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Continue reading...‘The dog ate my passport’: All Blacks rookie sorts pet’s mess to rescue debut
Leroy Carter sorts shock call-up for Rugby Championship
Canine chewed passport he needed for Argentina trip
Leroy Carter was still coming to terms with his inclusion in the All Blacks squad to play in Argentina in the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship when he made the shocking discovery. “The dog ate my passport.”
The utility back with the Hamilton-based Chiefs was one of four uncapped players included in Scott Robertson’s Championship squad. The phone call from Robertson informing him of his selection had come as a massive surprise.
Continue reading...Australia 22-12 British & Irish Lions: third Test player ratings
Nic White bows out in style to help Wallabies tame Lions while Bundee Aki flounders in torrential Sydney rain
Tom Wright Another confident outing from a quality operator throughout the series. Joined the attack well and his kicks from hand regularly created territorial advantage. 7
Continue reading...Australia beat British & Irish Lions 22-12 in third Test after weather delay – as it happened
The Lions’ quest to complete an unbeaten tour failed at the final hurdle as the hosts registered a stormy victory
The match is underway after Nic White boots it deep into Lions territory.
The teams are out, slightly behind schedule, we await the Australia anthem and then a ball will be kicked to commence proceedings.
Continue reading...Sports quiz of the week: champions of Europe, Africa and the world
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Continue reading...Rees-Zammit reveals ‘load of interest’ from clubs as he returns to rugby union
Former Wales player has ended pursuit of NFL career
Rees-Zammit aims to find new team ‘in next week or so’
Louis Rees-Zammit says he has had “unbelievable” interest from clubs following his decision to return to rugby union after 18 months in the NFL.
The former Wales winger spent 18 months in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not feature for either franchise in a regular-season game.
“I can’t name teams, but I’ve had a load of interest, which is unbelievable. I’m very grateful for that,” Rees-Zammit told Sky Sports News. “The season starts pretty soon. So it’s about finding the right team for me in terms of location, in terms of how quick I’ve got to get into camp, and because the season’s right around the corner, so all of these things that are going to happen, are going to happen pretty sharpish.
What happened to the rugby league Lions – and could they be revived?
While Andy Farrell’s team are winning matches and fans in Australia, the league Lions remain in hibernation
If the British & Irish Lions complete a clean sweep against the Wallabies on Saturday in Sydney, there will be more talk of Australia no longer being a sufficiently challenging destination for a Lions tour. It’s a mirror image of what has happened to the rugby league Lions over the past 15 years, with Australia deciding that neither Great Britain nor England brought the jeopardy, ticket sales or eyeballs required to justify an incoming tour. Instead, the Kangaroos will visit London, Liverpool and Leeds later this year to play England.
It has been 33 years since Great Britain toured Australia. Martin Offiah lit up that series in 1992, scoring seven tries in six Tests against Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. Offiah, who won 33 caps for Great Britain, as well as five for England, cannot believe the Rugby Football League and Australian Rugby League have allowed these showcase events to fade from view. “As a nation we’ve got to have regular fixtures against Australia,” says Offiah. “Not playing them since the World Cup final in 2017 is crazy. When you’re trying to get across that bridge and match them, that’s a massive gap. And we should have been Great Britain for this series – then gone back to England for the World Cup.”
Continue reading...Australia 26-29 British & Irish Lions: second Test player ratings
Tom Curry’s recovery tackling was crucial while Will Skelton demonstrated what Australia missed in first Test
Tom Wright A performance of swaggering confidence featuring a try, dynamic running to set up attacks and a punishing 50:22. Set the tone for his side from the back. 8
Continue reading...Australia 26-29 British & Irish Lions: second Test – as it happened
A gripping second test and series was won by the last play of the match in Melbourne
The officials for this match:
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Television Match Official (TMO): Eric Gauzins (France
Continue reading...Sports quiz of the week: England v Spain, Tour, Tests and transfer deals
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Continue reading...Judge criticises solicitor acting on behalf of players with brain injury lawsuits
More than 1,000 players from both codes taking action
Solicitor under ‘misapprehension’ about responsibilities
The judge presiding over the two brain injury lawsuits in rugby league and union has issued an extraordinary criticism of the solicitor acting on behalf of the injured players, saying that he had been under a “misapprehension” about his responsibilities and that “he seems to have a problem with the English language”.
Senior master Jeremy Cook said that Richard Boardman, whose firm Rylands Garth is representing more than 1,000 players across both codes, had failed to disclose material to the defendants, World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, the Welsh Rugby Union, and Rugby Football League.
Continue reading...Ben Te’o: ‘Guys were fighting for spots. After too many drinks sometimes that spills over’
The Brisbane Broncos assistant coach on the Lions, union’s struggle in Australia and that World Cup fight
Ben Te’o emerges from Brisbane Broncos’ headquarters, umbrella in one hand and walking a little gingerly. As we head for the cafe at the Broncos’ lavish training base, where Te’o is now an assistant coach, he explains he has just spent two nights in hospital due to a burst appendix. To his great credit, he still felt obliged to meet, and he is good company. It is entirely complimentary to remark that Te’o has never struck as an overly complicated person. He says it how he sees it. And there is plenty to say.
It is 8am, the day before the first British & Irish Lions Test in Brisbane. Te’o has been in demand of late, for the local press wants to know how the Lions measures up against NRL’s State of Origin and the former England centre is the only man to both represent the former and play in the latter.
Continue reading...The Breakdown | If Lions complete Australia rout, clamour for tour of France will grow
It may open the Lions to accusations of parochialism, but there is a compelling case for staying in Europe
It may be too early to start asking existential questions about the British & Irish Lions but, sitting in Melbourne’s Southbank, slap bang in the middle of Aussie rules territory, where union makes barely a ripple, you begin to wonder. The sea of red will roll in at the weekend but, for now, Melbourne is pretty much oblivious. “Some kind of carnival on I think,” was one taxi driver’s assessment.
None of this is to criticise Australia. It is a wonderful country, sports mad and as the loosehead prop James Slipper says of the locals: “They’re still Australian, so they’ll be there. I know they’ll be there. It’s one thing about this country, regardless of the sport, they’ll get behind the national colours.”
Continue reading...Wales appoint Steve Tandy as new head coach to launch the post-Gatland era
Scotland coach tasked with reviving Welsh fortunes
‘Becoming head coach of my country is a massive honour’
Wales have appointed Steve Tandy as their new head coach. The 45-year-old Welshman will become the permanent successor to Warren Gatland on 1 September following almost six years as Scotland’s defence coach.
Tandy is tasked with reviving his country’s fortunes after their record 18-match losing run finally ended on 12 July with a 31-22 victory over Japan in Kobe. His first match in charge will be on Sunday 9 November against Argentina in Cardiff, which will be followed by meetings with Japan, New Zealand and the world champions, South Africa, on the following three weekends.
Continue reading...James Slipper urges Wallabies to ignore ‘losing mentality’ jibe with Lions series on the line
Veteran calls for history to repeat after being part of fightback in 2013
Australia boosted by return of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton from injury
Steely Wallabies veteran James Slipper is urging his battered troops to block out the “noise” as they look to stop the Lions juggernaut in their do-or-die second Test in Melbourne.
The series is on the line at the MCG on Saturday night with Slipper offering a unique perspective in the current Australian line-up as the only player to have taken part in two series.
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