfbacks looked undercooked. Outhalf Tom Lynagh, on just his first start, needed to play like the version of himself we might see in four years. That's a big ask. The discrepancy in class and control between Lynagh, scrumhalf Jake Gordon and inside centre Len Ikitau and the Lions trio of Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell and Sione Tuipulotu was stark. Russell, in particular, was exactly as you'd want him to be – incisive, creative, composed. His assist for Tuipulotu's try was classic Russell. The Scot almost created another for Joe McCarthy. Gibson-Park's kicking and tempo tortured the Australian backfield. It was simple, smart rugby executed at pace. Australia might have more bodies back this week, which will level the playing field slightly, but fixing a misfiring attack in seven days is a tall order. It's hard to see them ditching Lynagh mid-series, and if they do, the alternatives don't inspire confidence. Promoting James O'Connor would represent a huge roll of the dice. Bringing in Ben Donaldson feels like the only viable alternative, which says a lot about where things are. The Aussie backline lacks cohesion and confidence, and when that goes, so too does belief. Tom Lynagh is being asked at a young age to carry a lot for Australia. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Meanwhile, Farrell has his own questions, not even tactical ones, but the kind that come when four nations all want to see their men start. His ability to manage that is a reminder of how good he is at leading groups. He's got the right blend. Tadhg Beirne at six set the tone with an early turnover. Tom Curry justified his selection, and his absence later in the game disrupted the Lions' defensive rhythm. Ellis Genge may have had one or two issues at scrum time, but his and Tadhg Furlong's work around the park was top-drawer, carrying, clearing, setting tempo. Those small efforts often set the platform for the bigger moments to come. The Lions are in a strong position. There's no sense of complacency, no feeling that the job is done. They'll be tired but everyone is at this stage of the season. The depth available to Farrell gives him more room to manoeuvre in selection than Schmidt can afford. That matters now more than ever. The grind of the season, the travel, the collisions, they all start to take their toll. Managing those variables is key. It's not about 15 players; it's about the 23. And beyond that, it's about a group that knows what's at stake and how close they are to something special. The tour isn't won yet but they've put themselves in the position every Lion dreams of; one win away from something that will be remembered forever.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Russell Martin wants ‘powerful' connection between his Rangers side and fans
Russell Martin believes Rangers will 'take some stopping' if they can harness an energy and connection between players, supporters and everyone else associated with the club. The Ibrox head coach is determined to ensure that process takes shape in his first match in charge against Panathinaikos on Tuesday. Rangers take on the Greek side in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round at Ibrox and Martin hopes fans can quickly see the dominant, intense, aggressive team that forms his vision for his reign. The former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton manager said: 'Every day I wake up and I'm honoured to be in this position. I feel extremely grateful for it. I'm excited by it and I will give it absolutely everything I've got. We all will. 'That's what this club demands, what the people demand, what the supporters demand, who will outstay all of us. I just want to put a team on the pitch that they are proud of. 'It has to start (on Tuesday) and they have to see something to be excited about and we have to see something to be excited about. The players have to feel something to be excited about and it's an amazing opportunity and game to do that. 'What we've seen in training has been amazing. They've come with fresh energy, with willingness and openness to new ideas, to new demands, to maybe different rules to what they've had before and they've been great the way they've embraced it. 'And now the biggest challenge for them is to do it in front of 50,000 people with a game that means so much to so many people. And, for any football player, I think it's the biggest test to be yourself in those situations. 'What we have seen over the last four weeks, the more chance we have of being successful. I hope they play with the same freedom, enjoyment and aggression and willingness to run. 'For the team, it will accelerate the learning. That will improve, whatever happens, there's no doubt about it. 'But I think one of the things that has to come out is that the supporters will leave feeling positively about their team, their new-look team, the way it's going to start to shape up. 'We'll be by no means the finished articled, there's a lot of work that needs to go in, but in four weeks from what we've seen to now, the group has been great and they have to put that on the pitch. 'I hope that the fans will leave feeling excited about what's to come and (there will) start being a real connection. Because I think if we can be connected, the whole club, Ibrox, here, the supporters, if this club has that, with that energy, I think it's going to take some stopping. I think it's really powerful. 'But we have to all believe in something and that will be how much the players are willing to win, the hunger, the character, the desire to show. And I'm confident that we'll see that.' Martin's demand that his team play out from the back will ensure a different style to what Rangers fans have been accustomed to and the former Scotland hopes they can buy into that process. 'There will be times where it won't require much patience and there will be times where it will,' he said. 'It's not all going to be plain sailing, there will be some bumpy moments but we have to make sure that everyone can understand and see what we are trying to achieve and that the team has enough moments that people can feel excited about.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Russell Martin wants ‘powerful' connection between his Rangers side and fans
Russell Martin believes Rangers will 'take some stopping' if they can harness an energy and connection between players, supporters and everyone else associated with the club. The Ibrox head coach is determined to ensure that process takes shape in his first match in charge against Panathinaikos on Tuesday. Rangers take on the Greek side in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round at Ibrox and Martin hopes fans can quickly see the dominant, intense, aggressive team that forms his vision for his reign. The former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton manager said: 'Every day I wake up and I'm honoured to be in this position. I feel extremely grateful for it. I'm excited by it and I will give it absolutely everything I've got. We all will. 'That's what this club demands, what the people demand, what the supporters demand, who will outstay all of us. I just want to put a team on the pitch that they are proud of. 'It has to start (on Tuesday) and they have to see something to be excited about and we have to see something to be excited about. The players have to feel something to be excited about and it's an amazing opportunity and game to do that. 'What we've seen in training has been amazing. They've come with fresh energy, with willingness and openness to new ideas, to new demands, to maybe different rules to what they've had before and they've been great the way they've embraced it. 'And now the biggest challenge for them is to do it in front of 50,000 people with a game that means so much to so many people. And, for any football player, I think it's the biggest test to be yourself in those situations. 'What we have seen over the last four weeks, the more chance we have of being successful. I hope they play with the same freedom, enjoyment and aggression and willingness to run. 'For the team, it will accelerate the learning. That will improve, whatever happens, there's no doubt about it. 'But I think one of the things that has to come out is that the supporters will leave feeling positively about their team, their new-look team, the way it's going to start to shape up. 'We'll be by no means the finished articled, there's a lot of work that needs to go in, but in four weeks from what we've seen to now, the group has been great and they have to put that on the pitch. 'I hope that the fans will leave feeling excited about what's to come and (there will) start being a real connection. Because I think if we can be connected, the whole club, Ibrox, here, the supporters, if this club has that, with that energy, I think it's going to take some stopping. I think it's really powerful. 'But we have to all believe in something and that will be how much the players are willing to win, the hunger, the character, the desire to show. And I'm confident that we'll see that.' Martin's demand that his team play out from the back will ensure a different style to what Rangers fans have been accustomed to and the former Scotland hopes they can buy into that process. 'There will be times where it won't require much patience and there will be times where it will,' he said. 'It's not all going to be plain sailing, there will be some bumpy moments but we have to make sure that everyone can understand and see what we are trying to achieve and that the team has enough moments that people can feel excited about.'
CNA
17-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Argentine clubs welcome back away fans after 12 years
BUENOS AIRES :Argentine football clubs can now welcome away supporters after a 12-year ban, the Argentine Football Association said on Thursday. The ban, imposed in 2013 following violent incidents, including the death of a spectator, has now been lifted as part of a staged reintroduction ahead of the next round of fixtures in the current league campaign. "This is a historic day because it marks the beginning of the return of visiting fans, enabling clubs that wish to host them to do so," AFA president Claudio Tapia said at a press conference. He added that the move was partly motivated by the excitement surrounding Angel Di Maria's return to Argentina's top flight. Test events are scheduled for this weekend, including Di María's presentation with Rosario Central at Lanus' stadium and River Plate's visit to Instituto de Cordoba. Rosario Central president Gonzalo Belloso appealed to his club's fans to behave appropriately amid the renewed presence of rival supporters. Javier Alonso, the Buenos Aires Province Security Minister, stressed that clubs wishing to host visiting fans will need to secure approval from the authorities and that the away team must ensure the responsible behaviour of its supporters.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Manchester United fans arrested more than any other club in the country last season
Manchester United surpass West Ham, whose supporters had the most arrests for three years running until 2024-25 ","credit":null,"alt":null,"url":" clubs dominate the football-related arrests table for last season","localCopyright":"PA Wire"},"type":"image"},{"data":{"caption":null,"copyright":"PA Wire","title":"01K0C5X4DZN7XYGXEJ2T0FK1NM","description":"Clubs with most football-related arrests in 2024-25. Infographic from PA Graphics. See story SOCCER Disorder. An editable version is available: please contact graphics@ Embed code for interactive version:
